What is wildlife rehabilitation?

Wildlife rehabilitation involves caring for ill, orphaned and injured wild animals with the goal of returning them to their natural habitat.

  

Why is wildlife rehabilitation important?

• to help animals that were adversely affected by human interference

• to saves the lives of young animals that would not be able to care for themselves

• to relieve pain and suffering for animals after traumatic injuries or those that are beyond the ability to recover

• to use as environmental indicators for things such as disease transmission, environmental toxicities, effects of habitat destruction

• to helps conserve threatened and endangered species

 

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Process

1 - Admission & Initial Assessment

• Determine if the animal really needs our intervention

• If a healthy orphan, try reuniting strategies to return them to their mother

• Physical exam and medical care is made possible by local veterinary hospitals who offer their services free of charge to help us assist wildlife in need.

2 - Treatment

• Begin rehydration with fluid therapy

• Create care plan to address animal’s reason for admission

  • Warmth and feeding of healthy orphans

  • Wound care of soft tissue injuries

  • Feeding protocols for starving animals

3 - Conditioning & Acclimation

• Move to larger, outdoor caging

  • Allows for acclimation to current weather conditions

  • Encourages the animal to exercise to regain the stamina they need for life in the wild 

4 - Release

• Animals must be completely self-sufficient

  • Displays fear of predators, including humans

  • Knows how and is able to find food

  • Displays normal behavior:  birds can fly, squirrels can climb, ducks can swim, etc

• Selection of release location and day

  • Many factors to take into consideration

    • Weather and season

      • Aim for 3 consecutive days of favorable weather 

      • For migrating birds, are the rest of the species still in the area or have they already left on migration?

      • For species that cache food for the winter like squirrels, do they have enough time to do so before winter?

    • Some species, such as birds of prey, are released in the same location they were found

      • They have a home territory and are familiar with sources of food

      • Monogamous species may have a mate waiting for their return

    • Is the location a suitable habitat and safe for the animal?

      • Is the appropriate food plentiful?

      • Is there already an abundance of this species at the location?

      • Are there other dangers to the animal such as automobile traffic, dense human population and hunting?