In the midst of baby animal season, some baby animals are best left well alone.
The Cape of Good Hope SPCA Wildlife Department is inundated with calls to rescue baby animals at this time of year. The department responds to an average of 45 calls per week to collect stray and abandoned young animals of all species.
Our Wildlife Short-Term Care Centre located in Grassy Park is equipped to deal with these and our Wildlife Inspectors each undergo specialised training courses to be able to administer immediate care and help to the helpless.
Lately, however, there is an increase in the number of baby wild animals being picked up by members of the public when out and about.
“Owlets, squirrel kits, nestlings and fledgling birds, even mongoose pups and genet kits, are the types of animals we are most often called to come and fetch when people have botched trying to raise the animals themselves at home and need our help,” comments Wildlife Department supervisor Jon Friedman.
“Wild animals are quite different to their domestic counterparts; their feeding requirements are specific to their species. They require certain nutrients in exact amounts at different times of the day in order to maintain normal growth. Feeding wild animals Pronutro cereal, oats, raw eggs, cooked meat, in most cases is going to spell the end for that animal in no time at all,” warns Friedman.
“There is also the real risk that handling a wild animal, never mind the risk of being bitten or scratched by sharp teeth, beaks or claws, is going to habituate that animal to the presence of people, or worse, seeing humans as a source of food. Once a wild animal has been raised by people it will seldom be able to survive on its own in the wild and could become a ‘nuisance animal’, an outcome that requires the animal be put-down to spare it a life of unnatural hardship or trying to be a domestic ‘pet.’”
Then there are the legalities of keeping wildlife.
In the Western Cape, a permit issued by the conservation authority CapeNature is required for the keeping of any wild animal.
This involves an inspection of your premises to ensure that you can care for the animal in the proper manner and that you have the necessary knowledge and experience.
The City of Cape Town also has animal keeping by-laws that govern the keeping of wildlife.
Falling foul of the applicable legislations around the keeping of wild animals in captivity could end up costing you a fortune in fines and /or facing jail time.
Rather, follow our list of Do’s & Don’ts, and call your nearest SPCA when in doubt:
DO:
• Call the SPCA Wildlife Department immediately on 021 700-4158/4159 or after-hours, at weekends and on public holidays on 083 326-1604.
• Remain calm and quiet. Sudden, loud noises can scare an animal to death.
• If you encounter a baby wild animal that is alone, keep a watch on it from a safe distance to make sure it is alone; there could be a parent nearby, hiding until it is safe to come out.
• Keep dogs leashed and away from the animal.
• Try and assess the condition of the animal; does it look particularly thin (underfed), injured (can blood be seen anywhere on the body?), or is it in distress (calling repetitively)? This is useful information to give over the phone when describing the animal to a rescuer.
• Note the exact location of the animal using your maps service if you can (drop a pin). Do this immediately.
• If the animal is at your home or in your garden, and you are worried about dogs or cats (or even crows) attacking it, try and gently coax the animal into a secure box and keep it in a quiet, dark, warm area until help arrives.
• If you are unsure what animal it is, try and take a photo or short video on your phone to send it to the responder. This will help them advise you further on the correct steps to take for that animal.
DON'T:
• Don’t attempt to touch, play with, or catch the animal.
• Don’t try and feed the animal. (They will need fluid before food, in most cases).
• Don’t take selfies with the animal.
• Don’t call your friends and family to all come and see.
