Interns learn wildlife rehab

WATCH CAREFULLY—A student observes a necropsy at the California Wildlife Center as part of a summer internship programhe eight interns assist with veterinary procedures and help feed nd care for sick, injured or orphaned animals, which will be eleased back into the wild once rehabilitated. Eight college students from around the country are working as wildlife rehabilitation interns this summer at the California Wildlife Center (CWC).

The internships give college students a chance to experience what a career in wildlife rehabilitation involves. Their tasks range from assisting CWC personnel with veterinary procedures and necropsies, to preparing food, cleaning cages and feeding the animals.

The CWC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of sick, injured or orphaned native wildlife in Southern California.

“Since interning at CWC, I’ve become more aware of how each individual wild animal has its niche in our environment,” said Claire Sadler, a freshman at Stanford University, “It’s made me start to consider a career in wildlife biology.”

In addition to hands-on training, the interns are provided with classroom education on various wildlife topics. Their most recent class involved advanced hospital techniques, a day-long training session with veterinarian Jennifer Conrad on specific case studies that she has encountered as a wildlife veterinarian.

Included in the intern training is an emergency dispatch mentoring program under the guidance of CWC’s Director of Education, Dana Murray, where the interns learn to field emergency phone calls with wildlife situations from the public.

Emily Josephs, a biology major at Brown University, recently guided a woman who found a baby bird that appeared orphaned.

“When she learned it was a healthy fledgling (a baby bird learning how to fly) she was very enthusiastic about learning more about how to help wildlife,” Josephs said.

The interns also have worked with Cynthia Reyes, marine mammal coordinator, in responding to emergency calls.

For Danielle Rowley, a preveterinary major at Central Washington University, one memorable experience was her first rescue calls for a sea lion and brown pelican within the same day.

“I’d never been in such close contact with these animals outside of zoos,” Rowley said. “To see these animals up close and learn about them was phenomenal.”

Each intern also has been asked to focus on one case study for further research and share their findings with the hospital staff. Some of the topics interns are researching include the West Nile virus and its affects on native wildlife, vocalization development of local songbirds, secondary poisoning and the onset of mange in bobcats, and the success rate of rehabilitated animals once released back into the wild.

“Each intern brings so much energy and enthusiasm to their daily shift,” said Susan Eastman, CWC executive director.

Since 1998, the CWC has responded to more than 9,000 wildlife emergencies in Los Angeles County for a wide variety of species from raptors and songbirds to pelicans, sea lions, coyotes and deer.

California Wildlife Center will host its annual fundraiser, “Wild Brunch,” in Malibu on Aug. 7 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information call (818) 222-2658.