Why do wild animals need our
help?
The vast majority have been the losers in some confrontation with
humans or our way of life. The wild animals of Curacao collide with
vehicles, hit windows or windmills, hit power lines, tangle in
fishing line/net, are poisoned by rodenticides or pesticides, are
shot; are caught in mouse/rat traps, babies have their nest sites
destroyed through construction, landscaping, or bulldozers, for lack
of natural habitat, their parents have chosen dangerous nest sites,
or young animals are simply picked up or stolen out of nests and
made pets when they shouldn't be.
What does a volunteer of Curacao Wildlife do?
Our volunteers range from experienced to non-experienced. The
roles that are available to any Curacao Wildlife volunteer
are:
1. the emergency team on intake:
the first line contact with the public, police, Animal Protection
Agencies (Dierenberscherming, Vomil) and other organizations to
collect and receive wild animals, and under supervision of a
veterinarian to stop any bleeding, to treat for shock, to do
physical examinations, to immobilize fractures, to start an
antibiotic regime, as necessary. In time the volunteer may gain
enough experience to apply emergency care en route to the
veterinarian, or if a veterinarian is not available.
2. the generous laboratory technicians:
who donate their services for drawing and analyzing blood for
anemia, parasites, signs of disease, or starvation; analyzing fecal
samples for parasites, bacteria, blood; radio graphing for fractures
or other problems.
3. the generous veterinarians:
who donate their services for surgery, doing physical examinations
and general supervision of the emergency team on intake.
4. the nurses:
changing bandages, cleaning wounds, giving shots or other
medications.
5. the dieticians:
calculating the calories necessary for growth and healing,
presenting the food in a way best assimilated or most conducive to
self-feeding, making sure our patients are eating.
6. the farmers:
raising the mice, rats, fish, and lizards we feed the birds and
snakes; growing and harvesting grass and other food for the wild
deer, donkeys, and rabbits.
7. the custodians - cleaning and cleaning and cleaning!
8. the physical therapists:
providing passive or active range of motion exercises for stiff
joints or weakened muscles after a broken bone has healed.
9. the educators:
teaching others how man impacts its environment and the wild animals
that inhabit it, and how to maintain a balanced interaction,
respecting each other's space. Provide information to public and
schools about the wildlife around us, how man, domesticated animals
and wild animals interact, and how our actions affect the wildlife
in our work and living areas and in their natural habitats. Writing
and speaking proficiency of Papiamentu, and one or both of the
following languages English, and/or Dutch are required.
10. the naturalists: utilizing knowledge of species
identification, normal habitat, diet, and behavior, as well as
nesting, migrating, and foraging habits.
11. the spotters: informing the emergency team on intake
about wild animals that need to be rescued and providing information
about type of animal, type of injury, location of animal.
12. And, finally, we have the difficult task to make hard
decisions:
can we release a wild animal back to its natural habitat? Is its
recovery complete enough to ensure a successful return to the wild -
able to fly, catch food, reproduce, and migrate, as appropriate to
its species? Unreleaseable animals may have to be put to sleep by a
veterinarian. |
