WILDLIFE REHABILITATION AND ANIMAL CARE IN KWAZULU-NATAL

PROJECT OVERVIEW
This project is based in a Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in KwaZulu-Natal. It is a wildlife hospital that cares for injured and orphaned wild animals and birds, and is the only centre of its kind in the Province. Any wild animal, (not domestic or agricultural), that has been injured, rescued or abandoned, is admitted free of charge. Almost 90% of animals admitted to the Centre, have sustained injuries due to human negligence.

It takes time and dedication to rehabilitate these animals and to prepare them to be re-introduced in their natural environment. Animals that come into the centre are cared for and helped to recover. During this recovery time they are given a lot of hands-on attention, but once they are better, time has to be spent dehumanising them so that they can be successfully reintroduced into their natural environment and fend for themselves. The Centre also has a public education programme that serves to spread awareness of these animals' plight.

Your responsibilities will be linked to the level of your experience and abilities, so there is something for everyone. Work can include feeding and caring for the animals, assisting nurses in the clinic, grounds work, cage enrichment and assisting in the construction and improvement of enclosures to raise the quality of the daily lives of the animals. You'll also go out on rescues and releases and you'll monitor the released animals to ensure that they cope with their first week back in the bush.

WORK CONTENT:
This is a superb project. Here your work with the animals has the direct result of improving their quality of life, of "rescuing" them from death or a life of misery. You'll assist in preparing food and feeding, assisting the clinic staff with injuries and generally looking after the many species in the Centre, as well as assisting with the maintenance and improvement of the grounds and enclosures.

There are times of the year when your work could be hands-on and other times when you may not get hands-on contact with the animals. Working with the different types of animals varies throughout the year ... as with any Sanctuary and Rehabilitation Centre, no-one can predict when or if certain types of animals have been rescued and are in their care.

There are approximately 300 - 400 animals under the Centre's care at any given time, all of which are wildlife indigenous to KwaZulu Natal (called KZN for short). Animals range from birds and mammals to raptors and reptiles, and many many monkeys. They also have a very busy Educational Program, so if education 'is your thing', you will be able to assist with school tours and edutainment events at the education centre.

Whenever possible, animals who can survive in their natural habitat are released. This is a particularly satisfying time! See photos and write-ups of a recent vervet monkey release, a mongoose release and a pelican release - events enjoyed by everyone at the Centre! Also see photos of a recent gosling release

Baby Animal Season
From around September to March every year the centre experiences a large influx of baby animals.  These range from mongoose, antelope like little duikers, to newly hatched birds.  Some years, there seem to be a larger number of baby monkeys and other animals than others.  You may or may not therefore be at the centre during a baby boom year.

The babies need to be fed frequently and, as with a human baby, all feeds are essential to ensure that these “children” are safe and don’t go hungry.

There may be times when we have more volunteers than babies, and in such situations please abide by the decision of your supervisor at the centre as to who gets to "mother" the baby, or whether one baby can have two volunteer "mothers". If you are not chosen to mother a baby, please accept it gracefully. In situations like this where we work with orphaned animals, we have to deal with the demand nature throws at us, which neither Travellers nor the centre can control.  What we can say is that you will have some hands-on care of wild animals that need to be rehabilitated, and your efforts will be of direct benefit to the animals.

Baby Monkeys in Specific – Special needs
Due to the climate and vegetation of the Province, many of the cities and towns still have a small population of monkeys. During the summer months when monkeys give birth, many newborn baby monkeys are either abandoned or taken away from their mothers by ignorant humans who would like them as pets.  When people realize they do not have the skills to care for these animals, they are dropped off at the centre. 

These baby monkeys require 24 hour care, regular feeding and cleaning, Due to recent KZN Wildlife legislation only volunteers who are on the placement for 8 weeks or longer from the day the baby arrives may be asked to become foster mothers. The babies need to be carried against the chest as the mother would have done.  It is vital that these monkeys get the sense of security and care from their foster moms in order to be able to integrate and socialize within a troop structure when they are older.

You may be asked to assist with the care of vulnerable baby monkeys but there are many other young animals that also need tender nurturing where your help will be necessary.

"Adjacent a nursery enclosure teems with baby vervet monkeys, wide-eyed, chattering and clinging to one another for comfort. They are all orphans. When they are first brought to here, volunteers have to act as their surrogate mothers, 24 hours a day, until they are old enough to go to “creche” and eventually into a troop structure.

One of the baboons next door, having suffered brain damage after being battered by some insensitive human from its past, sadly stares out at nothing, scratches its tummy and rocks its head, twitch-like, as a result of that cranial injury. He may not be that lucky."

Autumn and Winter Months
South African autumn months are March, April and May which are still quite warm due to the subtropical climate of most of Natal. The winter is from June to August.

During the late summer and autumn those animals that have suitably recovered and been rehabilitated (weaned from their dependence on their human caregivers) are reintroduced to the wild. In addition to caring for those animals and babies that are not suitably recovered yet, you are likely to participate over this period in the release and monitoring of animals that are being returned into the wild. This will involve going out to game reserves and farms where animals will be allowed to go back into the wild.

This is done specifically to give the animals a chance to adapt to their new homes, establish a territory, find the best food sources and water, etc before the cold winter months set in and adequate access to food and shelter become essential to their survival. Those animals that are not ready to be released remain in the centre over the winter and require ongoing care throughout the winter. This is also the time that the centre readies itself for the next influx of babies. Baby buck usually arrive in the early winter and will be in need of a lot of TLC so will offer a relief from the mundane daily tasks.

Preparation of food, feeding and caring for those animals that have remained in the centre is ongoing, but there is also a strong focus at this time to repair and improve the grounds, clinic, education centre, enclosures, the cages and transport boxes.

Rescues are ongoing throughout the year and you may go out with the staff to help capture and secure injured animals that need to be brought back to the centre for medical attention and care.

Duties throughout the year may also include painting and construction, landscaping and removal of alien vegetation, as well as enriching the cages with structures and equipment to keep the monkeys entertained and stimulated.

Items you can bring to help:
In the Rehabilitation Centre environment, in-kind donations are just as welcome as financial contributions. The staff collects food and fresh produce to feed the animals from a number of sympathetic businesses and the Centre also has an outreach education programme that targets schools. School children collect food, medical supplies and consumables on behalf of the Rehabilitation Centre. If you have any spare space in your luggage, here are some good ideas of what you can bring with to help make life a little easier:

• old linen and sheets
• feeding bottles
• old baby blankets and towelling nappies;
• old towels and facecloths;
• heating pads and hotwater bottles to use for baby animals;
• cotton wool and bandages

THE REWARDS OF DOING THIS PROJECT:
This placement is definitely for nature loving enthusiasts who are willing to work hard and aren’t afraid of getting their hands dirty, but the rewards are well worth it:

• You'll get a wonderful and varied experience with many different species of animals.
• You'll get to experience the headiness of looking after animals that are totally helpless and reliant on you take care of them.
• You'll leave feeling very proud of yourself for having contributed to the quality of life and well-being of previously abused and battered animals.
• You'll learn much more than you can imagine, particularly about the importance of conserving wildlife, and hopefully you'll help to raise awareness by talking to friends and colleagues on your return home.
• This project will be an excellent entry on your CV, demonstrating your initiative, adaptability, your unique working experience and your concern for nature.

To give you a feel of the fulfilment that you can get from the project, here's an excerpt from Mabel, our Volunteer Liaison at the Project, from her report about what the volunteers have been doing recently:

"Everyone is sad to see Helen leave. She really did an outstanding job here and was loved by all. Olivia went with Dr Fitchat to set up the cage for the monkey release on the 7th January at Pakamisa Private Game farm. She work very hard in the sun all day and never once complained about the heat. Early on Monday morning all the clinic staff, assisted by the volunteers, caught and packed the monkeys to be transported to Pongola. It was very wet but all the volunteers did what they could to help make this go fast.

Rebecca went with Estie and Medi to Pongola to release the monkeys. They stayed on the farm for 2 nights and the monkeys were released on the Wednesday morning very early. Olivia and Rebecca had a wonderful time seeing the monkeys run for freedom. When they returned, they couldn't stop talking about what they had seen and how happy they were to see the little ones free and not in a cage.

We had a mother monkey with a baby come in that was bitten by dogs. Baby was fine but mother had some very bad head and arm injuries. Rachel and Bethan took it on themselves to make sure the baby got fed and was not too stressed because the mother was not well at all. The girls really did a good job with the baby. Mother and baby are doing well now and we hope that we could put them back with the troop soon.

The girls are looking after the baby buck everyday and do all the bottle feeds. Rachel and Miranda are going with me today to take a young Blesbuck to a bigger facility. Rachel, Beth and Miranda went on a tour to Sani Pass in Lesotho. They said it was the best day ever. They had a lot of fun and enjoyed all the stuff they did. They're also going on a 2-day safari to Hluhluwe Game Reserve on Saturday and Sunday. Other than that, the volunteers are kept busy and they enjoy every day. Mabel "

The Rehabilitation Centre itself is a lovely and a very safe environment. This is truly a wonderful project that is both rewarding and unforgettable.

NEWS! This project has been featured in 3 episodes of Wildlife SOS on Animal Planet. As one of our volunteers said, "Thank you to all of you for the wonderful work you do and for your dedication – you make such a difference. The story of Shumba and Savannah had me in tears – I have never managed to understand the hunting industry in general, but this canned business is disgusting! And we humans are meant to be civilised – yeah right! But how wonderful the cubs look now though! Hopefully, through Animal Planet, many more will now know of your organisation and here’s also hoping, many more will assist you with your excellent work!"

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Volunteer Rebecca Long looking after 8-week-old Robbie, orphaned and badly treated before being rescued, Read more…

OPTIONAL ADD-ONS







ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

NEW! Latest Photos on a Day in the Life of the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre!

Read our What's Happening at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre Diary

Savannah and Jaz (Jazz is the male), Lions who were rescued and subsequently released back into the Wild


Volunteer feeding a Baby Zebra

This is our new born baby springbok we are mothering. During a recent game capture effort a mother gave birth and left her baby behind. It came to us with the umbilical cord still attached. She has now found out what her very long legs are for and is taking walks around

A Kitten with Mabel the Monkey


Volunteers feeding injured Owl

• Click here to see an interview with Jenny during her placement at the Sanctuary

• Click here to see an interview with Helen during her placement at the Sanctuary (Video may take a few seconds to load)

• Click here to read feedback by Kate Davies about her placement early this year.

NEWS! Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre helps Abused Monkey. Click here to read the story of how the Centre really does make a difference to animals...

The centre lies close to a small protected reserve of 253 hectares, called Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve. The reserve offers coastal forest and grassland habitats and includes species such as zebra, bushbuck, reedbuck, impala, blue, red and grey duiker, vervet monkeys, rock hyrax, slender mongoose, bushbaby, Egyptian mongoose, banded mongoose, water monitor and genet. The reserve also has an interesting variety of indigenous flora and over 200 bird species on record. There are 13 km of nature walks and a pleasant picnic site.

Because of the proximity to the reserve and the fact that food is always available at the Centre, you will see an abundance of birdlife scavenging food from the enclosures at the Centre. Wild Monkeys are also regular visitors.

The Bluff is a gigantic headland that forms the southeastern 'arm' of Durban Harbour and enjoys a string of safe and protected beaches. Brighton Beach, Cave Rock Beach, Anstey's Beach and Garvies Beach are all highly popular, with interesting walks through coastal bush that end almost at the water's edge.

Mission Statement
The rescue, rehabilitation and release of orphaned and injured wildlife, and it believes in action and education with regard to the protection of all natural resources. The Centre is committed to conservation and strives to return all rescued and rehabilitated wildlife to their natural habitat. The Centre has 12 depots in and around the Province and is considered to be one of the leading rehabilitation Centers in South Africa.

Animals that are currently being rehabilitated are placed in enclosures far away from public activity. As far as possible, animal enclosures are created that are similar to their natural environment to give them a "feel" of what their world is like. Orphaned antelope are often only released in Nature Reserves, where there are no predators, as they don't know what a predator is. These animals are tended to by staff and volunteers whose love, care and dedication is unconditional, around the clock.

The Team Leader has extensive experience in the rehabilitation of wildlife and assists a number of wildlife agencies in drawing up release protocols for rehabilitated animals.

As the Centre is a non-profit organisation with no financial aid from the government or any large concern, they are solely reliant on fundraising initiatives and the generosity and goodwill of the public. As the running costs are approximately £8,000 ($14,500) or more a month, there is very little funding that can be applied to appointing full time staff. Volunteers are the lifeblood of this organization, especially during the spring and summer months when lots of orphan baby animals are brought to the centre for care. During the late summer and autumn those animals that have suitably recovered and been rehabilitated (weaned from their dependence on their human caregivers) are reintroduced to the wild. Those that are not ready to be released remain in the centre over the winter and require ongoing care. This is also the time that the centre readies itself for the next influx of patients.

“A small reebok that had been raised as a pet and grown up with dogs, paddles through a pond and comes to stare at you through the fence….it is being rehabilitated: taught not to think like a canine, so that it can be returned to it natural habitat in the Drakensberg.

Nearby a group of baboons are getting up to monkey business, each of the individuals have carefully been identified and chosen to fit into and play a role in this “unnatural” troop. They will be weaned from a “fast food” diet to a natural one and dehumanised – once they are ready, they too will be released into the wild."

Baby Blue Duiker

Read some fascinating information about Vervet Monkeys with more photos.

Photo Gallery

Julie with two baby baboons that she is currently mothering

Not so for us – one day is just like the next, and this year, on December 25, a call came in from a farmer who had seen a bush baby falling out of a tree. When he had a closer look he could see that it was dead, but then he saw movement and discovered a tiny little baby clinging on to it’s Mum – and it was very much alive, but way too small to survive on its own. So Operations Director, Helena, dropped everything and immediately went to collect the baby. 

He was probably about a week old and absolutely terrified, having spent the first few days of his life where he should be – in the wild with his Mum. We do not know what happened to her but think that it was either a snake bite or poisoning. Christened Tuli, we set up a basket for him and tried to bottle feed him but he was having none of that – eventually we discovered that he would rather lap his milk, and that he was happy to take little pieces of banana.

The first few nights were tiring to say the least – bush babies sleep all day and play all night!!! And Tuli was no different – he kept calling in the night and was quite happy to have someone awake to socialise with!. I thought my days of night feeds were long gone – no such luck!

After a few days he became very lethargic and stopped eating which was a huge worry as he was such a featherweight anyway. We had to put him on a course of antibiotics and just feed as often as possible in the night and fortunately he recovered. He is now in a big cage outside, next to another bush baby called Gizmo, and he is growing in ‘leaps and bounds’ – for a bush baby that is! He still fits in the palm of your hand but has now become quite a handful, hopping all over the place, and he certainly has a mind of his own and objects loudly if you try and tell him what to do.