Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Volunteer
Insider Info
Volunteering for wildlife rescue and rehabilitation organizations is a
great way to launch a career in animal care. These organizations are dedicated
to helping injured, orphaned, sick or displaced wildlife, including raccoons,
bobcats, bears, deer, coyotes and other animals. These organizations then
release the animals back in to the wild. Many also provide educational services
to the general public.
Robyn Graboski is a licensed wildlife rehabilitator and heads a center
for wildlife care. The animal shelter, incubators and a small lab are located
in the basement of her family home, where she volunteers.
"We have 20 people who come in on a regular basis to get the animals fed
and cared for. These volunteers clean cages, administer medication, [and]
do whatever needs to be done. There are another 20 to 30 people that help
with transport, collecting newspapers, supplies, fund-raising and education,"
says Graboski.
"People studying pre-veterinary medicine, or majoring in various wildlife
sciences, want to gain practical experience with animals to help them with
their careers," says Graboski, who also recruits help at volunteer fairs.
The Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society (O.W.L.) rehabilitates and
releases birds of prey -- owls, falcons, eagles and hawks. "We only handle
raptors because it's not wise to mix birds of prey with other creatures that
the raptors might regard as dinner," says Colleen Stranix, senior supervisor
at O.W.L. The wildlife society has over 20 non-releasable birds of prey that
are used in its educational programs. All non-releasable birds have permanent
injuries or impairments that would make it impossible for them to be released.
"Our volunteers do everything," says Stranix. "They clean cages, medicate
the birds, provide food and water, look after the facilities and the gardens,
participate in capture missions, answer telephones, run guided tours, and
generally do anything else that needs to be done. We also have volunteers
who provide educational workshops and perform speaking engagements to help
educate the public."
Ted Williams is the volunteer education coordinator and a board member
of O.W.L. During the past three years, he has put in about 4,000 volunteer
hours for O.W.L. "Volunteering for O.W.L. is extremely rewarding," he says.
"Not only am I learning a lot about these birds that I wouldn't have otherwise
known, but I'm able to contribute and help. Without volunteers, wildlife rehabilitation
would be a sad situation. All organizations that work in rehab rely heavily
on volunteers."
Volunteers at O.W.L. work three- or four-hour shifts. However, they may
work as few or as many shifts a week as they wish. Some opt to work in other
capacities and don't directly handle the birds. O.W.L. volunteers must be
at least 13 years of age, and are often recruited through word-of-mouth recommendations.
"All volunteers are given extensive training," says Stranix. "We're careful
to ensure that they have the skills necessary to handle the birds safely.
Birds of prey will attack human beings if they feel threatened. Looking after
our volunteers is a top priority. Our organization depends on them, and we
do everything possible to look after their needs and their safety."
One rainy day, Graboski collected a few volunteers and went to a local
golf course to rescue a goose with a broken leg. The rescuers piled in to
golf carts and headed down the fairway to a pond harboring a flock of geese.
The geese promptly dove in to the pond and swam away. The crew located a small
boat that had a pole for navigation, but no oars.
Soaking wet and blinded by rain, the volunteers used the pole to move across
the pond. The geese were nowhere in sight. The crew headed back to their starting
point, where they discovered the geese back on land. Since it was molting
season, the birds were unable to fly, but they used their wings to run very
quickly.
"We caught up with the injured goose, which was lagging behind the rest
of the flock," says Graboski. "We threw a blanket over it and took it to the
veterinarian who pinned the leg. The rescue mission took us an hour and a
half!"
O.W.L. volunteers were called one night by the sheriff in Point Roberts,
Washington -- near the United States-Canada border -- to rescue a baby eagle
trapped in a private home. "This bird has a big huge beak. You'll need to
put [the bird] in a box to protect yourself, " said the woman who'd reported
the bird.
But the beak wasn't the only issue. O.W.L. had to obtain authorization
from both U.S. and Canada customs to bring the infant bird across the border.
Dressed for safety in long leather gloves and a cap, volunteers collected
the net and drove the rescue wagon across the border -- only to discover that
the trapped bird was actually a baby robin!
On another occasion, a call reported a bald eagle on a person's porch.
"The eagle has a huge beak, giant toenails, and a white head and tail," said
the caller. Stranix sent out her most experienced volunteer and an assistant
to capture the bird. After an hour's drive, the volunteers arrived to discover
a pigeon!
How to Get Involved
No experience is necessary, but volunteers must be willing to do grungy
work. "The bulk of what we need help with is just getting the cages clean
so these animals are kept in proper environments," says Graboski. Volunteers
commit to two hours per week at her center, and usually stay for a year or
two.
"Their experience here looks good on a resume," she says. "I've often written
letters of recommendation for students who are going in to internships, grad
schools, or applying for work with wildlife organizations. I also have an
e-mail list and keep my volunteers informed about job opportunities, internship
information, conferences and workshops."
Contact your local animal society to find an animal rehabilitation center
near you. Remember, you may have to start by cleaning cages -- it takes time
to develop the skills needed to handle wild animals.
Associations
National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association
Internet
:
http://www.nwrawildlife.org
National Wildlife Refuge Association
Internet
:
http://refugeassociation.org/
Links
International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council
Learn more about wildlife rehabilitation
Urban Wildlife Rescue
Read about this Colorado-based nonprofit
Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation
Learn about this wildlife nonprofit in Texas
Back to Career Cluster