Wildlife Rehabilitation Center Essay Example for Free

Wildlife Rehabilitation Center Essay As a kid and an adult, I have encountered numerous occasions in which I’ve stumbled upon a neglected baby bird. Instinctually, I would think picking up the baby bird, bringing it into my home, and consoling it would be the most beneficial to the animal. After reading an article on South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Centers (SPWRC) website, I was surprised to learn doing the exact opposite would be better for the birds’ ultimate well-being. There are many issues that can be easily over looked because they do not necessarily affect one’s life directly. The both educational and environmentally beneficial programs at the South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center can be a useful tool, to not only open one’s eyes to unseen issues, but also create a more diverse and stable local wildlife. South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center hosts a variety of volunteer opportunities. In my opinion the most exciting program would be the hands on wildlife care program. This program involves, preparing meals, feeding animals, and helping with medical treatment, all while creating unique bonds with each animal. Also, the volunteer would learn the procedures for aiding the animals that are brought in for care and answering any questions about a wildlife emergency properly. If one is more drawn to the outdoors and wants more of a physical volunteer experience, helping with the building and grounds maintenance is a perfect opportunity for physical work. The program involves handy work, lawn care, landscaping, and general maintenance activities. Most importantly, this program includes the responsibility of maintaining a clean and suitable environment for the animals. Another opportunistic program with SPWRC is the environmental education program. This program is for volunteers who enjoy educating the public, it involves setting up educational materials, being able to handle educational animals, and teaching the community about the centers’ wildlife. To aid in this program volunteers will learn new materials necessary to inform the public and will also need to be open to creating ideas to help form new community outreach programs. For some volunteers who prefer to be a little more behind the scenes, there are opportunities to assist in fundraising and clerical work around the center. Fundraising will need volunteers to be able to participate and help with campaign activities. Clerical work will involve simple errands that will aid in the administrative office with staying up to date with important information. To get started with volunteering at South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, first depends on whether the volunteer is an adult or junior. Juniors’ fall under the age group of twelve to seventeen years old, because of their age, they need a parents’ approval and are restricted in helping with certain animals. An adult volunteer can help with any of the animals, if properly vaccinated and possesses a certificate with a notary seal for proof. There is also a questionnaire that must be filled out by all volunteers. After the proper vaccinations and the questionnaire have been completed, they will be sent to the volunteer coordinator. Soon after, the volunteer will be called for an orientation session, if qualified. South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center is a non-profit organization that solely depends on its volunteers and the amount of donations given by the community. Without these two major factors, the rehabilitation center would not be able to function. With volunteering, an important role in this organization, there are a variety of volunteer opportunities waiting to be fulfilled. No matter how one chooses to get involved with SPWRC’s programs, the benefits of doing so echo both throughout the community and within oneself.