Journal 3

Hours Covered: 20-30

At this time, I had started my second week at the Mercer County Wildlife Center. I was working on Sunday mornings 8-4, Monday mornings 8-4, and Tuesday evenings 12-8. My morning shifts usually start by taking the mallards outside and putting them in their pens so they can begin to learn to forage in the grass. We had about 3 or 4 bins of mallards that needed deep cleaning. I found out that once they get big enough, there is a waterfowl enclosure on the outdoor rehabilitation side that has a pool and a large grassy area. I will be looking forward to cleaning the pool, which is about 5 feet by 12 feet and needs to be drained, scrubbed, and refilled 3 times a week. This is because the ducks always defecate in the pool, and the constant sunlight causes algae to bloom. So to keep the pool clean for the ducks, the pool must be cleaned at least 3 times a week. For now, there are no ducks in there, so it won’t need cleaning until later in the summer. Since I was still just starting working here, I was still doing a lot of meal preparation, cleaning, and laundry. But, during these hours, I was also able to experience some drop-offs of animals. I was not able to partake in the intake and initial examination, but I did see the process of taking in an animal. So one I saw was a baby bird someone found that must have fallen out of the nest. First, someone takes the animal and brings it into the adjacent triage room. For a baby bird, and other baby animals needing incubation, they get placed in small containers similar to those that crickets are kept in. The containers are lined with either a white hand towel or washcloth. All fabrics in tiage are white so we can see any blood, parasites, or fluids coming from the animal. For larger animals, we also have various sized pet carriers that are ½ put on a heating pad so there is a warm and cool area for them. These are often used for raccoons, woodchucks, and skunks. For larger animals like fawns and raptors, there are also metal cubicles. Another important aspect is that all cages, carriers, and incubators get covers or privacy sheets so that the animal cannot see what is going on outside of the space it is in. This is to limit stress and prevent their injuries from being exacerbated. So, after the animal is put in a safe and quiet space, the person doing the intake goes back to get the information from the person who brought in the animal(s). We get their name and phone number, the location they found the animal, and the nature of the rescue. Then we input information such as sex, life stage, and any injuries found. It is really important to make sure we get the location of where the animal was found, because we try to release the animal in the same county or preferably, as close to where they were found (as long as it is safe). 

I was able to understand the importance of releasing the animal back to where it was found because I remembered learning about the importance of territory. Especially for animals that burrow or have dens, like woodchucks and foxes, it is important to try and get them back to where they are familiar with. This will ultimately affect their survivability because they need to be able to successfully find food sources. Another important thing I remembered learning is about conservation. By releasing the animals back to the same country and territory, this prevents overpopulation of a species in one area. Overpopulation would lead to more competition for resources and mates, and might cause the species population to decline overall. 

During these hours, I really enjoyed getting to see the intake of several animals, even though I did not get to participate in the exams. I am definitely looking forward to that in the future, and maybe seeing x-rays and how to treat certain injuries. Looking forward, I’m not sure I would want to be a wildlife vet, and do that sort of care for a career. While it would be rewarding to see success, I know that a lot of times, animals with injuries too severe just have to be put down because they will not be able to heal properly enough to survive back in the wild. Of course, I have not had experience with vet work yet and the vet technician only comes in a couple times a week, so my opinion could change. However, I was really interested in looking forward to seeing an exam later during my internship. Even though it had only been about 4 days working at this center, I was so excited. I had honestly never been more excited about my work before this, which is just a great feeling. 

css.php