Dolphin liberation in Korea

Date: May 27, 2018

Source: Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology(UNIST)

"Dolphin liberation in South Korea has raised awareness towards the welfare of marine animals and has resulted in the strengthening of animal protection policies and the level of welfare."

An engineering student, affiliated with UNIST has recently carried out a scientific investigation on dolphin liberation in South Korea. The paper presents the overall analysis of the social impact of the first case of dolphin rehabilitation in Asia, which occurred in 2013.

This study has been carried out by Sejoon Kim in the School of Energy and Chemical Engineering in collaboration wit Professor Bradley Tatar in the Division of General Studies at UNIST. Their findings have been published in the April issue of the journal, Coastal Management and will be published online, this month.

Continued 

The story of how a touch screen helped a paralyzed chimp walk again

Euthanasia does not have to be only option for injured animals

Date: July 5, 2016 

Source: Springer

The case of Reo, a male chimpanzee that learned to walk again after being paralyzed due to illness, shows how much can be done to rehabilitate animals injured in captivity. So says lead author Yoko Sakuraba of Kyoto University, in an article inPrimates, the official journal of the Japan Monkey Centre published by Springer.

In their normal work, researchers of the Primate Research Institute at Kyoto University use chimpanzees' interaction with computers and touch screens to study the cognition and perception of these primates. When Reo was paralyzed from the neck down, dedicated staff put this technology to further use by encouraging the animal to walk again. This is the first case in which a paralyzed chimpanzee has been rehabilitated through such a dedicated programme.

When Reo was 24 years old in 2006, he suddenly became paralyzed when a portion of his spinal cord became inflamed. For the first ten months thereafter, the chimpanzee was severely disabled, lying on his back. He gradually recovered enough to sit up, and could later pull himself upright by using suspended ropes. Intensive physiotherapy over a period of 41 months followed, after which he was able to climb about again using only his arms.

Continued ...

Two lionesses born to circus life get first taste of freedom

Maggie and Sonja have spent their eight years of life performing in a German circus

After eight years in captivity in a German circus, two rescued lionesses are settling into their new home at the Born Free Foundation’s Big Cat Rescue and Education Centre at Shamwari Game Reserve, South Africa. 

Maggie and Sonja spent the first eight years of their lives making regular appearances in the circus, performing for the crowds and living in a circus trailer in appalling conditions.

When the animals were confiscated by the German authorities in 2013, the Natuurhulpcentrum, a wild animal rescue and rehabilitation centre in Belguim, stepped in and offered them temporary accommodation.

There, they underwent rehabilitation and treatment for wounds acquired while living in the circus, before being declared fit to travel to a permanent new home in Africa.

Organised by the Born Free Foundation, they travelled from Natuurhulpcentrum to London’s Heathrow airport on January 20, from where they made the 6,000 mile journey across two continents, flying on the inaugural Kenya Airways Dreamliner flight to Johannesburg via Nairobi, and sponsored by the airline.

After touching down in Johannesburg on Wednesday, January 21, they were taken by land on the last leg of the journey to their new home at the award winning Shamwari Game Reserve in Port Elizabeth. 

Read on ...

With the right rehabilitation, paralyzed rats learn to grip again

Date:

June 12, 2014

Source:

University of Zurich

Summary:

After a large stroke, motor skills barely improve, even with rehabilitation. An experiment conducted on rats demonstrates that a course of therapy combining the stimulation of nerve fiber growth with drugs and motor training can be successful. The key, however, is the correct sequence: Paralyzed animals only make an almost complete recovery if the training is delayed until after the growth promoting drugs have been administered.

Continued

Work starts to rehabilitate 130 bile-farmed bears

Peace by Piece, the name given to Animals Asia’s project to transform the Nanning Flower World bear bile farm in China into the Nanning Bear Rescue Centre, has begun and the first changes to the bears’ lives have been implemented.

This landmark campaign aims to help rescue and rehabilitate over 130 moon bears that have been kept in horrendous conditions – many trapped in tiny cages from birth and farmed for their bile. The farmer had bred the bears and extracted their bile for years, but had a change of heart when his daughter convinced him of the horrible cruelty of the trade. Animals Asia took over custody and care of the bears, leasing the land and facilities. This will be the largest rescue of its kind in the world and one important aspect will be helping to train the ex-farm workers, who have no experience of animal welfare, into first-class bear carers.

Continued

Freeing Rehabilitated Loggerhead Turtles Comes at a Price - via Herp Digest

(Editor- Over a year old, but I keep getting asked such questions about the value of rehabititating turtles, especially sea turtles, So here is one study I don’t think I ever printed.)

Apr. 20, 2012 — A team of scientists from Catalonia and the Balearic Islands has studied loggerhead turtles' re-adaptation to the environment. The results show that after a lengthy recovery in rehabilitation centres these animals display changes in behaviour and may not adapt well to being free.

When loggerhead turtles are accidentally captured by humans, a recovery process follows, the complexity of which varies according to the turtle's injuries. Spanish researchers have analysed the process of reintegrating these animals into the environment and they have discovered that there are changes in the behaviour of the turtles that have a complicated recovery process.

The study, which has been published in Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, involved placing satellite transmitters on the shell of 12 healthy, wild loggerhead turtles' (Caretta caretta), and on 6 more that had spent a few months in a rehabilitation centre in the Balearic Islands.

"The six animals from the centre were seriously affected when they were caught and they had a slow, complicated recovery process" Lluís Cardona, the main author of the study and researcher in the animal biology department in the University of Barcelona (UB) said.

Upon being set free, three of the rehabilitated turtles showed changes in behaviour. "One died and the other two did not swim well and were very disorientated" Cardona, who compared their adaptation to the environment of these turtles with the twelve control ones, states.

"We received a signal each time they went up to breathe and from this we can tell what speed they swim at and the route they follow," the researcher comments. One of the most informative parameters regarding the animal's health is the time spent at the water's surface. "Turtles go up to breathe and thermoregulate. The time spent at the surface reflects their buoyancy control," the biologist highlights.

Although the number of animals included in this study is not very high and they need more studies, the results show that when the rehabilitation is complicated, there is a percentage of animals that do not readapt to freedom.

"The underlying question of this project is when it is worthwhile recuperating and treating a turtle" the UB expert asks. At a time of limited resources and for the good of the animal itself, "the scientists have to work with veterinarians in the rehabilitation centres to establish protocols to determine when a turtle should be treated and when not" Cardona says.

The six turtles in the study were rehabilitated in the Balearic Islands by the Aspro-Natura Foundation between 2004 and 2007. Of those, two had been hit by boats, two had throat and stomach injuries from fishing hooks, and the last two had injured their flippers in fishing nets.

"Most of these animals are caught accidentally by fishing hooks or trapped in trawler or trammel nets" the scientist explains. "A smaller percentage collides with boats or gets caught in abandoned nets or plastic."

However, the number of turtles caught by fishing hooks has reduced. "This decrease is due to the fact that fishermen fish at a deeper level at which there are fewer turtles, although they are still researching this final aspect" the biologist points out.

90% of turtles in the Balearic Islands' waters come from the USA. "In this country, the number of nesting females of this species has dropped" Cardona warns.

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Plataforma SINC, via AlphaGalileo.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

Journal Reference:

Luis Cardona, Gloria Fernández, Mónica Revelles, Alejandro Aguilar. Readaptation to the wild of rehabilitated loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) assessed by satellite telemetry. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 2012; 22 (1): 104 DOI: 10.1002/aqc.1242

Hand-reared rhino gives birth in the wild

Hand-reared rhino gives birth in Manas National Park

April 2013. A rhino, hand-reared by humans and rehabilitated in India's Manas National Park as part of the species reintroduction programme, has given birth in the wild, for the first time in India.

July 2004, by the Assam Forest Department. She was hand-raised by veterinarians and animal keepers at the IFAW-WTI-run Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) near Kaziranga. 

Dharati's birth marks a milestone in the Rhino Rehabilitation Project, a joint venture of the Assam Forest Department and IFAW-WTI. Dharati's birth marks a milestone in the Rhino Rehabilitation Project, a joint venture of the Assam Forest Department and International Fund for Animal Welfare - Wildlife Trust of India (IFAW-WTI) that hand-raises orphaned or displaced calves to rehabilitate them in the wild.

Vivek Menon, Executive Director, WTI, and Regional Director - South Asia, IFAW, said, "This is very special for all of us. The situation of rhinos across the world has been depressing, with so many poached for their horns in the past year. In this seemingly-bleak scenario, the instances like this are what keep us optimistic and spirited to do more." 

Ganga was hand-raised by people. NK Vasu, Chief Conservator of Forests and Field Director - Kaziranga, who was present during her rescue, said, "Our staff based at Baghmara camp rescued her from the floods. We searched for her mother but could not find her. So we admitted her to CWRC. Her condition was quite bad then, but all the efforts that went into her have finally been rewarded." 

Manas had lost all its rhinos

Ganga, and now Dharati, are a part of the rhino reintroduction programme in Manas National Park, launched in 2006, with the move of the first hand-raised calf from CWRC. Manas had lost all its rhinos by the 1990s as the area reeled under severe civil conflict. It was also declared a World Heritage Site in danger. A number of initiatives including the rhino reintroduction have been implemented here since peace was largely restored in early 2000s. In 2011, the ‘in danger' tag was lifted by UNESCO. 

Continued: http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/manas-rhino-calf.html

Rescue Me: New Study Finds Animals Do Recover from Neglect

Apr. 23, 2013 — Animal sanctuaries can play an important role in rehabilitating goats and other animals that have suffered from neglect, according to scientists at Queen Mary, University of London.

In this first scientific study of rescued animals, the researchers examined moods in 18 goats, nine of which had endured poor welfare, such as inappropriate diet, and lack of space or shelter before arriving at a sanctuary. They created a spatial awareness test, which involved giving the animals an opportunity to look for food, to understand the link between poor welfare and the goats' mental health, by comparing the behaviour of the mistreated goats with that of the goats that had been generally well treated. 

The scientists observed whether some goats were faster to explore specific areas that resulted in the reward of food and others that did not. They assessed how the goats judged previously unknown locations, described as ambiguous because they were situated between spaces known to contain food and areas without food. 

"Mood can have a huge influence on how the brain processes information. In humans, for example, it's well known that people in positive moods have an optimistic outlook on life, which means they are more resilient to stress. In the same way, measures of optimism and pessimism can provide indicators for an understanding of animal welfare," explains co-author Dr Elodie Briefer from Queen Mary's School of Biological and Chemical Sciences. 

It was thought that the goats from the poor welfare group would be more 'pessimistic' and slower than the well-treated goats to explore ambiguous locations for food, where the promise of reward was not guaranteed. However, a surprising result of the study was that female goats that had been mistreated in the past were more optimistic than the other well-treated female goats. 

Dr Briefer adds: "In this case, we found that female goats that had been previously neglected were the most optimistic of all the tested animals. They were more optimistic than well-treated females, but also the poorly treated males. This suggests that females may be better at recovering from neglect when released from stress, and might have implications for animal sanctuaries in how they tailor the care they provide for the different sexes." 

Dr Alan McElligott, also from Queen Mary's School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, said: "The study shows that animal rescue centres, such as Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats, where we collected our data, can provide a vital role in reversing long-term neglect once the animals receive excellent care." 

The study was published in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science April 23, 2013. 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130423091115.htm

One armed orangutan released back into forest after rehabilitation

Pelansi, the Bornean orangutan who lost his hand after being caught in a snare, is given the gift of freedom for Christmas.

December 2012. A young male orangutan that spent several days trapped in a snare resulting in the amputation of his right hand and half his arm, has been released back into the forests of West Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo after months of treatment and rehabilitation.

Original forest now a palm oil plantation
A team from International Animal Rescue Indonesia (Yayasan IAR Indonesia) and the Agency for Natural Resources Conservation (BKSDA) Ketapang have released Pelansi in Pematang Gadung forest. As his original home in the forest has been completely destroyed and converted into palm plantations, Pelansi has had to be reintroduced into a different area. After the release, a team of experts will follow and monitor Pelansi closely to see how he is coping with his disability.

Pematang Gadung is one of the forests in Ketapang Regency with the richest biodiversity. Many endangered species can be found in the forest which is patrolled and monitored by a volunteer group of local villagers from the community of Pematang Gadung. Yet this area is not currently officially protected. "With the release of this orangutan and by raising awareness of the condition of orangutans and their habitat in Ketapang, we also hope that Pematang Gadung will be given the protected status that it deserves" states Adi Irawan, Manager of the International Animal Rescue programme in Ketapang.

Read more:  http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/orangutan-rehabilitation.html

Rescued orangutan recovering well from arm amputation

Being prepared for release into the wild
October 2012. Pelangsi, the wild orangutan whose arm was amputated after he was rescued from a snare, is recovering well from surgery and able to move and climb in his cage in spite of his handicap. The young adult male is at the International Animal Rescue centre in Ketapang, West Kalimantan, where he is being prepared for release back into the wild. Human contact is being kept to a minimum and all treatment of his injury is carried out under anaesthetic to minimise stress.

Executive Director Karmele Llano Sanchez says: "Pelangsi is very active and hopefully it won't be too much longer before he can return to the forest and show us all how well he can cope with his handicap. He is eagerly gathering the leaves and branches provided for him and making nests as well as he can, so he definitely hasn't forgotten the skills he will need to survive in the wild."

Continued: http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/orangutan-rescue.html

Rescued elephants seen with wild herd in India's Manas National Park

Rehabilitated elephants thriving in the wild

August 2012. Two orphaned wild elephant calves that underwent rehabilitation through the Assam Forest Department and IFAW-WTI run Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) have been seen 'socialising' with a wild herd in Manas National Park recently.

"This is the third direct evidence of the rehabilitated elephants with wild herds this year," said Dr Bhaskar Chaudhury, Regional Head - Northeast, WTI, who leads the project. "This is a good sign and sure-shot evidence that orphaned wild elephant calves that end up in human care can be successfully returned to the wild. They deserve to live a free life in the wild as did their mothers."

The two, named Tinku and Soni, by the keepers who foster-parented the orphaned calves, are among the five that were moved from CWRC to Manas NP, as part of the Elephant Reintegration Project, last January. Soon after the move, one named Hamren returned to the wild, while the other four remained in the boma in Manas, continuing to be taken for walks by the keepers for acclimatisation to the release site. Another calf rescued from Goalpara was soon added to the group of four in the boma. Eventually, the other calves also detached from the keepers and returned to the wild.

Living with a wild herd
"We saw the two calves with radio collars with a herd of wild elephants on June 22, at 10:30 am about 3 kilometres south of Doimari beat area," said Gopinath Sharma, Beat Officer of Doimari Beat. The calves were reportedly foraging with the wild herd at a distance of less than 10 metres.

Sarma, who was also present during the previous sighting of Soni interacting with a wild herd comprising of three individuals in Chandmari area under Bhuyapara range on February 21 this year, was leading his frontline team while patrolling the area. The other sighting was of Hamren in March this year in Bhuyapara range of the park.

"Such socialisations are critical for the long-term survival of the rehabilitated calves in the released environment. These indicate that they are at home in the wild," added Dr Choudhury.

More about the Wildlife Trust of India 

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/india-manas-elephants.html