20.03.2013

Rehabilitation of wild animals does really work, according to research gathered from our wildlife centres over the past nine years.
 

A study published this month looks at the wild animals we care for in our four main wildlife centres and how they fare, especially how they survive once released back to the wild after being rescued and cared for in captivity.

RSPCA Senior Scientist Adam Grogan who co-wrote the paper published in the Veterinary Record said:

We had been rescuing all these animals and caring for them in our wildlife centres before releasing them but what we really needed to know is how they survive over the long term. We now know that most of them do very well.

Various projects looked at a variety of animals such as the hedgehogs, birds, foxes and bats brought into the centres. Through various monitoring methods like radio tracking experts learned that rehabilitated animals can survive and adapt back to life in the wild and that survival rates are comparable to non-rehabilitated wild animals.

Adam added:

This work is important as it can provide information to our hard-working RSPCA inspectors and staff at animal and branch centres about what works and doesn’t work.

Our inspectors can then refer to guidance about wildlife casualties and the best ways of looking after them.

It's good to know that we really are doing the right thing for wildlife.

We can't do it without you

We can only continue to rescue and rehabilitate animals with your help.

• To help the RSPCA rescue and care for more animals, please text HELP to 78866 to give £3. (Text costs £3 plus one standard network rate message.)
   
• Find out more about our wildlife centres and read more about our wildlife rehabilitation work.