Brazil unveils national wildlife rescue plan

Brasilia: Brazil has created a National Wildlife Rescue Program to adopt measures to protect endangered species across the country’s six biomes, according to a Government Gazette.

Created through a resolution of the Environment Ministry, the plan aims to reduce the loss of wildlife biodiversity due to extreme weather or environmental accidents caused by human activity, and provide guidance on the appropriate destination of wild animals following rescue operations, Xinhua news agency quoted the Gazette released on Wednesday as saying.

It also provides for the environmental training and education of the general public, though primary and emergency care must be carried out by a veterinarian, according to the ordinance.

Rapid response plans for catastrophes and accidents affecting wildlife were enhanced, as were agreements and partnerships for their operation.

The program will be run by the Environment Ministry’s Biodiversity Secretariat, which will seek to coordinate and develop alliances with other government agencies, the private sector and civil society.

Home to 60 per cent of the Amazon rainforest, which accounts for approximately one-tenth of all species in the world, Brazil is considered to have the greatest biodiversity of any country on the planet.