Confiscated Animals-Rescue and Enforcement (CARE) Training

Donor: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL)
In collaborated with: International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)

Project purpose: Training for law-enforcement personnel directly engaged in dealing with wildlife confiscations, live animal handling, and post-confiscation disposition decision-making to build essential capacities in addressing wildlife trafficking, live animal confiscations, animal care, evidence management, zoonotic diseases risk mitigation, and temporary wildlife housing, with practical modules on species identification, safe transport, health assessments, and disposition planning.

In 2024, EFL collaborated with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) under its CARE Project to strengthen Sri Lanka’s capacity for humane management of confiscated wildlife. Following technical discussions with IFAW’s global project lead, Ms. Carole Mercier, a comprehensive training program on animal care, handling, quarantine, and cross-border management of live confiscations was carried out. A planning meeting between IFAW, EFL, and the DWC outlined training content, identified trainers and participants, prior to that. This partnership aimed to establish consistent, science-based protocols aligned with international standards, ensuring that enforcement officers and wildlife handlers are equipped to provide safe and ethical care to rescued animals. By bridging global expertise with national enforcement needs, the collaboration marks a significant step toward building long-term institutional capacity in wildlife rescue and rehabilitation across Sri Lanka.

• Two-day CARE training for 24 officers from the Department of Wildlife Conservation, Department of Zoological Gardens, Sri Lanka Customs, and the Sri Lanka Police on live animal confiscation, humane and safe handling, care, zoonotic disease and transport of confiscated wildlife, contributing to improved enforcement and animal welfare standards in Sri Lanka.
• Training curricula and practical modules available on live animal confiscations & handling, management of confiscated animals, evidence management & animal confiscation, animal health assessment, transport of live animals, wildlife smuggling techniques, etc.

• Carole Mercier, IFAW
• Jennifer Whitener, IFAW
• Dr. Ganga Wijesinghe, Veterinarian, DWC
• Dr. Jagath Gunawardena, Environmental Lawyer
• Manori Gunawardena, Wildlife Biologist & EFL Board Director
• Madhava Botejue, Head of Science, EFL