Avian Influenza Lands in Humboldt County

Posted on November 27, 2022November 27, 2022 by Monte Merrick

After nearly a year of watching the latest outbreak of a virus in wild birds and commercial flocks travel across the US, reaching California at the Summer’s end, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has recently been detected in Humboldt County.

Two Cackling Geese (Branta hutchinsii) and Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) that Humboldt Wildlife Care Center submitted for testing, as well as a Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) carcass found in Orick and submitted for testing by the National Park Service, have been returned with prelimnary positives, and have been sent to a national laboratory for further confirmation. Since then, three Ravens (Corvus corax) have also tested positive for this deadly strain (H5N2).

A Cackling Goose treated by HWCC in 2021 at release.

Avian influenza is a common disease. Waterfowl act as a reservoir species for the virus, often showing no signs of illness. But during outbreaks, especially virulent strains can lead to mortality events among wild birds, and staggering losses in commercial poultry flocks. What distinguishes HPAI from other avian influenzas is that HPAI kills 90-100% of chickens in a lab setting.

Ravens appear to be among the most hard hit by HPAI in Humboldt County. Gregarious birds with large populations, like city folk, are perhaps most at risk.

The most susceptible wild species, besides geese and ducks, appear to be Raptors (hawks, owls, falcons), Corvids (ravens, crows, jays, etc) and Gulls. Songbirds are not considered to be high risk species as they have a very low infection rate and shed very low quantities of the virus. At this time there is no need or recommendation to take down songbird feeders unless you also have a backyard flock of ducks or chickens. (see more about avian influenza and songbirds)

For more information on HPAI in commercial flocks and wildlife

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/avian/avian-influenza

For more information on human health related to HPAI

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/s0428-avian-flu.html

During the course of this outbreak, HWCC/bax is still admitting all wild birds in need for care, but with strict guidelines to protect our patients and also monitor the virus as it spreads through local populations. Our staff is prepared and ready to aid birds, as well as help local resource agencies monitor and slow the advance of HPAI. If you see or find a sick bird, please CALL 707 822 8839. If you have questions or concerns about this virus, feel free to call us – our staff will be happy to answer any questions that we can or point you to more resources that will help you protect any birds you have.

Thank you for your support during this time, and thank you for caring about wild birds, and all of our wild neighbors. Your support now, and always, is what keeps our doors open. You make our work possible. Thank you.

The 3 Pillars of Wildlife Rehabilitation

Posted on November 20, 2022May 18, 2023 by Soro Cyrene

Wildlife rehabilitation is a complex field, where a seemingly endless amount of information must be mastered in order to become a competent and skilled wildlife rehabilitator. Wildlife rehabilitators need to learn how to care for hundreds of species, each with their own unique requirements. It is natural to feel overwhelmed as a new wildlife rehabilitator. However, you don’t need to know everything in order to have a good foundational knowledge of wildlife rehabilitation practices. In order to provide basic, quality care to patients, wildlife rehabilitators must understand three key concepts: warmth, hydration, and stress.

Warmth

Maintaining an appropriate body temperature is critical for all life on Earth. A hypothermic patient is unable to benefit from care while its low body temperature is left untreated. If you attempt to feed a hypothermic patient, it is unlikely to be able to process the nutrition well and the feeding may even lead to the patient’s death. It is crucial to bring a patient’s body temperature to its ideal range before administering other forms of care. This can be done using an incubator, warm towels, and/or heating pads. Hypothermia is common in new wildlife patients, but hyperthermia can also occur. Understanding the normal body temperature ranges for species that you treat, and how to properly measure temperature, is essential for providing quality care.

Hydration

Dehydration is very common in new wildlife patients. It is critical that patients are sufficiently rehydrated before they are started on a feeding and medication regimen. Hydration can be assed using a variety of methods, from skin tenting to observing saliva consistency. The way in which you rehydrate a patient will depend on their condition. For example, a comatose patient should never be given fluids orally due to risk of aspiration, while a hypothermic patient should not be given subcutaneous fluids, as that can lead to a further drop in body temperature. Hydration should be regularly assessed for all patients throughout their entire rehabilitation process.

Stress

Undergoing rehabilitative care as a wild animal is inherently extremely stressful. Not only is stress unenjoyable, it has also been shown to reduce an animal’s ability to heal. Thus, the more stress that an animal is under while in care, the longer it will take for it to recover, and the more it will suffer. It is vital that we take every possible step to reduce the stress in our patients as much as possible. Stress can be reduced in many ways. Some examples include providing visual barriers (for example, sheets over patient enclosures so that they cannot see human caregivers every time their enclosure is passed by), reducing handling time as much as possible, speaking as little as possible while in earshot of patients, providing suitable enclosures that mimic the patient’s natural habitat, and providing housing with conspecifics or closely related species. Additionally, animals should be released as soon as they are ready to return to the wild. It is unethical to retain a fully healed patient for several days or weeks, simply because a release date hasn’t been set.

Understanding the importance of warmth, hydration, and a low-stress environment is critical for successful wildlife rehabilitation. These three concepts should be front and center in your mind for each patient you care for, from the moment they arrive to the time they are returned to freedom. We will be providing an in-depth class on each of these topics in the future, so stay tuned!

How To Become a Wildlife Rehabilitator

Posted on November 6, 2022May 18, 2023 by Soro Cyrene

So, you are interested in become a wildlife rehabilitator, but you aren’t sure what the best way to begin is. This article will discuss everything you need to know to get started.

The best (and really, only) way to get started on your journey in wildlife rehabilitation is to become a volunteer at a wildlife rehabilitation center. This opportunity for continual hands-on learning is simply critical for developing your skills as a wildlife rehabilitator. Use Google search, or websites such as Animal Help Now, to find nearby wildlife rehabilitation centers. Once you’ve found their website, look for a volunteer information or contact page, and you are on your way! Often times, wildlife rehabilitation centers in the US require a commitment of 4 hours per week during a certain day (for example, Tuesday shifts from 1-5pm every week). However, every center is different and the specifics will be discussed with you during or before your volunteer orientation date.

Placing a band on a Brown Pelican who was admitted to our clinic for rehabilitation. The head is covered with a sheet to reduce stress.

While volunteering remains essential to learn how to be a proficient wildlife rehabilitator, you may wish to supplement your experience with formal education and/or internships.

In general, most wildlife rehabilitation centers only require that you have experience as a volunteer in order to become a paid staff member, though some do require additional formal training. Educational pathways to consider include veterinary technician licensure and/or earning a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in wildlife biology or a similar field.

Veterinary technician: Schooling can be completed in 2 years and can be done online with an in-person externship. For Americans, consider schools such as Penn Foster, Ashworth College, or San Juan College (all of those are online based with an in person externship). There are also community colleges that offer veterinary technician training in person- use Google search or the Vet Technicians website to find one in your area. You will learn relevant medical theory and techniques, though these courses focus on domestic species, so not all coursework will be applicable to wildlife rehabilitation.

Bachelor of Science Degree: Look for options in wildlife biology or similar fields. This would give helpful background knowledge of conservation concepts and wildlife physiology (depending on the specific degree) and is required by some employers, however it is not a necessity in most cases.

Supplemental self-education: Be wary of educational texts that are not written by credible sources. A reputable source of educational books can be found on the the National Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association website here. Additionally, the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council holds several short courses, both in-person and online, on wildlife rehabilitation concepts and techniques, which can be accessed here.

Our own textbook, An Introduction to Aquatic Bird Rehabilitation

Many wildlife rehabilitation centers offer internship oppurtunities. Internships generally have more intensive time commitment requirements than volunteering positions. Internships can be great if you are interested in volunteering or working at a specific wildlife center. For example, if you have a great interest in seabirds, you may find it valuable to intern for a season at a seabird-specific rehabilitation center to increase your experience with that animal group. Interning at a generalist center can also be a great experience where you take on more responsibility and accelerate your training.

Lastly, you may be considering finding a job in a related field before making the leap to work full-time in wildlife rehabilitation. One example of a job that can give you applicable medical experience is working as a veterinary assistant in a veterinary clinic that serves domestic species.

A Pacific Pond Turtle makes their way in thieir own time back to the wild!

If your goal is to one day be hired as a wildlife rehabilitator, consider checking wildlife rehabilitation job boards such as this one, and have a look at what different centers are listing as their requirements for positions you are interested in. That will help you to know what you need to do in order to become eligible for such positions in the future.

In closing, there are many opportunities to help you along your path of becoming a wildlife rehabilitator, but it is important not to forget that spending 1+ years volunteering at your local wildlife rehabilitation center really is the essential first step.

Seeds for Change Voting is Now Open! Help us be Part of North Coast Co-op’s Round Up for Non-Profits in 2023!

Posted on November 4, 2022November 4, 2022 by Monte Merrick

The awesome Seeds for Change round-up program of the North Coast Co-op raises tens of thousands of dollars for area non-profit organizations each year simply by encouraging shoppers to round-up their purchase price! Benefitting from this program made a huge difference during our busy Summer months caring for hundreds of orphaned wild babies. If you are a member of the Co-op, you can help us continue to have this crucial support at a critical time by voting for us now! Voting closes November 10th!

Regardless of the outcome, this program is a wonderful way to help many non-profits with a much needed boost, and all it costs is a little bit of change when you shop! Thanks to the Co-op for offering this program, and thanks to the membership for helping us be a part of the awesomeness.

And thank you, as always, for your love for the Wild!