Rasila Wadher had shot to
limelight in 2008 as the first woman forest guard in Gir National Park, the
last abode of Asiatic lions. Her exemplary courage in rescuing ferocious
animals has drawn global applause.
Now, gun-totting 33-year-old Rasila Wadher is all set to head the
entire rescue department of the sanctuary. In fact, Wadher will be the first
woman to helm this crucial post ever since the department was formed 22 years
ago. On an average, 700 rescue operations are undertaken in four districts -
Junagadh, Gir-Somnath, Amreli and Bhavnagar - in a year.
Wadher, who has rescued 1,100 wild animals in her decade-long
career, will now oversee these operations, which has become more challenging
due to lions frequently straying close to human habitations. In Gir, she will
be handling a team of 18 trackers, but her job is not limited to the four
districts.
"Whenever there is a rescue call anywhere in Gujarat and
there are no experts available, our teams rush to those places," said
Wadher, who was promoted as sanctuary inspector two months ago. In 2008, Wadher
was offered the posting in forest department's back office. But itching for a
field job, she applied for recruitment as forest guard and got selected.
"Mine
is a 24 hours job because you never know what would happen and where,"
said Wadher, mother of a nine-month-old boy whom she takes along sometimes when
there is no one at home to take care.
Rasila was
recently promoted to Forest Rescuer. She is now the head of Gir’s Rescue
department. From having just one star on her uniform to now having three, from
working as a subordinate to now heading a department, Rasila’s journey defines
courage, dedication, hard work and genuine love for animals.
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