Guwahati: The Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC), Kaziranga, has completed 23 years of dedicated service as India’s first and only facility exclusively focused on the rescue, rehabilitation and release of wild animals.
Established in 2002, the centre has handled more than 9,500 wildlife rescue cases, with 63 per cent of the animals successfully returned to the wild.
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CWRC was created as an urgent response to Kaziranga’s annual floods, which displace and injure thousands of animals every monsoon.
Over the years, it has evolved into a model of collaboration between the Assam Forest Department, Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).
Located in Kaziranga National Park, the centre has provided care for 357 wildlife species ranging from rhino and elephant calves to clouded leopards, hog deer and greater adjutant storks.
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Its work is supported by two Mobile Veterinary Service (MVS) units that extend emergency care across Eastern and Western Assam, particularly in remote and flood-prone areas.
These efforts have enabled conservation milestones such as the reintroduction of rhinos to Manas National Park and the translocation of Hoolock gibbons to safer habitats. Orphan elephants, wild buffalo and black bears have also been restored to the wild under CWRC’s care.
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During the devastating floods that strike Kaziranga each year, CWRC mobilises 30 to 40 veterinarians, keepers and volunteers through four dedicated units and temporary camps. On average, over 700 animals are rescued each flood season.
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The centre’s teams not only deliver critical veterinary care but also work with nearby villages to reduce human-animal conflict and encourage community-led conservation.
With 23 years of science-led rescue and rehabilitation, CWRC stands as Assam’s frontline in wildlife disaster response and as a testament to the power of partnerships in protecting India’s natural heritage.
Commenting on the centre, Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR) Director Sonali Ghosh said, “The Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) at Kaziranga stands as a rare example where ex-situ care and in-situ conservation come together under a single vision—rescuing, rehabilitating, and returning life to the wild, especially during the challenges of floods.”