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What Is Wildlife Rehabilitation?
"Wildlife rehabilitation involves caring for injured, ill and orphaned
wild animals with the goal of releasing each into its natural habitat.
Each animal is examined, diagnosed and treated through an individually
tailored program of veterinary care, hospital care, feeding, medicating,
physical therapy, exercising and pre-release conditioning. Releases are
planned for appropriate weather, season, habitat and location. Some
animals, of course, are beyond help when found and are humanely
euthanized. Unreleasable animals occasionally provide valuable research
information or are suitable as educational ambassadors.
Critics of wildlife rehabilitation advocate "Let nature take its
course," indicating that distressed wild animals should be allowed to
remain free to meet their natural fate. However, records indicate that
the majority of injured, ill and orphaned wild animals handled by
rehabilitators are suffering not because of "natural" occurrences, but
because of human intervention -- some accidental, some intentional,
many preventable: autos, trains, mowers, high line wires, firearms,
traps, kids throwing stones, woodcutters, picture windows, poisons,
oil spills, pets, etc. Rehabilitators ease the suffering of these
animals by either caring for them until they can be released or
humanely euthanizing them.
Permitted, trained rehabilitators are a valuable link in the network
of people and organizations helping wildlife. In addition to
returning animals to the wild, they are cooperating to reduce negative
human impact on wildlife and the environment. Some are involved in
research, captive propagation and reintroduction projects. Many are
involved in public education, exposing both children and adults to
biological facts, ecological concepts, and a responsible attitude
toward all living things. Information from trained, conscientious
rehabilitators can and should be used more often to assist in
research, law writing and enforcement, population management, habitat
preservation, public education programs, and species reintroduction."
- written by the Minnesota Wildlife Assistance Cooperative
Note: Permits from provincial/state and federal wildlife agencies
must be obtained in order to possess wildlife (this includes ALL birds
with the only exceptions being pigeons, European starlings, and house
sparrows.) Canada has six species not regulated - see Canadian Wildlife Service
for those species.
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