What is wildlife rehabilitation?

Helping wild creatures to recover from injury, or raising orphans to be released back into their natural environment requires more than kindness alone. The practical caring of wildlife is very different from caring for domesticated animals. It requires a specialised knowledge and expertise to house, feed and rehabilitate them.

Wildlife Rehabilitation is physically, emotionally and financially demanding and it requires considerable time. An animal may need anywhere from one hours attention to weeks of around the clock care. Access to veterinary care and medicines is often needed as are both indoor and outdoor housing facilities.

A variety of specialised equipment is necessary and there are a myriad of tasks to undertake such as cleaning cages to administering medical treatments.

In Victoria, all wildlife rehabilitators require a permit to care for native wildlife. Wildlife rehabilitators spend considerable time, energy and resources of their own, often operating from their own homes, to provide the necessary care for wildlife in need. They are trained and skilled to firstly assess the rescue needs of an animal and then to safely capture, handle and to transport it. A good deal of further expertise and knowledge is required to then provide a high quality of care for the injured, distressed and/ or orphaned animal.

Although wildlife rehabilitation is an extremely rewarding and valuable thing to do, it must be stressed that it is also difficult and requires a great deal of commitment, patience and emotional stamina.

Rehabilitation is not about “cuddling wildlife” or trying to keep wildlife as pets. It is about allowing wild animals to remain wild and to once again live freely according to their own will and in their own environment.