Minister releases six zoo-bred wolves into Amreli facility

With this, the Ambardi Safari Park, which is a microcosm of Gir forest, becomes the third soft-release facility in Gujarat to host wolves. The other two facilities have been set up in Nadabet in Banaskantha and Gir Interpretation Zone (GIZ), Devaliya in Gir (west) Wildlife Division. The GIZ is popularly known as Devaliya Safari Park.

Aradhna Sahu, Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) of Junagadh Wildlife Circle, said that the wolves released in the soft-release facility in Ambardi have been bred at the wolf breeding centre in Sakkar Baug Zoo in Junagadh city. “They were brought to Ambardi around three months ago. After they successfully acclimatised in a quarantine facility, the honourable minister released them in soft-release enclosures today,” Sahu told The Indian Express.
Rajdeepsinh Zala, Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) of Gir (East), said that among the six wolves, four are females and two males.

“They will be kept in two packs of three animals each. The two packs will be kept in separate enclosures and trained for life in the wild,” Zala said, adding the enclosures were already there. The release said that wolves play a key role in controlling the population of wild ungulates like blue bulls (nilgais) and wild boars. “They have proven to be the best friends of farmers,” added the release.

The CCF said that wolves sent to Devaliya Safari Park too have completed their quarantine period. “The ultimate objective of conservation breeding is to release animals bred in conservation breeding facilities into the wild,” said Sahu.