Wildlife Rehabilitation: From Rescue to Release

In episode 5, Gail welcomes back a familiar face --Tim Jasinski, a wildlife rehabilitation specialist at Lake Erie Nature and Science Center in Bay Village, Ohio. Tim originally appeared on the podcast in Season 1, Episode 19 to discuss one of his passions in wildlife rehabilitation, the Timberdoodle. That first interview with Tim and Gail is well worth going back to take a listen! 

In this episode, Tim brings with him yet another area of expertise -- wild fostering of the Canada Goose. Not all wildlife rehabilitators enjoy taking on these noisy, poop-happy aquatic birds, but Tim loves them! We've divided Gail and Tim's talk into two parts. In Part 1, Tim revisits his path into wildlife rehabilitation, which started as a job at a pet store and a passion for animals. They later get into why the Canada Goose is Tim's favorite bird, the pros and cons of fostering goslings, natural history of the Canada Goose, gender distinctions in geese, a bit on goose eggs, and interpreting goose behaviors. 

Next episode in Part 2, Tim and Gail talk about the importance of avoiding geese misimprinting on humans and related techniques, some basics on husbandry while fostering goslings, obtaining proper permission for placing fostered geese on private property and public parks, why geese sometimes can't fly, and more!

Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Our executive producer and host is Gail Buhl. Our producer is Kirk Klocke.

To learn more about The Raptor Center, visit Homepage | The Raptor Center (umn.edu). For more on Partners for Wildlife, visit Partners for Wildlife Home | The Raptor Center (umn.edu).

Host Gail Buhl is back for Part 2 of the in-depth discussion she had with Deb Galle this past fall about Cottontail Rabbits. Here in Part 2, Deb gets into more of the specifics about how she cares for rabbits after assessment and intake. Those include formulas and food, housing, avoiding imprinting, controlling the environment and her approach to managing rabbit's stress, general husbandry, and the lead up to release. 

Cottontail Rabbits also make an appearance in Season 1, Episode 14, in which Gail spoke with another expert -- Laura Davich of Rabbit Rebound. Having different experts' perspectives, Gail says, is key because Cottontail Rabbits are such a common species in need of rehabilitation. There can be many ways of doing it "right". 

You will see a lot of overlap too between Deb and Laura— those, Gail says, are some of the sweet spots to pay attention to–especially the WHY behind every how & every what.

Next episode, Gail welcomes back another familiar face (and voice!), Tim Jasinski. Back in Season 1, Episode 19, he was on the podcast to talk about Timberdoodles. This season he joins Gail to discuss all things fostering Canada Geese. He talks about why the Canada Goose is his favorite bird, gives an overview of the species’ natural history, and much more! We hope you’ll join us for episodes 5 and 6 for this deep dive into the fostering the Canada Goose. 

Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Our executive producer and host is Gail Buhl. Our producer is Kirk Klocke.

To learn more about The Raptor Center, visit Homepage | The Raptor Center (umn.edu). For more on Partners for Wildlife, visit Partners for Wildlife Home | The Raptor Center (umn.edu).

Deborah Galle, a longtime Connecticut-based wildlife rehabilitator joins host Gail Buhl to discuss caring for Eastern Cottontail Rabbits. Deb and Gail get into a lengthy discussion, so we've divided their talk into two parts. Here in Part 1, we learn about Deb's career path, which originally had nothing to do with wildlife. Later Gail poses the common question, "Why rehabilitate rabbits?" This episode also includes a bit about working with finders to better understand what may have happened to the animal and whether or not it really needs to be brought into rehabilitation. What is the severity of their injuries, if any? Does it appear to have been orphaned? Working with people is often one of the most challenging part of wildlife rehabilitation, and Deb brings a lot of wisdom about the people element of the process.

Thank you for joining us for Episode 3, and we look forward to seeing you back for Part 2 / Episode 4! Part 2 of Gail's talk with Deb gets more into the specifics of husbandry, including types of food and formulas used, bedding, charting progress, pre-release conditioning, and the lead-up to release.

If this episode seems familiar, you are right! In Season 1 Episode 14, Gail had a great discussion with Laura Davich from Rabbit Rebound about raising rabbits. Both guests remind us that there are many ways to do things correctly for the animals in our care. You will also notice a great deal of overlap too: Those are some of the sweet spots to pay attention to, especially the WHY. 

Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Our executive producer and host is Gail Buhl. Our producer is Kirk Klocke.

To learn more about The Raptor Center, visit Homepage | The Raptor Center (umn.edu). For more on Partners for Wildlife, visit Partners for Wildlife Home | The Raptor Center (umn.edu).

Gail Buhl is back with Part 2 of her in-depth discussion with Dr. John Huckabee on the Art of Wildlife Rehabilitation. Dr. John Huckabee is an icon in the wildlife rehabilitation world in North America.

What's clinically best for an animal and what feels best isn't always the same. In this episode, Gail and Dr. John talk about how that plays into the need for adequate self-care and risk of compassion fatigue.  You'll hear Gail remind us: when in doubt, always consult with mentors, wildlife rehabilitation peers, and veterinarians. 

Later, Dr. Huckabee tells us his story of the Acme Bear Cub, (Acme is a small town in Washington state) which took place in the Cascade Mountains north of Seattle. This bear cub taught Dr. John  a lot about the importance of effectively managing animals in captivity. Maintaining an environment conducive to health can reduce the need for invasive procedures and medications, sparing an animal the risks that come with surgery and side effects. 

Other topics in this episode include renesting baby raptors, accepting new challenges and learning from mistakes, seeking out good mentors, adopting a habit of teaching others, and evaluating the quality of information sources. 

Dr. Huckabee brings a wealth of information and wisdom to the discourse surrounding animal caretaker wellbeing and personal development, so we're so happy you've decided to tune in! 

Please join host Gail for upcoming episode 3, featuring Deb Galle, an expert on Cottontail Rabbits.

Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Our executive producer and host is Gail Buhl. Our producer is Kirk Klocke.

To learn more about The Raptor Center, visit Homepage | The Raptor Center (umn.edu). For more on Partners for Wildlife, visit Partners for Wildlife Home | The Raptor Center (umn.edu).

Wildlife Rehabilitation: From Rescue To Release host Gail Buhl is back for a third season! Gail, a Master Level Wildlife Rehabilitator in Minnesota, draws on decades of experience caring for wildlife to connect with guests on a deep, meaningful level, eliciting thought provoking dialogue among fellow peers.

That unique ability to draw out the story behind the story comes into play right off the bat in Season 3, Episode 1 - a discussion on the Art of Wildlife Rehabilitation with Dr. John Huckabee, a retired wildlife veterinarian who began his career in Texas and later spent many years in the Seattle area serving PAWS (Progressive Animal Welfare Society).

We know there is science to wildlife rehabilitation and wildlife medicine -- using natural histories, medical information from related fields like Zoo medicine etc. We also know MUCH more needs to be done for our wildlife. There however, is also an "art" to wildlife rehabilitation--where rehabilitators and veterinarians know just how to "tweak" an enclosure or medical procedure, or whether to use medications or not for a good outcome for that individual. What are those things? Can people learn that "art"? In this two-part series we get into this subject. As it turns out, you can learn the Art of Rehabilitation! Listen in to find out how.

This is Part 1 of 2. In Part 1, Gail and Dr. Huckabee touch on topics such as his unusual origin story, the use and overuse of certain medications and avoiding the "just because" syndrome, and achieving mastery through intentional practice.

Stay tuned for Part 2, which drops online on Thursday, January 25th and will appear on podcast apps that Friday, January 26th.

Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Our executive producer and host is Gail Buhl. Our producer is Kirk Klocke.

To learn more about The Raptor Center, visit Homepage | The Raptor Center (umn.edu). For more on Partners for Wildlife, visit Partners for Wildlife Home | The Raptor Center (umn.edu).

In Part-2 of our discussion with Dr. Leslie Reed, a Minnesota-based veterinarian who specializes in wildlife dentistry, we get into more specifics about what good dental care looks like for different species of wild animals and why it's so important to treat pain adequately.  Gail and Leslie get into how wildlife rehabilitators can be more effective caregivers through learning dentistry basics and also collaborating with their veterinarian on standard operating procedures for animals that need care right away, which is often the case.

If you are looking for resources on wildlife dentistry there is not a lot out there. But....Dr. Leslie recommended the book Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents, 4th Edition by Katherine Quesenberry DVM, MPH et al.

This is the final episode of Wildlife Rehabilitation: From Rescue to Release, Season 2. We're so glad you stuck with us for a second season, and we're excited to start sharing Season 3 episodes when they're ready. Please let me know if you have topics you would like to hear.

Do you know someone involved in wildlife rehabilitation and/or medicine who would be interested in this podcast? Please pass it along!

Feel free to email Gail Buhl directly at gailbuhl@umn.edu or email our podcast producer Kirk Klocke, Outreach Project Specialist, klock082@umn.edu.  Season 3, will start early this coming winter season!

Show notes:

Dr. Leslie Reed: lreeddvm@gmail.com

Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Our executive producer and host is Gail Buhl. Our producer is Kirk Klocke.

To learn more about The Raptor Center, visit Homepage | The Raptor Center (umn.edu). For more on Partners for Wildlife, visit Partners for Wildlife Home | The Raptor Center (umn.edu).

Our host Gail Buhl invited Dr. Leslie Reed on the show to talk about her unusual niche within the wildlife rehabilitation sector -- wildlife dentistry! Animals that have teeth suffer from many of the same problems humans do, such as cavities, chips, decay, and foreign bodies lodged in the gum line. These and many other dental issues can severely affect an animal's quality of life in care and after release, so Leslie draws on her years of experience to help her patients with the best dental outcomes possible. 

This is the first in a 2-part discussion about wildlife dentistry, so be sure to check back at the end of this month for part 2! In this episode, Leslie reveals a bit about her origin story, including her path to becoming a specialist in wildlife dentistry. We learn about what "dentition" means and how it is critical to an animal's healthy functioning in the wild. A big challenge in in wildlife dentistry is VERY small teeth. Leslie describes what it was like to perform a root canal on a bat. It's a memorable story, so be sure to listen all the way through!

Dr. Leslie Reed is our final guest on Season 2. We take a break from posting new episodes in the fall and shift to finding and interviewing more interesting people in the wildlife rehabilitation community. Do you know someone who would make a good guest on the show?  Is there a topic you really want to learn about? If so, we want to hear from you. Feel free to email your ideas directly to Gail: gailbuhl@umn.edu 

Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Our executive producer and host is Gail Buhl. Our producer is Kirk Klocke.

To learn more about The Raptor Center, visit Homepage | The Raptor Center (umn.edu). For more on Partners for Wildlife, visit Partners for Wildlife Home | The Raptor Center (umn.edu).

In Part 2, host Gail Buhl talks more about social media for wildlife rehabilitation settings in Part 2 of an in-depth discussion with Amanda Nicholson, senior vice president of the Wildlife Center of Virginia. Amanda is one of Gail's go-to gurus for all things social media. This part of their discussion gets into best practices, including avoiding posting content that could jeopardize a wildlife rehabilitator's permit status. It also touches on engaging audiences through livestreaming on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, and later gets into whether or not it's a good idea to use social media platforms for fundraising. 

Show Notes:

Publications by Amanda Nicholson
https://nwrajournal.online/index.php/bulletin/article/view/128 

Nicholson, A. (2021). Harnessing the Power of Social Media for Wildlife Rehabilitation. Wildlife Rehabilitation Bulletin, 36(1), 2–4. https://doi.org/10.53607/wrb.v36.128

Resource site for social media marketing best practices:
https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/

Conference organized by the Wildlife Center of Virginia:
Call of the Wild Conference | The Wildlife Center of Virginia

Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Our executive producer and host is Gail Buhl. Our producer is Kirk Klocke.

To learn more about The Raptor Center, visit Homepage | The Raptor Center (umn.edu). For more on Partners for Wildlife, visit Partners for Wildlife Home | The Raptor Center (umn.edu).

Host Gail Buhl caught up with Amanda Nicholson, senior vice president of the Wildlife Center of Virginia. Amanda has long been their communications and social media guru, and was eager to share some of the things she's learned, having managed the Wildlife Center of Virginia's social media presence since the earlier days of Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Gail and Amanda talk about how and why having a robust, actively managed social media presence can benefit a wildlife organization - both reputationally and financially. They dive into some of the challenges that can arise when using social media to engage with the general public, including the phenomenon of "trolling" and how to address misunderstandings that arise out of wildlife rehabilitators' practice of humane euthanasia.

This episode is part 1 of 2 of Host Gail Buhl's talk with Amanda Nicholson, so be sure to tune in August 4th, 2023 for more about social media best practices, and an exploration of how best to implement livestreaming.

Show Notes:

Nicholson, A. (2021). Harnessing the Power of Social Media for Wildlife Rehabilitation. Wildlife Rehabilitation Bulletin, 36(1), 2–4. https://doi.org/10.53607/wrb.v36.128

Social Media Examiner, a tool for marketers to keep on the latest social media management best practices and trends:
https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/

Call of the Wild Conference | The Wildlife Center of Virginia

Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Our executive producer and host is Gail Buhl. Our producer is Kirk Klocke.

To learn more about The Raptor Center, visit Homepage | The Raptor Center (umn.edu). For more on Partners for Wildlife, visit Partners for Wildlife Home | The Raptor Center (umn.edu).

Host Gail Buhl caught up with Dr. Michelle Willette of Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at The University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Willette shares her expertise on the ever-evolving and sometimes controversial topic of animal welfare. Welfare isn't something we give to an animal, she says, rather it's a state of being that exists with the right inputs and conditions for that animal. Dr. Willette is pursuing a board certification in Animal Welfare, a relatively new sub-specialty within veterinary medicine in the U.S.

Since animals cannot speak their preferences and feelings in quite the way we can, veterinarians must look for clues that signal their wellbeing. Evaluating animal welfare takes place through the lenses of different ethical frameworks. Listen for buzz phrases such as "The Five Freedoms" and "The Five Domains" of animal welfare. The evolution of animal welfare as a discipline has unfolded over generations and encompasses a vast body of knowledge, so this episode is just a taste of how we decide what a good quality of life is for an animal. Stay tuned for future episodes, as Gail and Dr. Willette plan to revisit this topic in even greater depth.

Show Notes:

Michelle Willette, MPH, DACVPM, is a senior veterinarian at The Raptor Center and an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine and College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences. She joined the University of Minnesota in 2007 with an extensive background in zoological and wildlife medicine with an emphasis in animal welfare, disaster preparedness and response, and public health.

By 'helping' wild animals, you could end their freedom or even their lives – here's why you should keep your distance (theconversation.com)

Five Freedoms info via ASPCA

Five Domains info via NIH

3 Spheres

Practical Ethics via Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics

Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Our executive producer and host is Gail Buhl. Our producer is Kirk Klocke.

To learn more about The Raptor Center, visit Homepage | The Raptor Center (umn.edu). For more on Partners for Wildlife, visit Partners for Wildlife Home | The Raptor Center (umn.edu).

Host Gail Buhl connected with Rachel Avilla, co-founder and project manager of the database Wildlife Rehabilitation MD, or "WRMD." Rachel gives us a synopsis of her origin story, starting with her first career step out of college, which was a summer internship at The Bird Rescue Center in Santa Rosa. That led to an internship at Lindsay Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital. There she met Devin, her husband and partner in creating WRMD. Rachel and Devin continued working in the wildlife rehabilitation sector during WRMD's early years, but eventually the database grew to the point at which Rachel had to take managing it on full-time. She continued to volunteer in the wildlife sector as WRMD grew. Today the database is regarded as one of the top platforms for quick data entry and data mining for wildlife rehabilitators. 

Show Notes:

About Wildlife Rehabilitation MD (wrmd.org)

A note from Devin via WRMD

Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Our executive producer and host is Gail Buhl. Our producer is Kirk Klocke.

To learn more about The Raptor Center, visit Homepage | The Raptor Center (umn.edu). For more on Partners for Wildlife, visit Partners for Wildlife Home | The Raptor Center (umn.edu).

Dr. Michelle Rivard and Casey Mclean, marine mammal expert guests from SR3 in Washington are back in conversation with Gail Buhl, sharing more about the release phase of caring from Harbor Seals. Later in the episode they get into some of the nuanced differences among pinnipeds, particularly the California Sea Lion. We learn what a what makes a seal a "true seal." This episode also dives more into the nitty gritty of daily operations of a marine mammal rehabilitation facility, which is no small feat. There is a LOT of federal paperwork when it comes to marine mammals, but SR3 knows just how to navigate all of it to safely and legally care for the animals in need of help along the Pacific Northwest Coast in the U.S.

Check out the resources below for more on marine mammal rehabilitation, including who to call if you encounter a stranded, orphaned, or injured marine mammal. If you missed Part 1, Gail, Michelle, and Casey discussed their origin stories, the creation of SR3, and caring for Harbor Seals from intake to preparation for release. 

Notes:

SR3: SR³ SeaLife Response, Rehabilitation, and Research (sealifer3.org)

The Marine Mammal Center: Pinnipeds | The Marine Mammal Center

Full listing of contacts, visit: National Marine Mammal stranding response hotlines 

Northern and Northeast U.S.: 866-755-6622

Southern and Southeast U.S., including Puerto Rico: 877-942-5343

West Coast: 866-767-6114

Alaska: 877-925-7773

Hawaii: 888-256-9840

Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Our executive producer and host is Gail Buhl. Our producer is Kirk Klocke.

To learn more about The Raptor Center, visit Homepage | The Raptor Center (umn.edu). For more on Partners for Wildlife, visit Partners for Wildlife Home | The Raptor Center (umn.edu).

Host Gail Buhl connected with marine mammal veterinarian Dr. Michelle Rivard, and Casey Mclean, of SR3, the Washington state based organization named for its missions: sealife response, rehabilitation, and research. Casey and Dr. Michelle tell Gail about SR3’s origin, how they came to be involved, and all about the work they’re doing with harbor seals. This is a two-part series. In Part-1, we cover some common reasons harbor seals land in rehabilitation, what their rehabilitation  process looks like, and how SR3 staff prepare them for release.

Check out the resources below for more on marine mammal rehabilitation, including who to call if you encounter a stranded, orphaned, or injured marine mammal. In Part 2, Gail, Michelle, and Casey discuss more about the release process, then dive into some similarities and differences of another common West Coast marine mammal, the California Sea Lion. 

Notes:

SR3: SR³ SeaLife Response, Rehabilitation, and Research (sealifer3.org)

Full listing of contacts, visit: National Marine Mammal stranding response hotlines 

Northern and Northeast U.S.: 866-755-6622

Southern and Southeast U.S., including Puerto Rico: 877-942-5343

West Coast: 866-767-6114

Alaska: 877-925-7773

Hawaii: 888-256-9840

Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Our executive producer and host is Gail Buhl. Our producer is Kirk Klocke.

To learn more about The Raptor Center, visit Homepage | The Raptor Center (umn.edu). For more on Partners for Wildlife, visit Partners for Wildlife Home | The Raptor Center (umn.edu).

Dr. Dave Scott began his career as an electrical engineer, working for 10 years at the Department of Defense, then decided to attend veterinary school. He practiced small animal vet med and emergency care for several years, but eventually followed his heart into wildlife medicine. He again went back to the Department of Defense, but continued to practice wildlife medicine on a volunteer basis.

A paid full-time staff vet job in wildlife medicine ( rare opportunity) opened up at the Carolina Raptor Center and he worked there for about 14 years, helping the center grow into an internationally recognized raptor facility.

Upon retiring from the Carolina Raptor Center, Dr. Scott decided to focus most of his attention on growing and refining RaptorMed, the database he had been building on the side for close to 15 years while at the Carolina Raptor Center. Early on, RaptorMed was mostly a tool Dr. Scott made for himself to make his job easier, but it quickly became apparent that the software could be helpful to a wide range of veterinary medicine facilities and rehabilitators. Dr. Scott is now on a mission to help other practitioners and facilities increase efficiency so they can help more animals and share data, generating valuable epidemiological insights.

Links:

RaptorMed

Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Our executive producer and host is Gail Buhl. Our producer is Kirk Klocke.

To learn more about The Raptor Center, visit Homepage | The Raptor Center (umn.edu). For more on Partners for Wildlife, visit Partners for Wildlife Home | The Raptor Center (umn.edu).

Host Gail Buhl caught up with Lauren Glickman, a former Volunteer Manager at PAWS (Progressive Animal Welfare Society) in Seattle and current organizational training and development consultant. 

Lauren Glickman began her career in the Peace Corps, then found her way into wildlife rehabilitation in the Seattle area. There she volunteered at PAWS and quickly realized she had found a passion for animal care. After landing a full-time role as a volunteer coordinator, Lauren established monthly ethics lectures for new volunteers, laying the groundwork for what would eventually become her niche as a consultant. Also while working at PAWS, Lauren earned a Masters of Applied Behavioral Science. “I wanted to support people who were working for missions I cared about,” she said in our interview. 

In this episode, Gail dives into the complex topic of ethics in wildlife rehabilitation, one of Lauren’s specialties. They open the discussion by coming up with a working definition of of ethics, then dig into some specific cases that can arise with both animals and people in the course of wildlife rehabilitation operations. Such issues range from professionalism around animals being rehabilitated (no “nuzzling” of the squirrels, please) to informed consent during the recruiting and hiring process about wildlife rehabilitation job requirements and expectations.

Resources:

NWRA/IWRC Code of Ethics

Book: Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring For Self While Caring For Others (Laura Van Dernoot Lipsky and Connie Burk 2009)

Ideals and Realities: Presenting Wildlife Ethics to Volunteers and the Public. Lauren Glickman presented at the 2002 National Wildlife Rehabilitation Symposium, DeMoines, IA. Also published in NWRA Wildlife Rehabilitation Proceedings Vol 20. Linked here with permission of the Author.

How Resilience Works by Diane Coutu How Resilience Works (hbr.org)

Minimum Standards for Wildlife Rehabilitation, Third Edition (2000), Erica A. Miller, DVM

Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Our executive producer and host is Gail Buhl. Our producer is Kirk Klocke.

To learn more about The Raptor Center, visit Homepage | The Raptor Center (umn.edu). For more on Partners for Wildlife, visit Partners for Wildlife Home | The Raptor Center (umn.edu).

Host Gail Buhl breaks from the podcast's usual taxa-specific format to discuss a topic of growing importance and interest in the wildlife rehabilitation world: databases. Such databases are the wildlife medicine equivalent of electronic medical records now used in most (human) healthcare systems and hospitals. In this episode Karra Pierce, a veterinary director at The Wildlife Center of Virginia, discusses the WILD-ONe database, which was launched there and is widely regarded as a top choice among wildlife rehabilitators and veterinarians for tracking the medical and day-to-day care of animals.

This is the first of four wildlife databases we'll cover this season. These database-specific episodes will appear in the lineup as their creators and managers are available to speak with us.

Visit The Wildlife Center of Virginia online: WILD-ONe | The Wildlife Center of Virginia

Visit WILD-ONe online: WILD-ONe

Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Our executive producer and host is Gail Buhl. Our producer is Kirk Klocke.

To learn more about The Raptor Center, visit Homepage | The Raptor Center (umn.edu). For more on Partners for Wildlife, visit Partners for Wildlife Home | The Raptor Center (umn.edu).

In Episode 5, Host Gail Buhl caught up with Rebecca Duerr, MPVM/DVM, one of the world's leading experts on water birds. Dr. Duerr serves as Director of Research and Veterinary Science as well as the primary veterinarian at International Bird Rescue's two wildlife centers in California. Jennifer Martines, one of IBR's talented veterinary and rehabilitation technicians, also joined the interview, which we recorded onsite at the 2023 NWRA Symposium in Wilmington, Delaware.

Dr. Duerr and Jennifer first give us a brief overview of their origin stories. After we learn a bit about the winding career paths that led each of them to where they are today, we have an in-depth conversation  at Brown Pelicans, which are a majestic migratory water bird that divide its time between the Southeastern U.S. and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Central California, and the Pacific Northwest coast, depending on the season. Find out more about Brown Pelicans through All About Birds produced by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Make sure to check your memberships with your state/national organizations to see if you have member benefit access to Birds of the World too! 

The conversation covers the basics of brown pelican rehabilitation, including some of the ways they land in rehab, intake, husbandry, treatment, diet, and preparation for release. We also hear how IBR handled a sudden huge influx in sick pelicans in 2022.

UPDATE:8/9/2023 Dr. Duerr (along with many other authors) published a paper on a long term post release study on California Brown Pelicans. Read it here:  MEDICAL HISTORY AND POST-RELEASE SURVIVAL OF REHABILITATED CALIFORNIA BROWN PELICANS PELECANUS OCCIDENTALIS CALIFORNICUS, 2009–2019 

American Bird Conservancy has a good reference on Brown Pelican Natural History:

Show Notes:

• International Bird Rescue started amid an oil spill in the San Francisco Bay area in 1971, and has since expanded its capacity as a responder for large stranding events. In addition to oil spill recovery support, IBR assists with sudden starvation events in seabirds, severe weather, and mass health events such as toxic algal blooms. Learn more here!
• VIDEO: IBR Staff and Volunteers Releasing Pelicans (See also, IBR’s news release about 100th Healthy Brown Pelican Released During California Pelican Crisis)

Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Our executive producer and host is Gail Buhl. Our producer is Kirk Klocke.

To learn more about The Raptor Center, visit Homepage | The Raptor Center (umn.edu). For more on Partners for Wildlife, visit Partners for Wildlife Home | The Raptor Center (umn.edu).

Host Gail Buhl invites Partners For Wildlife podcast producer Kirk Klocke to step out of the booth and onto the mic to discuss public outreach, which is a big part of his role as the new P4W Outreach Specialist. Gail and Kirk quickly realize in the course of their back and forth about issues around public outreach communications & education that this discussion can spin off into deep dives across multiple areas, ranging from social media best practices, to how best to help staff and volunteers interact with the public, to a big elephant in the room that is explaining who we are, what we do, and what we don't do as rehabilitators.

Gail's book recommendation as a tool to help explain some of the more sensitive aspects of wildlife rehabilitation, including answering that question: why bother rehabilitating prey species like rabbits and deer?
Pass The Energy, Please! / Barbara Shaw McKinney (2000)

Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Our executive producer and host is Gail Buhl. Our producer is Kirk Klocke.

To learn more about The Raptor Center, visit Homepage | The Raptor Center (umn.edu). For more on Partners for Wildlife, visit Partners for Wildlife Home | The Raptor Center (umn.edu).

Host Gail Buhl is back for a Part-2 with Brittany Turner, Rehabilitation Director at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota, or "WRC." The conversation began in Episode 2 with a a look at Brittany's background and career at WRC. In this episode, we get into the nuts and bolts of songbird care, from intake through feeding, housing, and preparation for release. We also touch on a metabolic bone disease that is increasingly being seen in North America.
There is SO much to cover about songbird care, we couldn't get into all of it in this interview. Brittany and Gail plan to record more, so keep an eye -- or ear -- out for more on songbirds later this season.
For more on the WRC, visit: Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota (wrcmn.org)

Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Our executive producer and host is Gail Buhl. Our producer is Kirk Klocke.

To learn more about The Raptor Center, visit Homepage | The Raptor Center (umn.edu). For more on Partners for Wildlife, visit Partners for Wildlife Home | The Raptor Center (umn.edu).

I'm so glad you came back to listen to episode 2 of our second season, which began to drop in January, 2023. I spoke with Brittany Turner, who serves as Rehabilitation Director at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota. Brittany has led a fascinating and ambitious career, having started as nursery intern to a Director in just under 10 years! She has experience with all the 200+ species the WRC sees. Over the years Brittany has always had a special place in her heart for songbirds, which, by the way -- WRC treats over 1,000 songbirds representing about 50 species per year!
 
This episode is part 1 of 2, so please check back again on Thursday, February 9th, 2023 for Part 2. Part 1 begins with an introduction to Brittany and her career in wildlife rehabilitation (listen also for a couple special furry guests around minute marker 8:00!), then dives into an overview of the WRC. If you want to skip straight to our discussion about songbirds, that begins around 23:00. Later, around 36:30 we get into defining types of songbirds and the variations on care they require, then around 43:00 our discussion shifts toward feathers.
 
Quick facts:
--WRC is the largest wildlife rehabilitation hospital in the world
--WRC hosts 70 summer interns and utilizes about 500 volunteers
--At any given time, WRC can have over 200 or more animals in-care, though the total number of animals receiving treatment often varies depending on the time of year and what is happening in the wildlife ecosystem.

Want to learn more about how to support and get involved with WRC? Visit them online here: Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota (wrcmn.org)

Again, so glad you've joined us for Season 2, Episode 2! -Gail

Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Our executive producer and host is Gail Buhl. Our producer is Kirk Klocke.

To learn more about The Raptor Center, visit Homepage | The Raptor Center (umn.edu). For more on Partners for Wildlife, visit Partners for Wildlife Home | The Raptor Center (umn.edu).