Catawba County News
Children Invited to Learn About Wildlife Rehabilitation
Published: June 03, 2021
Kids, have you ever found a wild animal that was injured and didn’t know what to do about it?
If you’d like to learn the best practices for helping an animal in distress get the care it needs, join the Catawba County Library for a virtual program with the May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Banner Elk, NC. Representatives from the facility on the campus of Lees-McRae College will provide expert guidance and also introduce a selection of their animal ambassadors.
The first session of “What Should I Do? Wildlife Edition” takes place at 10 am on Tuesday, June 8, and the second takes place at 3 pm on Wednesday, June 9. Both programs are identical, so families are asked to only sign up for one. To register for the June 8 session, visit tinyurl.com/wildlifeone or call 828.465.8665. To register for the June 9 session, visit tinyurl.com/wildlifetwo.
Attending the wildlife program allows a child to earn an activity badge in the library’s Summer Learning adventure series. To register or log the activity, visit catawbacountync.beanstack.org/.
In addition to sharing details about rehabilitation, the May Center representatives will provide an overview of the different species of wild animals commonly found in our area. They’ll talk about their habitats, feeding, and special characteristics and will share why these animals are vulnerable and how we can better protect them. In rehabilitating and releasing injured animals, the center helps sustain the local ecosystem.
The May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center annually admits more than 1,500 injured and orphaned wildlife patients from the western part of North Carolina. Each one is evaluated individually and a suitable treatment plan is determined. Students are involved in a large portion of the rehabilitative operations, including initial assessment, diet preparation, habitat management, wound care, anesthesia, physical therapy, and surgical assistance. For more information, visit www.lmc.edu/academics/may-wildlife-center/index.htm.