What makes for a good wildlife rescuer/medic?
Introductions:
Before I go any further, I think that the following needs to be addressed. There is, in my opinion, a definitive difference between a wildlife medic and a wildlife rehabber.
Wildlife Medic/ Rescuer: A person who is responsible for the rescue, collection, or extraction of a sick, injured or displaced wild animal. They may also provide onsite immediate first aid to preserve life where its humanely possibly to do.
Wildlife Rehabilitator (Wildlife Rehabber): A person who is involved with the care, rearing or is responsible for the ongoing rehabilitation process at a wildlife rehabilitation centre.
Wildlife medics are those who are the first to arrive on the scene for a wildlife-related emergency. The scenarios can vary in a whole range of circumstances, but the same principles for what’s required of these individuals remains the same. I have seen many good wildlife rescuers come and go at our wildlife hospital. Giving up their time to dedicate themselves towards the service required of them.
Having trained many wildlife rescuers/medics myself, I do occasionally get asked what makes for a good wildlife medic. The answer isn’t a straightforward one. But I have outlined some of the fundamental basics and skillsets for which we look for when recruiting for our wildlife ambulance service below:
Discipline:
By far one of the most important aspects, we look for in a recruit. To follow a simple set of instructions sounds like a simple request. But you would be surprised with what we have experienced. Discipline also extends to the self-control aspect, having the ability to stand back and fighting the urge to just rush-in and go all guns blazing, can be a particularly difficult thing to master in this line of work.
In every rescue operation, there is a designated ‘team leader’. These individuals will most often be the more experienced and what we often like to refer to as ‘seasoned’ rescuers. The rest of the team are often co-ordinated by the team leader, and they must follow instructions and work as part of a team. This is why we look for disciplined members when it comes to wildlife medics.
Emotional Detachment:
Believe it or not, this is by far the most common reason as to what many lack towards having the ability to join our wildlife ambulance service. Emotional detachment is the ability to completely switch of your emotions. This includes empathy, remorse, fear, sadness and finally … anthropomorphism.
Sadly, over 60% of all road traffic incidents we come across involving deer casualties are what we often refer to as a lost cause. The injuries are often far too extensive and should be considered incompatible with life. Making this sort of decision may not be easy, but is absolutely necessary and a important part of the role of a wildlife medic.
There is nothing glorious about shoving a half dead deer in the back of a van and driving them to a wildlife hospital or veterinary practice for them to be euthanised (put down). In fact, id go as far to say that this both torture towards the animal and a serious breach in animal welfare too.
All our wildlife medics are trained to euthanise large mammals in situ. They often do this with a captive bolt gun. A quick, discreet and dignified way of ending a life. But, if you truly care for animals and show real compassion towards them, pulling that trigger is in no way easy. Therefore, this is where having that ability to switch of your emotions is vital to the task in hand.
When training new medics, I often refer to this simple, yet effective quote.
If we don’t end the suffering now, the suffering will just continue. Is this fair on the animal?
The emotional toll this can have on individuals can be catastrophic, but this is why we are here in the first place. Not everyone can do this. Some may view this as cruel and heartless, however I’d like to remind us all, that euthanasia is a designated act of nothing but sheer compassion towards a helpless animal.
Physical Fitness:
Being physically fit is extremely important. Many of our rescues are situated in open undulating terrain. Sometimes, its raining, snowing or even blazing sunshine. It could be damp, slippery, cold and more often its extremely uncomfortable.
Every wildlife medic undergoes a physical fitness programme. We usually carry vast amounts of kit weighing in at around 40 -60 pounds, so they do the programme with the kit on them too. 1 mile in 15 minutes is the bare minimum, which isn’t a huge amount to ask of someone.
The team are drilled monthly. Yes, this is true. All our wildlife ambulance team are drilled to not only ensure that they are physically fit, but to also practice using the equipment, working as a team and generally bonding as a collective unit. We have two units at this moment in time. Alpha and Bravo. Many of frills have utilised both units together. We create simulations of rescues that we have done in the past, fun games of search and capture of a wildlife medic and practicing first aid towards each other. (no kisses of life are necessary at this point though!)
Team Player:
There are no ‘heroes’ in a rescue situation. End off. We work as part of a team, which means if we succeed, we succeed as a team and vice versa.
Having the ability to listen is also a huge aspect of being a wildlife medic. Listening to not only each other is vital but also to members of the public too. You would be amazed with the amount of knowledge you can gain from somebody by just shutting up and listening. The whole point of talking to a member of the public who has found a sick, displaced or injured animal, is gain as much information as you possibly can.
Sometimes, by just listening, the work itself is done for you. Maybe the animal in question doesn’t actually need rescuing... Take fox cubs for example. Turning up to a rescue hearing that the fox cub was seen running around a garden with others and has now disappeared from sight, do we really need to go looking for them, why not ask them to continue monitoring them, the likelihood is that ‘mum’ isn’t too far away and that in itself is a success as they can remain with her in the wild, which is ultimately the very best outcome for everyone involved!
Being a team player also means working in sync with each other. This is why we do our monthly practice drills. Learning how each other works, thinks, operates and learning to move as a single unit instead a bunch of sporadic misfits is the ultimate difference between a professional wildlife rescue service and just a collection of animal enthusiasts.
The want for learning and development:
No matter how long you work within wildlife rescue, one thing is absolutely guaranteed. You will change as an individual, forever. The things we see in wildlife rescue is in no way painted in rose-tinted spectacles. Whenever we encounter a wild animal, they are always on their last legs. They are dying. And its up to you and your team to do something about it if that is what’s required of you. You will learn to adapt, change and grow as a person. Both inside and out. The point here is though, is that what your willing to do?
Learning is all part of development. Learning new skills, mindsets and techniques that will ultimately better you as a person is what is required of anyone who chooses to work within this field. Everything is forever changing. The outlooks on our approach towards our patients, our facilities, our knowledge and tried and tested methods. Development of a wildlife rescue unit is crucial. There is always something to take away from any rescue, no matter how complex or simple that may be, we can always do better.
This isn’t to be considered being defeatist/ pessimistic or that we are never happy though.
The better we become, the greater our chances are in having the ability to help those who need our help. If however, you operate under the impression that if it works then why change it? Then I would like to remind you that what may have been acceptable back only a few years ago, may well not be considered appropriate today.
For example, 10 -20 years ago, many of us would have considered binding deer’s legs together when transporting them, this is not appropriate today and has been proven to cause damages towards the diaphragm of the deer’s delicate legs structure, let alone the physiological implications of the added trauma and stress towards the animal.
That is just one of many examples. We are forever learning and as a wildlife rescuer, you must be willing to always look to better yourself and the service you are carrying out towards sick and injured wildlife.
Wildlife rescue as an industry itself, is still relatively new and in its infancy. The fact that we as rescues can communicate with others and learn from one another, is only ever going to be a good thing. Also, documenting and sharing your methods, findings, research etc will also benefit wildlife immensely across the country and sometimes even the world.
Final notes:
It should be mentioned that not everyone is going to agree with everything written above. Which is in my opinion a good thing. Everybody works slightly differently, which is the reason why many of us can learn from each other. What one rescue does and how it operates, isn’t always going to be the same as another. What I have written, is how OWR works and I’m in no way suggesting that this is how IT MUST BE DONE. There are already far too many egotistical mindsets in the industry as it is, but this is merely a guide into how we operate and if just one person takes just one thing away from this article and it helps them, then I would be happy with this and this alone.