Monkeys top chart as nearly 10,000 wild animals rehabilitated at Asola Bhatti since 2021: Data

Nearly 10,000 wild animals rehabilitated at Asola Bhatti since 2021: Data New Delhi, Jan 16 (PTI) From monkeys shifted out of crowded neighbourhoods to snakes and birds rescued from human habitations, more than 10,000 wild animals were cumulatively rescued and rehabilitated at the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary in Delhi between 2021 and 2025, according to official data.

The cumulative rehabilitation figures include 6,691 rhesus macaques (monkey) handled by civic agencies between 2021 and 2025, and 3,339 wild animals across species rehabilitated by NGOs between 2021 and 2024.

The macaque rehabilitations were carried out by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), while the NGO data covers snakes, birds and small mammals rescued from human habitations and relocated for treatment and release. Both streams were largely routed through the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary.

Civic records show that monkey rehabilitation at the sanctuary has been going on for more than a decade.

As many as 23,263 monkeys were shifted to Asola Bhatti before February 10, 2021, taking the overall number of macaques rehabilitated at the sanctuary to 29,854 over the years, official data showed.

In contrast, NGO records point to sharp year-to-year variation in multi-species rehabilitation.

After 266 animals in 2021, the number rose steeply to 2,067 in 2022, before dropping to 387 in 2023 and increasing again to 619 in 2024. Snakes formed the largest share of these rehabilitations, followed by birds and small mammals.

Among reptiles handled by the NGOs, Indian spectacled cobras emerged as the single largest category, with rescues recorded every year between 2021 and 2024.

Rat snakes and wolf snakes were also reported frequently, while Indian rock pythons appeared consistently across years, though in smaller numbers.

Other species recorded during this period included kraits, sand boas and monitor lizards, along with occasional rescues of turtles, porcupines and smaller birds.

Separate from the rehabilitation pipeline, rescue records of the South Division of the Delhi Forest Department show that more than 2,290 animals were rescued from distress situations between January 2022 and August 2025 across Delhi.

These figures relate only to emergency rescues carried out by forest officials and do not include long-term rehabilitations, according to official data.

Monkeys were the most frequently rescued animal during this period, accounting for roughly 50 per cent of all rescues, followed by rat snakes, kites and black kites, monitor lizards and Indian rock pythons.

Year-wise data showed that 397 animals were rescued in 2022, 522 in 2023, 804 in 2024, and nearly 575 between January and August 2025.

In 2022, monkeys accounted for about 214 rescues, or nearly 54 per cent of the year’s total. They were followed by around 36 rat snakes and nearly 31 kites and black kites, while monitor lizards and Indian rock pythons formed a smaller share.

The main causes prompting rescue included 164 injury cases, 61 animals falling from buildings or trees, 47 cases of entrapment in wires or structures, and 39 electrocutions. Sangam Vihar, Asola, Bhatti Mines and Neb Sarai emerged as the major rescue locations.

The rescue numbers rose in 2023 to around 522 animals, again led by about 276 minkeys, accounting for nearly 53 per cent of the total rescues, the data showed.

They were followed by 52 rat snakes and 47 kites and black kites. That year saw 211 injury cases, 84 falls, 66 entrapments, and 58 electrocutions, with the same south Delhi localities reporting the bulk of incidents.

The highest number of rescues was recorded in 2024, when about 804 animals were handled by the forest department, including 398 monkeys, 92 rat snakes and 83 kites and black kites.

The causes ranged from 326 injury cases and 132 falls to 109 entrapments and 136 electrocutions, with Bhatti Mines, Sangam Vihar, Asola and Neb Sarai again emerging as the hotspots.

Between January and August 2025, around 575 animals were rescued, led by about 271 monkeys, accounting for nearly 47 per cent.

They were followed by 78 rat snakes and 56 kites and black kites, while monitor lizards and Indian rock pythons continued to form a smaller but steady share.

A comparison of overlapping periods showed that rescues declined from about 689 animals between January and August 2024 to around 575 during the same months in 2025, a reduction of 114 cases, or 16.5 per cent.

Across years, injury remained the leading cause of rescue, while electrocution continued to pose a serious and persistent threat to wildlife along Delhi’s urban-forest interface.

The data also showed clear seasonal clustering, with monkeys and birds rescued more frequently in May and June, and rat snakes, Indian rock pythons and monitor lizards more often in July and August.

Records also showed repeated rescues of large animals such as nilgai or blue bull, with more than 100 such cases recorded between 2022 and August 2025, mostly from residential areas and forest-edge locations. PTI SGV ARI