Week Seven: Wildlife Rehabilitation Flashcards
What is wildlife rehabilitation?
Rescuing, raising, and treating orphaned, diseased, displaced, and injured animals
What is required to keep or possess in captivity any sick, orphaned, or injured mirgratory birds?
Wildlife rehabilitation permit (federal permit)
What is the difference between stabilization and rehabilitation?
Stabilization: you stabilize them until rehab
Rehab: this is rehabilitation
YES these are my definitions :)
Baby birds
GO!
Place birds back in nest if possible, use a surrogate nest if not possible
Baby squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, and fawns
GO!
Do not move them unless you can confirm that the mother is not returning over night
Baby opossums
GO!
If they fall off/out of the pouch they may be abandoned and are worth calling in about
Mom is horrible at being a mother and is a little flaky
Release criteria
GO
If injury or disease is one that means animal would not be able to function in wild after release, it is likely euthanized
Who are the rules and guidelines for the release criteria in wildlife set by?
USFWS Rehabilitation Regulations
What are some examples of situations where euthanasia is very likely in wildlife animals?
Injuries that mean limited mobility, complete loss of sight or hearing, impared vision OU, amputation of wings/legs, imprinting, animal is a rabies vector species, animals with skull/jaw injury that causes malocclusions
What is imprinting?
How an animal learns to identify its own species, not reversible
What is taming?
Animal becoming socialized to humans over time, lose fear of humans (traps and food), it is imprinted to its own species, may still be releasable
What are some considerations for transporting wild animals?
Injury, stress, sights, smells, transporter safety, clean-up
Transporting birds
GO
Adult birds: pet carriers for larger birds, no wire cages, boxes appropriate for smaller birds, tape boxes closed!
Baby birds: heat source, nesting materials, security
Transporting mammals
GO
Adults: Wire cages or live traps
Babies: Pet carriers, boxes for smaller animals, heat source
Transporting reptiles
GO
Legless: pillowcase, lidded container
Legged: Boxes or buckets, no water for aquatic turtles