03/01/2025
Please take the time to read:
Lately there has been an increase in the number of well meaning people attempting to raise/rehabilitate orphaned or injured wildlife themselves and delaying them coming into care. When this happens, injuries can be missed or heal incorrectly, wrong foods can be given or given improperly, they can lose their natural behaviours and become domesticated, and sadly the majority of this results in an inability to release and euthanasia. Wildlife carers undergo strict licensing conditions and training and have the experience to provide the care required and in a way that optimises the chance of release and survival in the wild again. So next time you pick up injured or orphaned wildlife and think it is cute and want to try raising/caring for it yourself, please put the wildlife first and take it to a carer or vet clinic, as delaying proper care can be a death sentence for it.
For example, we have had a lot of birds being picked up or handed in that have been held onto by members of the public for a couple of weeks, sometimes longer, that have lost their wild behaviours, they don’t have the ability to recognise their natural foods in the wild, are no longer fearful of people or pets, and have become fully dependent on people for affection and food. These animals are unlikely to ever survive in the wild again. It makes rehabilitation that much harder and heartbreaking when we are unable to reverse what has been done.
