Smyth to host ‘Watching out for our Wildlife’ public event

Hazel Smyth, Green Party councillor for Westmeath, is hosting a lunchtime event, Watching out for our Wildlife, in conjunction with Wildlife Rehabilitation Ireland, on Thursday July 1 at 1pm. Anyone with an interest in identifying, caring for and conserving native local wildlife is welcome. The event will cover how individuals can project and conserve the wildlife around them, including what to do if you find an injured or dead animal.

Cllr Smyth said: “The World Wildlife Fund revealed in 2020 that roughly two thirds of the wildlife population has disappeared since 1970, so the protection of our wildlife is more important than ever.

“Though measures such as the increase in funding for the National Parks and Wildlife Service is welcome, much more is needed to protect the natural habitats and safety of our native wildlife.

“The reason for this webinar is to help us to identify and distinguish the many types of wildlife surrounding us, how we can better support it and what to do if we find animals injured or deceased.”

During the pandemic, as more people noticed the wildlife around them, there was an increase in reports of injured or dead wildlife. Individual rehabilitators struggled to cope with this increased demand, so in stepped Wildlife Rehabilitation Ireland (WRI) to set up Ireland’s first Wildlife Hospital, in Meath.

Their mission is to save the lives of thousands of sick and orphaned wild animals every year.

Through the webinar event, and the education work by WRI, people of all ages and backgrounds can learn more about biodiversity and the natural world and how to better protect and support the wildlife in their communities, from foxes to badgers and rabbits to hedgehogs.

WRI asks everyone to take the opportunity presented by Covid-19 and our collective increased awareness in wildlife, to ensure that the next generation, and current generations, nurture a connection to wildlife, so that we can reduce our impact on our natural world, and it will remains a place of beauty for all to live in and enjoy.

Speaking at the event will be Aoife McPartlin, WRI Wildlife Hospital education and media manager. Aoife has been with WRI for five years and has been delivering courses on how to care for and conserve native wildlife. She is currently setting up an education department in the Wildlife Hospital, where the hope is to welcome visitors who want to learn more about native wildlife.

Joining her will be Dan Donoher, animal manager at the Wildlife Hospital. Dan is responsible for caring for rescued animals that come to the hospital. He also trains interns and vet nurses in how to handle and treat wildlife. In conjunction with the Wildlife Hospital manager, he has developed policies and procedures to ensure best practice at the hospital, as well as designing enclosures and housing for the animals.

Dan has spent 18 years as a wildlife rehabilitator with Kildare Animal Foundation and is a member of the International Oiled Response Network. As well as advising veterinarians in clinics around the country, he creates course content in wildlife rehabilitation and fostering and helps to deliver those courses to vet students, vet nurse students and interested members of the public.

Cllr Smyth’s event is free, but donations to The WRI Wildlife Hospital are suggested. The hospital is not state funded and relies on donations; if you would like to donate to WRI Wildlife Hospital, see wildlifehospital.ie/.

• the event is on Thursday July 1 at 1pm; tickets at eventbrite.ie/e/watching-out-for-our-wildlife-tickets-159831270633

• wri.ie/

• wildlifehospital.ie/