A wetland can shelter millions of birds, but what happens when one falls injured? Who examines it, treats it, or decides whether it can return to the wild? These are not hypothetical questions. They go to the heart of conservation. Recent disclosures reveal a troubling gap: the division responsible for managing Kashmir’s wetlands, rescuing wildlife and responding to animal emergencies has no veterinary facility and no veterinarian on its rolls.
This absence stands in sharp contrast to the scale of responsibility the wetlands division carries. Kashmir’s notified wetlands support one of the largest concentrations of migratory birds in the region. Millions of birds arrive from different parts of the world each winter. The wetlands are also home to otters, foxes, jackals, fish species and other wildlife. Conservation authorities regularly undertake rescue operations, tranquilize animals, manage human-wildlife encounters and respond to distress calls. Yet the most basic component of wildlife care remains missing.
Wildlife conservation is often measured through bird counts, habitat restoration projects and protected area notifications. These indicators matter. But conservation does not end at habitat management. Animals get injured. Birds collide with power lines, become entangled in nets or suffer from disease and exhaustion. Mammals require medical examination after rescue operations. Wildlife health is not a secondary component of conservation. It is one of its foundations.
The numbers themselves expose the contradiction as the wetlands division has reported dozens of rescue and tranquilization operations in recent years. It has installed cages, facilitated safe passage for animals and responded to wildlife incidents. Such interventions inevitably involve direct handling of living animals. Yet there is no clarity on where those animals receive treatment, who assesses their medical condition, or what protocols govern their rehabilitation.
This is not merely an administrative omission rather it represents a structural weakness in Kashmir’s wildlife protection framework. A rescue operation without veterinary support can only go so far. Capturing an injured animal is only the beginning. Treatment, rehabilitation and monitoring determine whether the intervention succeeds or fails.
The concern extends beyond individual animals; wetlands hosting large congregations of migratory birds require continuous disease surveillance. Around the world, wildlife veterinarians play a central role in monitoring disease outbreaks, collecting samples and providing early warning systems for threats that can affect both wildlife and human populations. The absence of dedicated veterinary capacity limits the ability of authorities to detect and respond to such risks.
The government has invested resources in wetland conservation and habitat management. Those efforts have helped maintain bird populations and strengthen protection measures across several sites. However, the next phase of conservation must address the missing link of wildlife healthcare.
The action plan is clear. A dedicated wildlife veterinary unit should be established for the wetlands division without delay. Veterinary officers, para-veterinary staff and trained rescue personnel must be sanctioned and recruited. A central wildlife treatment and rehabilitation centre should be created to serve the wetland network, backed by mobile veterinary teams capable of rapid response across districts. Standard protocols for rescue, treatment, disease surveillance and release should be institutionalised. Coordination between wildlife protection and animal husbandry departments should be formalised to ensure that no rescued animal is left without medical care.
Kashmir’s wetlands are counted every year for the number of birds they host. They must now be judged by another measure: whether the system can care for the wildlife it is entrusted to protect. Conservation is not only about preserving habitat. It is also about ensuring that when an animal needs help, the system is equipped to provide it. Until that gap is closed, the promise of protection will remain incomplete.
