Tales from the Wild Side: Wildlife Medicine at the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife

摘要

Founded in 1968 by Shirley Walters, who rescued an injured Royal Tern on the Sanibel Causeway, the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) has grown from a backyard operation to a full-scale wildlife-only hospital with a workforce of veterinarians, rehabilitators, office/clerical staff, students, and volunteers. Patient load has increased from around a hundred animals per year in the late 1960's to over 4,100 patients in 2011. Each patient receives compassionate care, regardless of species,size or severity of injury. In 2011, over 206 different species were seen by CROW staff. Due to the vastly different needs of so many species, the CROW team utilizes the strengths of multiple modalities of medical treatments and excellent husbandry to provide the best chance of recovery for each patient.