We have now completed our twelfth year as a Rehabilitation Center. Never in my wildest dreams did I think we would be able to continue this endeavor as long as we have. The success of The WildARC of East Carolina is attributable solely to the many wonderful volunteers who have worked with us these past 12 years and all the caring and wonderful donors who have faithfully kept us afloat. My heartfelt thanks go out to all who have become a part of us! I am proud of our accomplishments and hope the support continues so that our doors will never close.
This past year we received several grants to enhance our efforts. The Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation donated funds to purchase a digital projector and slide screen so we can present programs. The digital projector enables us to update and finesse our programs at will, instead of waiting for slides to be produced. We are very excited about this!
We also received a general grant from Merck Partnership for Giving, through the efforts of one of our volunteers, Tammy Howard. Tammy works for Merck Pharmaceuticals and worked hard to convince Merck we were eligible for their giving program. Thank you Tammy and Merck!
As spring approaches, please read the Seasonal Information page to help you cope with babies in the wild.
Did you know? All native birds in the United States are protected by the Federal government. Only three birds are not native - the European starling, the pigeon (rock dove) and the house (English) sparrow. The protection that the Federal government provides our native birds is mandated by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and states: "No person shall take, possess, import, export, transport, sell, purchase, barter, or offer for sale, purchase or barter, any migratory birds, or the parts, nests, or eggs of such bird except as may be permitted under the terms of a valid permit issued pursuant to the provisions of [50 CFR 21 , Migratory Bird Permits]". The word "take" means the removal of any protected bird from its natural environment by any means, including shooting, trapping, relocating, or capturing it.
That is why any wildlife rehabilitator who desires to care for any native wild birds must have a valid and current permit from the issuing authority of these permits, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
I mention this because each year we receivee several raptors that have been shot with buck shot. Not many survive and they all suffer tremendously before they are brought to us. It is difficult to understand how these shootings could be accidental or how a hawk could be mistaken for a duck or other game bird.
Even though pigeons are not "protected" under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, using them for target practice is cruel. We also receive several pigeons each year that have been shot with BB's. None of them survived.
It is extremely important that children who are given rifles or BB guns as gifts understand that they are not toys and can inflict serious damage. Shooting at anything that moves is not ethical or responsible and parents should make sure they instruct their children about the dangers of these weapons. Compassion and understanding of our native wildlife is a great attribute of which any person can be proud.
We are deeply disturbed about our beautiful area. If you look at the Stats Page you will see that for three years running our numbers have dropped. We can look at that saying animals need less and less of our help and that would be just great! But as we drive around our three county area in our heart we don't believe that is right. Eastern North Carolina is being advertised nationwide as a great retirement area. And now we watch with concern the indiscriminate destruction of our natural environment to make room for houses, roads and people. Huge tracts of woodland, farmland and marshland have disappeared in just a few years. It's great to provide homes for people but where do the original inhabitants of this land go? The law of nature dictates that if habitat disappears the animal moves on to better habitat. But unfortunately, there isn't much habitat to move to anymore. If they can't move on they must adapt to this new "environment" or die. We receive hundreds of calls a year about some wild thing in someone's yard, "Come get him out of here, I am scared to death"! We sympathize with the animal, not the human. Without these wild animals in our environment we will face devastating consequences. These animals provide a balance to this planet earth that cannot be replaced.
We wish we had the solution to this problem, but we don't. It is something all of us must look at seriously as a species and turn the tide around.
Home About WildARC Stats Wild Profiles! Links Education Support Shopping
Seasonal Information Find A Rehabber
email us at: info@wildarc.org
Last Updated On : 02/15/2011