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INTERESTED IN HELPING WILDLIFE?
Help Us Help Wildlife:
developed & endorsed by International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council
Wildlife in Need
A cardinal lies limp on the ground after hitting a window. A young cottontail rabbit is injured by a lawnmower. A snapping turtle is hit by a car. A fledgling robin has punctures from a cat attack. A red-tailed hawk is caught in a barbed wire fence. The home of some juvenile red foxes is destroyed by road work.
When people find wild animals whose lives are threatened, especially when human actions have been the direct or indirect cause, they often want to help. Yet helping these wild creatures recover and releasing them back to their natural wild habitat requires more than compassion. Caring for wildlife is very different from caring for domestic animals and may be much more difficult than initially expected. This is where wildlife rehabilitators come in.
Wildlife Rehabilitators Can Help!
Wildlife rehabilitators are trained, skilled, and permitted to provide specialized care for wild animals. Wildlife rehabilitators work to provide high quality care to injured, orphaned, displaced, or distressed wild animals in order to release them back into their native habitat.
Wildlife rehabilitators are trained to assess if wildlife needs rescue, as well as how to safely capture, rescue, handle, and transport these wild animals. They have special facilities and habitats to house wildlife. They provide specific diets to meet the needs of different species. They work closely with veterinarians knowledgeable about and willing to provide veterinary care for wildlife. They know when, how, and where to release wildlife. The rehabilitators also have the necessary permits (state, provincial, and federal) to temporarily possess and care for wildlife.
Need for More Wildlife Rehabilitators
The number of wild animals in need is growing annually as humans move into and damage wildlife habitat. In most cases, when humans and wildlife collide, wildlife suffers. Increasingly, people seek help for these wild animals from wildlife rehabilitators. As a result, there is a growing need for more wildlife rehabilitators.
Most wildlife rehabilitators perform their rehabilitation activities on their own property, including the house and yard. These home-based rehabilitators volunteer their time, energy, and resources (supplies, space, and money). They must have or arrange for separate indoor and outdoor facilities for wildlife caging away from people and pets. They arrange for veterinary services. They obtain the relevant permits or licenses (state, provincial, and sometimes federal) .
Rehabilitating wildlife is a demanding activity. It requires considerable time, potentially ranging from one hour to several hours per day, possibly around the clock, including weekends and holidays. Wildlife rehabilitation involves performing a wide variety of tasks: answering phone calls on human-wildlife conflicts, preparing special diets, feeding orphaned wild animals, administering medical treatments, cleaning and building cages, and finding release sites. While many of the tasks are personally performed by the rehabilitators, some may be performed by volunteers. The tasks can be physically, mentally, and emotionally challenging. Some wildlife rehabilitation facilities also recruit volunteers for specific assignments. Many of the tasks are similar to those for home-based rehabilitators, and may include conducting educational programs or providing administrative help.
Realities
People may be attracted to wildlife rehabilitation because it sounds rewarding, exciting, and enjoyable. It can be all of those things. However, it is difficult, stressful, tiring and frustrating. It is not easy nor is it a hobby. It takes a considerable commitment of time and energy, as well as a willingness to provide high quality care to wildlife in need. Wildlife rehabilitation also takes money... and the government does not pay. Rehabilitation is not about "cuddling wildlife" or keeping wildlife as pets but keeping wild animals wild. It is about releasing those wild animals that can recover. It is recognizing that some wild animals die or must be euthanized. It is, overall, the joy of seeing an animal return to its natural habitat, healthy and wild again.
Want To Learn More?
A more complete booklet called "Wildlife Rehabilitation: Is It For You?" is available.
It provides more details of the tasks involved in wildlife rehabilitation, requirements, and ways to get started.
A copy of this brochure and the booklet are available from: International Wildlife
Rehabilitation Council (IWRC)
4437 Central Place, Ste B4,
Suisun, CA 94585
707-864-1761
iwrc@inreach.com
or www.iwrc-online.org.
WildAgain Wildlife Rehabilitation
P.O. Box 685
Evergreen, CO 80437
fax 303-6708938
recruiting@Ewildagain.org
www.Ewildagain.org
Information may also be available from state, provincial, and federal wildlife agencies.