The Call Of The Wild

Jeep driver-turned-rescuer, Manoj Gogoi has helped rescue and rehabilitate countless wild creatures.

- Manjum Mahanta

Most children in the Northeast grow up surrounded by nature and so it is but natural for most of them to feel connected to nature and wildlife even after they grow up. But for Manoj Gogoi, the connection soon grew into a passion. He knew a lot about wildlife, which was likely a result of living in close proximity to the Kaziranga National Park (KNP). Hailing from Bochagaon village, there came a time in his life when he could no longer sit back and watch animals suffer. ‘People living in and around the park are normally attached to wildlife. But I never thought that someday I would become so close to nature and the wild creatures.’ A jeep driver turned rescuer, Gogoi now works closely with the CorbettFoundation and is responsible for rescue and rehabilitation of wild creatures in Kaziranga.

Budding Interest

He started his career as a tourist cab driver. ‘In 2005, I met Ashok Verma, who was visiting KNP for research. He was from the Bombay Natural History Society. I saw him reading a book on birds and it made me curious. Noticing my interest, he gave me a pair of binoculars and took me along into the jungles of Kaziranga. That same year, I became a tourist guide for IORA.’ He was in the habit of saving tips from tourists; this money helped him later during his rescue operations.

He often meets and interacts with researchers and wildlife enthusiasts who come to KNP for research and study. ‘Many researchers gift me books. I do not understand everything in the books, but I can still relate to it as I have stayed amongst wild animals for many years. As the years went by, I started taking an interest in rescuing snakes in and around the park.’ Gogoi has been working in KNP for about 10 years and with the CorbettFoundation for more than five years.