In  2000  the  then  Ministry  for  Agriculture  Fisheries  and  Food  (MAFF) in the UK questioned  the responsibility of wildlife groups in their release of badgers back to the wild, with respect to the possible transmission of bovine tuberculosis to cattle. Wildlife groups, farmers and scientists were brought together in a series of meetings to discuss this subject. The Badger Trust, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and Secret World Wildlife Rescue had already collaborated for a number of years on the rehabilitation and release of badgers. Most members of the wildlife groups were already working to high standards and testing badgers for bTB, based upon discussions with specialist scientists.
As a consequence of the MAFF discussions the wildlife organisations produced a protocol for best practice, with the primary purpose of returning healthy badgers back to the wild in a responsible way that has high regard for animal welfare and for the control of disease. The protocol was also written to assist those involved with the rehabilitation of badgers, including vets, who may not have the information necessary to ensure  that  badgers  are  treated  correctly.  The  protocol  was  published  on  the  SWWR website from 2003 and promoted in veterinary journals. Science and knowledge relating to bTB is ever changing and this Badger Rehabilitation Protocol document is an updated version the 2003 protocol.
 

 

Go Wild in Galway is a free festival of wildlife taking place across Galway city from dawn until dusk on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th May.
There will be talks, field trips, walks and workshops on the native wildlife of Galway city including terrestrial mammals, birds, bats, invertebrates, fish, pollinators, plants, native raptors, cetaceans and how nature benefits your health & wellbeing!  

 

 

An internationally applicable message taken from the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council's latest newsletter - 'I consider working in wildlife rehabilitation a lifestyle and not a job. There aren't many jobs where you are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This lifestyle is demanding and can easily isolate you from seeing your friends or family. Social media, such as Facebook, have become a social outlet for many of us looking to network, share our successes, meet new friends, and promote our causes.

I’ve noticed as social media gains popularity, so has posting inappropriate photos of wildlife. These photos are being posted by well-meaning rehabilitators, biologists, conservation officers and others working in the field. Many of the photos are taken with pride, and as an expression of the love that they have for their work, not realizing their photo can be misinterpreted by not only the public but by friends, family, and colleagues too. As ambassadors for wildlife, we need to lead by example both at work and our personal lives. Not wearing the proper PPE, holding animals in a trophy fashion, and showing inappropriate affection are just some examples of actions we want to avoid to protect our patients as well as people. A picture can say a thousand words but unfortunately, we do not have control over those words and can unintentionally send the wrong message.

As environmental stewards we have a responsibility to make the necessary efforts to represent wildlife in the way we want people to see them, as wild animals. Making sure we post appropriate photos is one way of doing this.'
 

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