Just like a human accident victim, the rescue of a wild animal does not begin inside a hospital, but in the field, when and where the animal is first found. However, unless the animal is handled appropriately and given proper care, it will not survive to be admitted.
This is where WildRescue's Wildlife Search and Rescue course is invaluable, providing first responders with instruction on locating and capturing animals, instruction on how to handle animals safely, and what things they can do that might help an animal survive until it reaches a rehabilitator. Each year, since 2008, WildRescue has been providing training to local agencies and members of the public throughout California in an effort to increase proficiency in response to injured and orphaned wild animals.
In the past few weeks, WildRescue has instructed three classes, one in Burlingame, hosted by the Peninsula Humane Society, another in Moss Landing, and most recently at the Berkeley Shorebird Nature Center. Participants included game wardens, animal control officers, park rangers, wildlife rehabilitators, and members of the public interested in volunteering as a first responder.
After about 5 hours of lecture, students are taken outdoors to practice whet they have learned in class. One of the exercises places emphasis on clear and accurate communication between teammates. |
| Janine uses a radio to direct her teammate to the location where the duck is hidden. |
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| Going only on direction from their teammate, never actually seeing the animal, rescuers must net the duck. |
Participants also get an opportunity to capture RoboDuck. In this exercise they must choose the appropriate capture strategy and stalk the motorized decoy as though it were real. If they apply too much 'pressure' - pose too great a threat, the duck will take off.
News coverage: HERE
WildRescue's last class for the year in the Bay Area is calendared for March 11th. Register for the training course online, HERE.
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