Lalitha A R

I do not wish to talk about the how-to’s or what and when w.r.t to wildlife rehab when I do it, because:

  1. wildlife protection act 1972.
  2. It is hectic, emotionally heavy and often something that comes with a lot of grief. It is wonderful when we can release it back to the wild safely, but that’s not always the case. I do not want to impersonate it as being all cute and sweet alone.
  3. The margin of error is extremely low and that is a toll on both the rescued being and the human, and humans are amazing wonderful yes, but I do not want a well meaning but untrained person to use it any writings as a guide to rescue animals that may not need help.
  4. The AI’s or usual western advice of getting the nearest rescue center doesn’t work in India unless you are in a major city. But a parent or someone who knows how to take care of a sick child is often a better person to handle a tiny or injured being than usual advices given, when a rehab person specialized in that species1 is not available nearby.
  5. If in India and you are sure it needs help, look up with an AI or google to know if it is (birds often have a stage called fledgling which is where they look awkward and clumsy, but that’s how they learn and parents are usually nearby). Each animal has a similar behavior that could look like it needs help but is just normal behavior, so a quick search would help more than most. If it indeed needs help, look up for that specific species instead of generic advices for every species.
  6. I do not do wildlife rehab often, unless it’s a case where no other options are available that can help it better.
  7. If it’s snake in the house, Contact your forest dept and most cities that have known snake areas have people trained in it specifically who can rescue them. Do NOT try to attack or catch yourself as that’s where most bites and fatal injuries happen. It’s a lot of legal trouble in injuring the snake too, but also it’s a being that VERY MUCH doesn’t want to hurt you and isn’t meaning to, it is as scared as you are, so be kind and don’t hurt yourself or that being.

Footnotes

  1. (bird and animal handling is VERY different and what’s safe for one can hurt another) ↩