An Inside Look at Wildlife Rehabilitation

Wildlife rehabilitation is certainly not a new concept in California. Folks have been raising or healing wild birds and mammals for decades, all over the world. However, in recent years, wildlife rehabilitation has become a regulated profession or avocation. In the United States, people interested in doing rehab must be licensed by their state. In California, the permit to do this work is issued by the Ca. Dept. of Fish & Game.

A separate permit must be issued by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for those who wish to care for migratory birds. Our center has both permits, thus allowing us to care for all native species.

The field of wildlife rehabilitation can be very rewarding. Nursing a wild animal back to health and releasing it back within its home range is a thrill. Raining an orphaned wild baby, ensuring that it remains wild, and finally setting it free brings unmeasurable joy to all of us. Unfortunately, not every animal who comes to us can be released. Some either die from their illness or injury or have to be humanely euthanized to end their suffering. This is something that all involved with wildlife rehab must understand. We look at euthanasia as the kindest thing we can do for a wild animal whose injuries preclude any possibility of survival in the wild. It isn't an easy task, but a necessary one.

San Diego County has several wildlife rehabilitation organizations. All groups work closely with one another to ensure that the wildlife in need of help receive that help promptly and professionally. Our center, here in Ramona, specializes in all birds of prey, crows, ravens, skunks and large mammals such as mountain lions, coyotes and bobcats. We specialize in these animals because they require either large flight cages or large enclosures in which to complete their rehabilitation. Our 5-acre facility can accommodate such large species, consequently, these animals are housed on-site. Our sister wildlife groups rely on volunteers who care for the wildlife in their homes.

We have trained staff to help us care for the animals. Our veterinarian, Dr. Don Wood, performs the orthopedic work and other procedures that require a veterinarian's skills.

We are licensed to deal with only native wildlife although we frequently receive calls regarding domestic or exotic animals. By law, we are not allowed to care for these animals. Those ill or injured animals can only be treated by a veterinarian.

Springtime is the busiest time of the year for wildlife rehabbers. Wild babies are born, and often fall from nests or become orphaned or abandoned. It is not unusual for us to accept 30 animals a day during this "baby season". We and our staff are often busy around the clock, accepting or caring for these orphaned youngsters, in addition to the ill or injured adults who come in year-round.

While raising a wild baby may sound exciting, it is, in fact, a very difficult job. Great care must be taken to ensure that the youngster does not become tamed or imprinted. Of equal, if not greater, importance is nutrition. We must have intimate knowledge of the feeding habits of the wildlife and must duplicate such at this center. For nursing baby mammals, we must develop a formula that has the exact values (calcium, protein, carbohydrates, fat, etc.) of the milk from a lactating female of the same species. Failure to meet these values will result in bone deformities, improper development and death. Diets for young predatory birds are equally important. Even a slight deficiency in calcium will lead to serious metabolic problems manifesting themselves in major bone deformities.

Dealing with injured adult wildlife is problematic at best, as they are hurt, frightened and will defend themselves with a vengeance. Handling birds of prey requires special training and heavy gloves to prevent serious injury from the talons of these birds. In restraining an injured coyote, great care must be taken to avoid getting a serious bite. Dealing with bobcats and mountain lions is a completely different matter. Because their weapons are many, the use of chemical restraint is usually the only safe method of dealing with these extremely dangerous animals. This requires a combination of drugs administered by the use of a pole syringe or tranquilizer gun.

Are you beginning to see that there is more to this job than meets the eye? Well, there's even more. We also deal with zoonotic diseases. Zoonoses are those transmissible from animals to man. Rabies is perhaps the most feared of these diseases. Fortunately, we've dealt with very few rabid animals. There are, however, other diseases that we are exposed to on a regular basis. Salmonella, Leptospirosis and Campylobacter are bacterial infections; parasitic infections include Giardia and Baylisascaris (raccoon roundworm). All of these diseases can be prevented by good hygiene practices. Because we are fanatic about sanitation, we have never contracted any of these ailments despite the fact that we treat quite a few infected animals. Lyme disease (from ticks) and plague (from fleas) are also of concern. We've not dealt with Lyme disease but have seen several cases of plague. As a precaution, several of us have been on an antibiotic regimen after handling a plague-infected bobcat.

Hopefully, those of you interested in our work now have a better perspective of what we do for the wildlife.

Should you encounter a small bird or mammal in need of help please call one of the area wildlife groups listed below; and remember that we are always here for any emergency involving large birds and mammals.

Project Wildlife (619) 225-WILD
Emergency Wildlife Rehab. (619) 443-3692

— Cindy Traisi