WRI e-newsletter
February 2017
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NEWS - Wildlife Rehabilitation Ireland
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WRI Fundraiser - CYCLE in ICELAND!
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Six days, Icelandic cycle, for Ireland's wildlife
Another plug for this cycle challenge, for the benefit of those who have just signed up to our newsletter!
Accept the Iceland Fire and Ice Cycle Challenge and help us build a Wildlife Rehabilitation & Teaching Hospital for sick or orphaned wildlife. Iceland is home to some of nature’s most exciting geography, including active volcanoes, sheer cliffs, glaciers, thundering waterfalls, steaming lava fields, plunging fjords, boiling mud pools and spouting geysers. Our short but tough biking challenge takes in some of the country’s most stunning and rugged terrain as we cycle past volcanoes, hot springs and bubbling mud pots. To find out more about the Iceland Fire and Ice Cycle (5-10 Sept 2017) Visit the website: www.charitychallenge.com
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NPWS Wildlife Crime Prosecution - hedges
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Pixabay.com
 © Kieran Buckley
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Destruction of 800 metres of hedgerows during the bird nesting season
Mr. Richard Douglas a cattle farmer from Rathmoylan, Co Meath was before Judge Gráinne Malone at Navan District Court on a summons relating to the destruction of 800 linear metres of hedgerows during the bird nesting season. Mr. Douglas pleaded guilty to the offence and admitted that on the 22nd of April 2015 he destroyed hedgerows and part of a woodland during the bird nesting season. When passing sentence the Judge told the defense solicitor that based on his guilty plea, she would reluctantly not impose a criminal conviction on Mr. Douglas; however, in view of the significance of the destruction and given the evidence presented to the court by the NPWS ranger of the impact of this had on nesting birds, she ordered that Mr. Douglas pay a total of €3,500 to two wildlife conservation charities.
Convicting people of wildlife crimes is extremely difficult and a huge amount of effort goes into it.
Find the full report at Wildlife Crime Ireland website under the 'Case Details' tab on the 'Prosecutions' page.
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How kites are killing kites
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© Johanna Storm IZVG on behalf of Wildlife Vets International
© Katie Stacey BBC Wildlife Mag
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Competitive kite flying in India is seriously injuring raptors
For centuries festivals in India have gone hand in hand with the act of flying kites. Kite flying in general is a popular pastime in Delhi and elsewhere in the region, but it is the competitive flying that is particularly harmful for birds.
Competitive kite flying involves outmanoeuvring your opponents to cut their string with your own. To achieve this, the thin cotton string gets manually covered in “manja”, gelatinous, brightly coloured “goo” that contains finely ground glass powder.
In recent years, stronger nylon with improved cutting properties has also become available, imported from China - this one being more expensive but also more durable and sadly, for the birds, it is very strong and never tears.
All the birds’ injuries were very similar to one another: they had all flown into the strings with the front edge of their wing, thus lacerating the soft tissue up to the bone or even through the bone.
To read a report Bird Carnage at an Indian Kite Festival by Johanna Storm; vet with the International Zoo Veterinary Group IZVG, about work carried out for the Jivdaya Charitable Trust during Uttrayan Festival on behalf of Wildlife Vets International – visit the website- www.wildlifevetsinternational.org
Officials in India have made some strides recently to make the skies safer. Delhi banned the use of manja in August, after stray strings slit the throats and killed three people.
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© David Grossman
© Malancha Gupta
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A solution to tackle point-of-care diagnostics in resource-poor settings
Centrifuges have long been used in scientific and veterinary labs, but as crucial as they are, they're also quite expensive.
A bare-bones paperfuge can be built with fishing wire, paper, and wood. The new design's affordability and extremely low cost, estimated to be 20 cents, has the potential to radically change what it is possible for a doctor in the field to accomplish or for wildlife rehabilitators doing low cost in-house blood smears and PCV tests.
Visit www.popularmechanics.com for more details. The low-cost $2 'egg-beater' centrifuge replacement can separate plasma from blood in minutes, which is used in tests to detect lethal infectious diseases responsible for half of all deaths in developing countries e.g. Hepatitis B and cysticercosis. Visit www.eurekalert.org for more details.
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Help frogs by recording your frog sightings
Every year the Irish Peatland Conservation Council - IPCC, needs the help of people all over Ireland to take part in the National Frog Survey Ireland. They are looking for records of where frogs, spawn and tadpoles occur in Ireland, and these are logged in the 'Hop to It' Irish Frog Survey. Since 1997 the IPCC have received 4,940 frog records from around Ireland! By sending your records throughout the years we can examine any changes in the population size and range over time. These records provide valuable information about the health and range of Ireland’s most common amphibian. Visit the website - www.ipcc.ie to find out more and record your sightings.
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Birds with unusual plumage characteristics
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© Andrew Fletcher - Goldfinch
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Canadian researchers require data from rehabilitators, BTO has a survey for garden bird sightings
Amy Pascher and colleagues from the University of Prince Edward Island in Canada are currently conducting a research project on albino and leucistic birds worldwide. They are trying to determine if different countries with different climates affect the presence of albino/leucistic birds. They are looking for information from anyone who has ever received albino/leucistic birds at their rehabilitation centre. You can contact Amy via email at apascher@upei.ca
The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) Abnormal Plumage Survey is a project to find out about birds with unusual plumage characteristics in gardens. They are using the data to answer questions about which species are affected most frequently, in what ways and where these birds are found. You can click on the BTO website for more info on Plumage abnormalities.
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Wildlife Rehabilitation and Release for Veterinary Professionals
Venue: Secret World Wildlife Rescue, Somerset, UK
Date: 11th June 2017
This course is for veterinary surgeons, registered veterinary nurses, veterinary students and student veterinary nurse. Others who work in a veterinary environment (receptionists, animal care assistants etc.) will also find the course of interest.
Lecturers:- Dr Liz Mullineaux MRCVS (Scientific Advisor and veterinary surgeon SWWR), vet nurse, Secret World Wildlife Rescue animal carer
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Travel study scholarships
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Travel study scholarships available for young conservation professionals
EUROPARC has opened applications for this years Alfred Toepfer Natural Heritage Scholarships. 3000 euros are available to undertake study tours to protected areas in Europe. Learning from your peers who are working on similar challenges is a great way of finding new ideas and solutions.
Applications are open from the 6th February to the 28th April 2017
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Operations Manager - Seal Rescue Ireland
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© Seal Rescue Ireland
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Vacancy at Seal Rescue Ireland for an Operations Manager position
Seal Rescue Ireland
Founded in 2010, Seal Rescue Ireland's (SRI) mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and release sick, injured and orphaned seals in Ireland.
Position
Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Project Manager will have overall strategic and operational responsibility for Seal Rescue Ireland’s staff, programs, finances, expansion, animal care and execution of its mission. S/he will initially develop deep knowledge of the field, core programs, operations, and business plans. Candidates must have a strong work ethic and be passionate about the organization’s mission. Background experience with marine mammal medicine or similar roles is not required but is desired. This is a full time position with a stipend of €900/month yet the position has the potential of growing into a full time salaried pay position dependent on the financial success of the organization.
For more information and a full job description, contact www.sealrescueireland.org or phone 087 461 3798 or email sealrescueireland@gmail.com
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Contact Us:
Wildlife Rehabilitation Ireland
office@wri.ie
Irish Wildlife Matters
info@irishwildlifematters.ie
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If you can't see the pictures in this newsletter they may be blocked:
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