Wildlife vet officers withdraw from vulnerable tasks

The Wildlife veterinary officers have decided to withdraw from the duties vulnerable to dangers from yesterday afternoon in protest of the Wildlife Department’s decision to suspend the service of a veterinary surgeon and two other employees on charges of shooting a bear, Union Secretary Dr. Nalaka Kasun Abeywardena said.

The wildlife employees said they had to shoot the bear to protect the life of a man when the bear was attacking him.

The union said it was very unreasonable to suspend the services of the wildlife officer without considering their repeated attempts to focus the attention of the authorities about the difficulties and danger they are exposed to and about the nonavailability of the medicines and other devices used to restrain the wild animals.

There legal provisions about the procedures to be taken in occasion of this nature but authorities have taken hasty decision to take disciplinary actions against the employees, according to the union.

Wildlife officers have decided to withdraw from services related to capture and sticking identification belt to the elephants,restraining and capturing of bears and leopards, Union Secretary Abeywardena said. (Kanchana Kumara Ariyadasa)