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"March 3 is World Wildlife Day. It is a United Nations International Day to celebrate all the world's wild animals and plants and the contribution that they make to our lives and the health of the planet."
"World Wildlife Day gives us an opportunity to focus on solutions and see the importance of saving our planet’s incredible wildlife." Today, we hope that you'll join us in celebrating all that the wildlife in North Carolina and beyond has to offer.
According to the World Wildlife Fund, vertebrate wildlife populations have declined tremendously across the globe from 1970 to 2018. “It is very much a red flag and a warning signal that… the life support system on Earth is in trouble,” Rebecca Shaw, chief scientist for the World Wildlife Fund, tells NPR’s Leila Fadel. “It is a very sharp decline.”
The main reasons for the sharp decline are pollution, climate change, habitat destruction, diseases, and overexploitation, just to name a few. However, there is hope! The Living Planet Report put together every two years by the World Wildlife Fund states that half of the monitored populations actually show an increasing trend.
What is Wildlife Rehabilitation
Wildlife Rehabilitation is the process of rescuing, raising and providing medical care for injured, orphaned and ill wild animals. The goal is to release these animals back into their natural habitat. For rehabilitation to be successful, these rehabbed and released animals must be able to truly care for themselves, find food, shelter and water, recognize and mate with others, reproduce and care appropriately for their offspring and recognize their natural predators including humans. Learn more by watching the video below.
How You Can Make a Difference
"World Wildlife Day gives us an opportunity to focus on solutions and see the importance of saving our planet’s incredible wildlife."
Get Familiar
Learn more about the animals in your community. If you're in the Charlotte, NC area, visit carolinaconservation.org to learn more.
Support licensed wildlife rehabbers in your community. If you have a facility similar to Carolina Wildlife Conservation Center, find out how you can get involved! Become a monthly donor, volunteer your time, or simply share a post of theirs on your social media channels.
Know Basic Care
If you come across wildlife you think may need help, handle with care and caution. Wear gloves and use thick towels if you must handle the animal. Move the animal into a secure box.
Do NOT feed or try to treat the wildlife. Improper feeding can be deadly to wild animals.
Keep the animal stress free by placing them in a box in a dark, quiet, warm place. Try your best to remain calm and quite and keep any household pets away.
Call your local wildlife rehab center! If you're in the Charlotte, NC area, call us at (980) 389-1133 or visit carolinaconservation.org.
Learn more about animal specific care for animals like bats, beavers, bunnies, deer, squirrels, chipmunks, racoons, skunks, turtles, fox, and opossums here.
Remember: It is ILLEGAL to keep wildlife without the proper licensing. Wildlife are not meant to be pets and need to be in the wild where they belong. All wildlife has the potential to carry serious disease so it is in the best interest of you, your family, and the animal to get it to a licensed wildlife professional immediately.
Thank you!
We cannot do what we do without your support. To learn more about ways to support the Carolina Wildlife Conservation Center, please visit carolinaconservation.org.