U’Khand to use Ultrasound method to detect pregnancy in wild animals

Dehradun, January 19: Uttarakhand has introduced for the first time in the country, ultrasound will be performed on wild animals to detect pregnancy before administering reproduction control method on them.

To detect pregnancy in wild boars, monkeys, neel cows and elephants a machine will be used. The initiative is part of Wildlife Institute of India (WII)'s the three-year project worth Rs 10 crore under the Union environment ministry, in collaboration with National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi.

The state government has granted the certification to use ultrasound machines for detection of pregnancy in wild animals. Dynamics of using ultrasound machines are different for humans and wild animals. In case of humans, it is used to determine the gender and safety whereas, in wild animals, the test is done to confirm pregnancy and then the animal is released into the wild undisturbed.

Since the guidelines of preconception and prenatal diagnostic technique Act does not apply on wild animals, so approval was granted to WII readily."WII director V B Mathur said, "The state government has granted us certification to use ultrasound machines for detection of pregnancy in wild animals.

Dynamics of using ultrasound machines are different for humans and wild animals.

The portable ultrasound machine will be procured so that tests could be conducted as per the location of the animal.