RSPCA study of wild animals shows rehabilitation works in the long term
Press release: Friday, 15 March 2013
Rehabilitation of wild animals does really work, according to research gathered from RSPCA wildlife centres over the past nine years.
A study published this month looks at the wild animals we care for in the charity’s 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.
Horsham-based 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 RSPCA 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.”
“Its good to know that we really are doing the right thing for wildlife.”
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Notes to editors
- The full paper can be obtained at http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/172/8/211.abstract.
