Launching a National Network for Wild Animal Rehabilitation

Description

In Romania a lot of wild animals are injured daily and die, because there is no national network specialized in wildlife rescue. The project aims to establish a National Network for Wild Animal Rehabilitation and to upgrade the existing Rehabilitation Center of Milvus Group. One of the objectives is to find all those NGOs who work with animal rehabilitation, and to invite them to be part of the national rehabilitation network. Cooperation between this network and the Ministry of Environment regarding wildlife rehabilitation will be facilitated. All zoos from the country and 100 pet shops will be contacted, useful information will be published via internet and media; thus will be inform 120.000 people about rehabilitation centers and first aid measures. A network of veterinarians will be created, who will attend a workshop, learning about the treatment of wild animals from Norwegian, Bulgarian and Hungarian colleagues. The beneficiaries of the project will be veterinarians, visitors of zoos and staff of the zoos.

Summary of project results

In Romania, a large number of wild animals are injured and lose their lives every day. Most of them are bird species, as they can be injured easily (hit the windows, attacked by cats, hit by cars, electrocuted by medium voltage lines etc.). Some of these animals could be saved if they reach in time to a specialised centre. For this to happen, there are some important conditions to be fulfilled, and the project aimed at making it possible: (1) The person that finds the animal must have easy access to information about the steps that have to be taken in these situations, in order to find a veterinarian specialist in the nearby area who has a basic training in wildlife rescue measures. Rapid first aid is crucial in saving the animal. (2) To have a nearby well equipped rehabilitation centre, where the animal can recover after treatment in order to be released back into nature. Sometimes, after surgeries, they need weeks or months to recover. The promoter has created a website dedicated to the already existing wildlife rehabilitation centre, and where anyone can find the nearest first aid point to address their calls to. Besides the www.wildliferescue.ro website, where information about the first aid, treatment and wildlife rehabilitation can be found, a phone number was launched: 004 0722 533 816, available 24/7 to facilitate communication with those who have found injured wild animals. The procedure is simple: after receiving a phone call, Milvus Group will choose the best solution for intervention, either by going out on the site to provide first aid or contact the closest veterinarian in the region of the call. After anamnesis, the veterinarian will decide if the animal needs long term recovery and whether it will be hosted at the Milvus Group’s Rehabilitation Centre. The Wildlife Rescue Network is composed of volunteers that enable the organisation to intervene in the most efficient and rapid way in different regions of the country. Besides the networks’ establishment, the organisation renovated and expanded the wildlife rehabilitation facilities in the village of Sinsimion, Mures County, and thus the capacity of receiving and rehabilitating injured birds was increased by 30% and by 100% in the case of turtles.

Summary of bilateral results