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6.1.1 Case Studies

6.1.1.1 Lindsay Wildlife Experience

More than 100,000 visitors are welcomed annually to the education and

science center found in Larkey Park. The facilities can quickly become the perfect

spot for a cocktail reception, birthday party or corporate retreat, surrounded by

regional trails varying from redwood to oak, and wildlife-friendly landscaping,

Fig.6.20 Lindsay Wildlife

(source: https://lindsaywildlife.org/hospital-hours-directions/)

The park currently is visited by more than 100,000 people each year, including

40,000 school children. Approximately 600 volunteers are active in the Lindsay’s

work, accumulating more than 120,000 hours of service each year to education,

wildlife care, operations, fundraising and outreach. Lindsay was re-accredited by the

American Alliance of Museums in 2012

Services:

 Animal Exhibition

 Personal Animal Visit

 Animal Hospital

 Events Place for Rent

 Learning Center
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 Trail Walks

Fig. 6.21 Lindsay Wildlife

(source: https://lindsaywildlife.org/whats-wild-whats-not/)

The Lindsay Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital being a pioneer in wildlife

rehabilitation is the first and largest center in the United States. It treats more than

5,500 injured and orphaned wild animals each year.

More than 98 percent of the animals treated at the hospital are admitted due to

adverse contact with human activity. Animals are brought in by the public and the

county animal service agency. Services provided by the wildlife hospital are free of

charge, although donations are gratefully accepted. Aside from treating animals,

Lindsay Wildlife Experience educates the public to prevent similar problems in the

future.

The goal is to provide the best medical and husbandry care to regional wild

animals in need. Care takes place on-site and at the homes of trained volunteers.

Approximately 350 volunteers donate 60,000 hours of service in the hospital each

year.
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6.1.1.2 Elephantasy

Elephantstay is a non-profit enterprise under the Prakochabaan Foundation

in Ayutthaya, Thailand.

The mission of Elephantstay is to give old elephants a long and happy

retirement, to conserve, help and protect Thailand's elephants and encourage the

culture of nurturing all elephants.

Location

It is in the The Royal Elephant Kraal & Village, a working elephant village in

Ayutthaya, 80 kilometres north of Bangkok.

History

The Prakochabaan Foundation and the Ayutthaya Elephant Palace and Royal

Elephant Kraal Village were founded by Laithongrien Meepan in April 2005.

Laithongrien Meepan (Pi Om) is a qualified zoologist with a master's degree in

Community Development who is also the current director of the foundation. He is an

expert on elephant breeding, training, history and culture. He received the Tan Khun

Paen Din (Outstanding Social Contributors Award) in 2010.

His wife, Romthongsai Meepan (Pi Lek) has committed her life to elephants

and their welfare. Romthongsai managed the Ayutthaya Elephant Palace for many

years, and specializes in educating Thai people about elephants. She liaisons with

local government and businesses promoting elephants and the issues they face. The

Prakochabaan Foundation aims to protect and conserve elephants, encourage the

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culture of elephants and the development of mahouts and elephants, and to raise their

status to the noble position they once held in Thai society. The foundation is also

a World Elephant Day associate.

The Royal Elephant Kraal & Village was established in 1996, and is home to

90 elephants (Oct 2014). Today a UNESCO world heritage site, the Royal Elephant

Kraal is steeped in elephant history. It dates to the 16th century and was historically a

compound where wild elephants were captured and kept.

For hundreds of years the King of Thailand would attend the Royal Elephant

Round Up and choose the best and strongest elephants that would work and live

alongside the Thai people, and be used for labor or the military. The last annual

roundup from the wild was in 1906, a spectacular display and testament to the King's

power and skills of the mahouts. Note: The term "kraal" means "an enclosure into

which are driven wild elephants which are to be tamed and educated," according to

the 1913 Websters dictionary.

Elephantstay was established by Michelle Reedy and Ewa Narkiewicz in

2006. The pair travelled Thailand and visited several elephant camps before settling at

the Royal Elephant Kraal. They were impressed with the work and vision of

Laithongrein Meepan and wanted to make a difference to the Thai elephants. Michelle

Reedy was in management before pursuing animal studies and working as a

zookeeper for 9 years. Ewa Narkiewicz was a photographic based artist, with a degree

in Fine Arts. She also has a Bachelor of Arts, degree majoring in History.

The Elephantstay having been established was a response to the increasing

aging population of working elephants, the project looks after old retired elephants,
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giving them, specialized care required for older elephants. Guests from all over the

world work alongside the mahouts and get involved in the care of the elephants and

life at the Elephant Kraal & Village.

Each guest is allocated their own elephant and will care for it during their stay

doing everything from cleaning, feeding, riding and bathing. This gives people an

opportunity to work with the elephants, learn about elephants and Thai Elephant

culture. The Elephantstay experience will ensure both retirement and an income to

support these older elephants. The elephants will continue to interact with humans and

other elephants; but they will lead the life that is desired by an old elephant: bathing in

the river, having dust baths, grazing and socializing with other elephants.

Conservation

The Royal Elephant Kraal has a nursery and is committed to the conservation

of the species. Running an active breeding program via natural breeding, it is the most

successful in the world with 66 successful births since 2000 (until February 11, 2016).

Elephant Identification

The Royal Elephant Kraal is proud to be issued the new national Elephant

Identification papers. Due to their founder, Laithongrien (Pi Om) Meepan’s vision

and efforts, the government adopted his idea for a centralized system that ensures all

legal elephants are issued with these comprehensive ID’s that act as a passport and

will be used to monitor ownership and travels. An important aspect of the passports

will be to also register bull elephant's ivory.

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In recognition of Pi Om’s invaluable knowledge and contribution to the new

system, the government used the same elephant as Royal Kraal and Elephantstay logo

for the cover design of the passports. The colour of the passports is pink, which is the

official color of the King of Thailand. This new computerized centralized system will

impact the illegal trade, capture and use of wild elephants and the illegal ivory trade.

New born elephants will need to be registered within 30 days of birth which will also

help to protect all elephants.

Rehabilitation

The Kraal also acts as an elephant rehabilitation center for dangerous

elephants, trained and taken cared for. Ewa Narkiewicz says about Laithongrein

Meepan: “Yes, he has an incredible ability to understand elephants...we’ve seen him

retrain killer bulls that have been condemned to be shot by the government.”

6.1.1.3 Hope for Wildlife

Hope for Wildlife (HFW) is a non-profit wildlife rehabilitation and education

center located on a farm in Seaforth, Halifax Nova Scotia, Canada. It was founded

by Hope Swinimer in 1997 as The Eastern Shore Wildlife Rehabilitation and Rescue

Center. It got its current name in 2005. The center provides care to injured and

orphaned animals before releasing them back into the wild. It also seeks to connect

people to wildlife in a positive way through education for a sustainable future. To

date, the center has helped over 40,000 animals return to their wild habitat,

representing over 200 species. The money for the farm comes mostly from small

donations. Bigger donations come from events like the open house where people tour

the farm, a government grant for summer internships, and money from the TV show.
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In an interview with a local paper, Swinimer admits the show is “a little hammed up,”

but it brings money into the rehab center and children from all over the country write

letters asking about the animals. A volunteer tells of meeting people in South Africa

who first heard of Nova Scotia on the show, which airs in more than 20 countries."

While working at Dartmouth Veterinary Hospital in 1995, Hope Swinimer

received as a patient a robin that had been attacked by a cat, and while taking care of

the bird she developed an eagerness to learn more about taking care of injured

wildlife. Her passion swiftly led her to start doing wildlife rehabilitation as a full-time

career, turning her home into a makeshift rehabilitation center, starting with a few

cages in the backyard and using her spare room as a nursery. In 1996, the Department

of Natural Resources (DNR) required Hope to obtain a wildlife rehabilitation permit

for her makeshift wildlife center even though such a permit did not exist in Nova

Scotia at the time. Hope worked with DNR to establish a licensing process that

allowed for wildlife rehabilitation in the province. In 1997 she received her

rehabilitation permit and moved to Winnie's Way in Seaforth, Nova Scotia. Here she

established the Eastern Shore Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center. The center

became the first fully operating wildlife rescue facility in Nova Scotia. After just a

few years the demands for the center's help outgrew the property and in 2001 Hope

moved again. Staying in Seaforth, Hope moved to a farm property[4] which allowed

for expansion to her growing business. Five years after this move, the Eastern Shore

Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center officially became known as Hope for

Wildlife, a registered charitable organization that continues to grow.

Mission statement
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The organization has put forth a mission statement to outline what it wishes to

achieve. It lists three main goals:

 Rescue, rehabilitate and reintroduce to the wild injured and orphaned wildlife.

 Educate others about the importance of conserving wild animals and the

ecosystems that sustain them.

 Research and develop the knowledge and understanding necessary for the

conservation and management of wildlife.

Progress

Since 1997 the facility has grown remarkably, starting with development of

the education center which allowed for people to visit the facility and learn about

wildlife and what the organization does. The education center itself grew and now

consists of one building, an outdoor pavilion and wildlife gardens. Many

accomplishments have been made on the rehabilitation side of the facility too. Hope

for Wildlife became the first in the province to legally rehabilitate and release white

tailed deer and birds of prey, developing a 100-foot-long flight cage for large

birds and a deer enclosure which consists of over an acre of field and a small barn

designed for raising orphaned white-tailed deer. The facility hit a milestone when they

opened the first wildlife veterinary hospital in the province back in 2012. The next big

projects consisted of building a marine unit, for the growing number of injured seal

pups and sea birds. Following the marine unit, a large mammal unit was constructed

at the back of the property for the larger predator mammals, such as bobcats. On

average, the center sees about 3,500 animals a year, continuing to take in more
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animals each year. These animals may have been injured, orphaned or lost. The center

has worked with include fox, deer, raccoons, skunks and beavers.

The center receives approximately 10,000 callers a year to its wildlife

helpline, which is put in place for anyone who meets a wild animal in need of

assistance.

Funding

The organization gets most of its funding from small donations given by the

public, both those who visit the center and those who call the helpline. Most donations

are around $10 and pay for about $95,000 of necessities such as feed, cleaning

supplies, and building upkeep.

Larger donations come from events like the annual open house that the center

hosts, gift shop proceeds, government grants set forth for summer internships and any

money coming from a TV series, simply named Hope for Wildlife, that follows many

of the organization's stories.

Tours of the facility

Hope for Wildlife offers guided, educational tours around the site. There is

also an annual open house which occurs on the last Sunday of August each year.

Here, locals can get a look at some of the animals in the rehabilitation center and what

goes on behind the scenes. Activities including live music, a silent auction, and a

barbecue are provided to enhance the experience.

Volunteering
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There are several opportunities for those who would like to volunteer at the

center and get hands-on experience with the animals. Volunteers can choose between

tasks including education, construction and maintenance, wildlife rescue, grounds

maintenance, animal care, general cleaning, medical assistance, marketing and

administration. The volunteer application can be found on the organization's website.

Internships

The center also offers internship positions for those looking for a future in

rehabilitation or animal care. Applications to the internship program are accepted

from all over the world. The intern application can also be found on the organization's

website.

6.1.1.4 Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated

to conservation, education, quality animal care and especially dedicated to Alaska’s

wildlife. The center is located on about 700 acres (280 ha) at the head of Turnagain

Arm and the entrance to Portage Valley, Milepost 79 of the Seward Highway, about

11 mi southeast of Girdwood.

It is a shelter for orphaned or injured wildlife, as well as home or temporary

home to captive born and translocated wildlife such as wood bison. The center has

reintroduced elk back into Alaska, and is currently involved in a program for the

reintroduction of the wood bison.

This wildlife conservation center is open daily March through December, and

on weekends in January and February.

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History

Founded by Mike Miller, The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center opened in

1993 as the for-profit Big Game Alaska."

In 1999, the center became a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, "Big Game

Alaska, Inc. dba the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (AWCC)," with Miller

serving as the center's executive director. The name was officially changed to Alaska

Wildlife Conservation Center, Inc. in 2007.

Animals

Animals at the center include wolves, Grizzly bears, black bears, Alaskan

moose, red foxes, elk, muskoxen, sitka black tailed deer, caribou, Canadian

lynxes, bald eagles, great horned owls, northern hawk-owls, wood bison,  porcupines

and even coyotes.

Most of the animals are cared for in large natural habitats, including

enclosures designed for the display of multiple (mixed) species. For instance, three

brown bears live in an 21-acre (8.5 ha) habitat of rolling brushland and conifers, and

two black bears are housed in a 14-acre (5.7 ha) enclosure with a stream.

Education

The center offers educational programs and tours in self-guided, drive-through

or walk-through formats.

Conservation

The AWWC has reintroduced elk back into Alaska

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Starting in 2003, the center has taken part in a program to reintroduce

the wood bison back into Alaska after a 100-year absence. The wood bison is the

largest land mammal in North America, and is a keystone grazing herbivore from the

region. The first release date is scheduled for 2011. This project is a joint effort with

the Alaska Department of Fish & Game and other conservation groups.

B.E.A.R.S. at AWCC

In 2008, the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center embarked on plans to

develop an Alaskan bear conservation science and education facility and interpretive

center.

The B.E.A.R.S. (Bear Education Awareness Research Sanctuary) exhibit, will

be 11,000-square-foot (1,000 m2) "green" facility that will include habitat

enhancements and an 30-acre (120,000 m2) expansion for the center's brown and

black bear residents. In addition, an interpretive educational center and conservation

research facility dedicated to advancing the public's awareness and appreciation for

Alaska's bears (the polar bear, American black bear and grizzly or brown bear) is

currently under development. The facility will permit visitors to explore interactive

experiences featuring thematic displays of Alaska's bears while offering viewing of

our own bears ambassadors on exhibit from inside the interpretive center or via

webcam. Education and outreach programs will serve as the foundation for

B.E.A.R.S. engagement programs. Conservation and science initiatives will serve to

support the facility's outreach programs. The center has dedicated staff to develop

B.E.A.R.S. as a resource hub for Alaskan Bear Conservation programs, inviting

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international colleagues and enthusiasts to visit and convey conservation message for

Alaska's bears and the five other species around the world.

Several documentaries, features films, and other video media have been shot

on location at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center including a documentary for

National Geographic and "Into Alaska" featuring Jeff Corwin in 2007, and "Into the

Wild," starring Emile Hirsch. Other special guests to the center include Jungle Jack

Hanna who filmed a few segments for his syndicated program.

In July 2010 the center's resident porcupine, "Snickers," gained worldwide

publicity from video footage in which the friendly rodent appeared to behave like a

puppy. After a few days the video went 'viral' on the internet.

6.1.1.5 The Wild Animal Sanctuary

The Wild Animal Sanctuary is a 720-acre (290 ha) animal sanctuary located

near Keenesburg, Colorado, United States. The sanctuary specializes in rescuing and

caring for large predators which are being ill-treated, for which their owners can no

longer care, or which might otherwise be euthanized. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit

organization and a state and federally licensed zoological facility.

Created in 1980, The Wild Animal Sanctuary is situated on grassland North

of Denver, and has helped over 1,000 animals since it first opened. As of 2013, it was

home to over 330 animals.

Mission
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The stated mission of the sanctuary is "to rescue captive large carnivores who

have been abused, abandoned, illegally kept or exploited; to create for them a

wonderful life for as long as they live; and to educate about the causes and solutions

to the Captive Wildlife Crisis." The sanctuary states that there are many large

carnivores living outside the zoo system in the United States, including 4000 or so

tigers living as pets in Texas alone, and many of these come from the black-market

trade in exotic animals.

History

Pat Craig started The Wild Animal Sanctuary when he took in a Jaguar cub

that he kept on a licensed facility on his family's farm outside Boulder, Colorado. The

animals were soon moved to Lyons, Colorado to provide additional space. After 8

years in Lyons, a limestone quarry was opened nearby, forcing the sanctuary to move.

In 2005, largely because of relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina and the

Indonesia tsunami, donations to the sanctuary decreased significantly, and by mid-

2006 the staff thought the sanctuary would need to close. To help raise money, the

sanctuary was opened to the public, started selling donated merchandise, brought in

more volunteers, and started a program of sponsoring individual animals.

By 2007 the sanctuary was using 160 acres (65 ha) of its 320-acre (130 ha)

site for rescued animal habitats. By 2010 it had 240 acres (97 ha) of habitats.

In February 2011, the sanctuary, in cooperation with Animal Defenders

International, Bob Barker, and the Bolivian government (which had recently enacted

legislation outlawing performing wild animals), received 25 lions from circuses in

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Bolivia that had typically housed the lions in crates for transport. The sanctuary built

a fabric covered structure isolated from the main facility to house the lions while they

got acclimated to the Colorado climate, and while four 20-acre (8.1 ha) outdoor

enclosures were being prepared.[7] The first of the prides, picked because they

"appear to be close-knit and familiar with each other", was first allowed access to

their large outdoor habitat on April 14, 2011.

The additional 80 acres (32 ha) of enclosures created for the Bolivian lions

took up the remainder of the existing sanctuary property, but later in 2011, a donation

allowed the sanctuary to purchase another 400 acres (160 ha), expanding the site to

720 acres (290 ha) and providing space for future expansion of the habitats.

In May 2012 the sanctuary completed the "Mile Into the Wild" walkway. This

4,800-foot (1,500 m) walkway lets guests view and photograph the animals in their

large habitat areas from above, and connects the original holding area and education

building with the Bolivian Lion House and a new parking lot that was built for the

increasing number of visitors. In addition, the county paved the road to the sanctuary,

making access easier. Currently planned additions to the walkway will give the

sanctuary almost 6,000 feet (1,800 m) of elevated walkway from which visitors can

observe the animals.

Facilities

The sanctuary aims to eventually get all their animals into large acreage

habitats. It designed with a central compound for receiving new animals and starting

their recuperation and acclimation into these larger habitats. The lower floor of the

main compound houses tigers, and the upper floor is an education center. The animals
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in this area have indoor/outdoor enclosures with play structures, and heated areas for

the winter. The common pool area where tigers can take turns playing includes a

waterfall.

As of 2013, the sanctuary had 26 large 5-to-25-acre (2 to 10 ha), species

specific habitats that are home to over 330 African lions, tigers, bears, leopards,

cougars, timberwolves and other large carnivores. Habitats include pools for

swimming and underground dens that stay at a constant temperature year-

round. Visitors can view these animals in their natural habitats from elevated

walkways accessed from the education center.

In the summer of 2016 a new 48,000 square foot welcome center was opened

and an additional 1/2-mile of elevated walkway was added. On October 31, 2016

Guinness World Records certified that the Wild Animal Sanctuary's elevated

walkway was the world's longest footbridge at 1.51 miles, supplanting the

Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge.

Education

Estimates in 2007 were that 25,000 or more wild animals were living in

captivity outside the zoo system in the United States. Many of these are mistreated or

abused, and many are being kept illegally. The Wild Animal Sanctuary believes that

education about these animals is critical to informing the public and helping to

provide better conditions for the animals. The visitor center at the sanctuary provides

information about these animals, and the sanctuary has speakers who do presentations

for a variety of organizations.

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6.1.1.6 Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center

Located roughly 25 miles (40 km) by road south of Phnom Penh, Cambodia,

Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center (PTWRC) was established in 1995 and with an

area of over 6,000 acres of protected regenerating forest, this is the largest zoo in

Cambodia. Since 2001, PTWRC has been run by the government institution

of Cambodian Forestry Administration in partnership with an environmental non-

profit organization called Wildlife Alliance. Wildlife Alliance animal husbandry

specialists, veterinarians, and care takers assist in the feeding and care of animals and

operations. PTWRC currently houses over 1,200 rescued animals from 102 species

including endangered Asian elephants, tigers, Pileated gibbon, Siamese

crocodile, Malayan sun bears, among many others. Many of the species are listed

as endangered or vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of

Nature (IUCN).

Rescued Animals at Phnom Tamao Sanctuary

Rescued animals at Phnom Tamao can be seen through general park

admission, through the wildlife tours organized by Wildlife Alliance, Free the Bears,

and independent tour operators.

A children's play area "The Home of the Wild Things" and a dedicated

research facility "The Field Station" for student researchers undertaking projects

aimed at improving the welfare of captive bears or promoting conservation of wild

bears. Visitors wishing to spend time helping with the care of the bears and seeing

behind the scenes of the world's biggest sanctuary for the world's smallest bear can
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join either the one-day Bear Care Tour (http://www.freethebears.org/index.php/help-

the-bears/bear-care-tour) or Free the Bears volunteer programme for longer stays of 1-

12 weeks (http://www.freethebears.org/index.php/help-the-bears/volunteer)

Elephants

Elephants at Phnom Tamao have been trained using gentle Positive

Reinforcement or Target Training. This means that they will simply not receive their

“reward” (pieces of fruit or vegetables) if they do not follow the keeper's verbal

command. It is often preferable to train captive elephants because they can then be

handled more safely, which means their health can be checked and they can be better

cared for. Chhouk, the youngest male elephant at Phnom Tamao has a prosthetic leg.

It was found wandering alone in the Srepok Wilderness Area in Mondulkiri with a

serious leg injury, most likely caused by a snare. The Forestry Administration in

cooperation with Wildlife Alliance brought him to PTWRC as he would have died left

on his own. Once his foot healed, the Cambodian School of Prosthetics and Orthotics

designed Chhouk a prosthetic leg to help him walk normally again. To change the

prosthesis twice daily, Chhouk is trained with a positive reinforcement rewards-based

system. Lucky The most charismatic elephant at Phnom Tamao, Lucky is the "gentle

giant" who has been trained through rewards-based positive reinforcement to respond

to 20 different words (in English and Khmer), paint, and dance. Watching and

interacting with Lucky has helped endear and engage visitors in the experience of the

elephants.

Tiger
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The Cambodian Forestry Administration assisted by Wildlife Alliance

confiscated 7 tigers in a sting operation in Phnom Penh in the year 2000. This was

done to demonstrate that tigers could still be illegally purchased in Cambodia, even

though there are now almost none left in the wild. One had been so severely beaten

that she died of brain damage. The others were nursed backed to health, quickly

responding to the care they received from Wildlife Alliance. The tigers are now kept

in pairs in their large, forested enclosures.

Rescue of Wildlife throughout Cambodia

All the animals living at PTWRC were confiscated from the illegal wildlife

trade, victims of habitat loss, donated by a private owner, or rescued in a human-

wildlife conflict situation. Most were rescued by the Wildlife Rapid Rescue Team,

formed in 2001. The Wildlife Rapid Rescue Team has rescued more than 50,000 live

animals and confiscated large quantities of animal parts and other contraband.

The Wildlife Rapid Rescue Team (WRRT) was established in cooperation

with Wildlife Alliance, Cambodia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery’s

Department of Forestry Administration and the Royal Gendarmerie Khmer. WRRT is

a 14-member team composed of Forestry Administration officials and Military Police

who are mandated to crack down on the illegal wildlife trade throughout Cambodia,

tracking down poachers and traffickers, raiding restaurants, markets, and stores, and

investigating trafficking networks in cities and along borders. WRRT is a unique law

enforcement squad in Southeast Asia, being devoted to combating the illegal wildlife

trade.
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WRRT receives tips from a covert informant network and from the nationwide

public hotline number. When WRRT rescues live animals, those that are healthy and

suited for the wild are immediately released in an appropriate habitat. Animals that

cannot be released because of injuries or trauma are cared for by Wildlife Alliance's

Care for Rescued Wildlife team at the Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center. While

Wildlife Alliance provides capacity building with logistical and technical support to

WRRT, WRRT also trains teams working for other organizations that are addressing

the illegal wildlife trade, both in the way they conduct operations and in animal

handling skills. Despite the poor conditions in which most traded wildlife is found,

WRRT’s skill in handling and caring for rescued wild animals is such that there are

almost never any fatalities.

In 2010 Wildlife Alliance worked with the Cambodian Government to

implement ASEAN-WEN (Wildlife Enforcement Network) in which authorities work

with their counterparts in the neighboring countries to try to stop the cross-border

trade.

Illegal Wildlife Trade

Until 2001, Cambodia’s most prominent markets openly displayed rare

animals for purchase and wildlife meats were commonplace on restaurant menus.

Today wildlife dishes are no longer available at 90% of restaurants in the nation’s

capital. Concurrently the illegal wildlife trade is predominantly run by the same

dangerous groups behind drug and weapons trafficking.

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When illegal traders are caught by the Wildlife Rapid Rescue Team (WRRT),

their contraband and equipment are confiscated. Traders are handed over to the courts,

who impose prison terms and fines. Fines can be considerable and amounts of money

have risen steadily as officials realize the importance of implementing laws protecting

wild animals. This acts as a great deterrent, which ultimately makes it unprofitable for

traders to stay in business. The Wildlife Rapid Rescue Team is not a forest patrol unit

but a task force with a nationwide mandate that deals with the illegal trade, usually

conducted from towns and cities. It does not address subsistence hunting but mostly

the lucrative business conducted by middle men, who sell live and dead wild animals

to restaurants and medical stores or export wildlife for consumption in neighboring

countries.

Release of Rescued Wildlife

Rescued animals that are deemed suitable for release into the wild are

relocated to a Wildlife Rehabilitation Station (WRS) created by Wildlife Alliance

in Koh Kong Province, Cambodia. Here the animals are moved to a forested

enclosure within an appropriate area of habitat where they are to be released. They are

cared for within the enclosure for many months to become familiar with the area and

recollect their natural instinctual behavior. When the animals are ready for release, the

door to the enclosure is left open and the animals are free to leave at will. Wildlife

Alliance continues to provide hands-off assistance and supplementary food at the

enclosure location for as long as necessary.

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Released animals are then monitored using various methods such as visual

observation, track identification, camera traps, and radio telemetry to ensure release

strategies are successful and the animals can survive. Animals are familiarized with

their new habitat before release and given support as they grow comfortable with their

new skills in the wild. Sun bears, binturong ("bear cats"), macaques, and birds are just

a few of the animals that have begun the second phase of their life here. The priority

for the Care for Rescued Wildlife Program is to continue developing and

implementing rehabilitation and release programs for many of the rescued animals,

while continuing to feed and care for the animals that need to call PTWRC home.

6.2.1.7 The National Elephant Center

The National Elephant Center is an American non-profit conservation

organization founded by a group of ten directors from zoos accredited by

the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

Once completed in 2013, The center will provide care to African and Asian

elephants on a 225-acre (91 ha) site in Fellsmere, Florida. In addition to providing

care to animals, it will also contribute research, support and population management

to accredited zoos with elephants.

Though not yet accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA),

The National Elephant Center is a collaborative effort between AZA institutions and

will become the center for AZA elephant population management and envisions itself

as a world leader in elephant conservation, scientific research and care for elephant

populations in zoos and in the wild.

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History

In 2004 the idea of creating a national center for elephants came as the result

of an Association of Zoos and Aquariums Elephant Management Strategic Planning

Meeting involving thought leaders and members of the Elephant Taxon Advisory

Group/Species Survival Plan (TAG/SSP). For many years, curators, keepers,

veterinarians and others associated with elephants at Association of Zoos and

Aquariums (AZA) institutions wanted a facility to provide short- and long-term

solutions to help manage the nation’s 290 (approx.) elephants that live at 109 different

AZA-accredited facilities.

Following the meeting, dozens of AZA-accredited zoos donated critical

funding support to explore options for establishing a Center to serve as a tool in

elephant management and conservation.

A search was launched to research potential sites to locate the center. Initially

a team of elephant experts selected property offered by Waste Management,

Inc. near Okeechobee in central Florida.

The National Elephant Center was formally announced in February 2008 at a

ceremony held at the Houston Zoo. The Center was expected to break ground in late

2008, with a goal to welcome its first elephants sometime in 2009. The original site

was adjacent to property that Waste Management maintains as a natural area certified

by the Wildlife Habitat Council that provides food and nesting areas for threatened

Florida sandhill cranes and other endangered species. Waste Management was to

lease the land to The National Elephant Center for $1 per year for 40 years.
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However, it was eventually decided that a site in Fellsmere, Florida was more

suitable, and groundbreaking occurred in April 2012. The center's first residents

arrived in May 2013, when a family group of two females and two males arrived

from Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park. Completion of the initial plan is likely

to take up to 10 years.

Facilities

The National Elephant Center is located on 225 acres (91 ha) in Fellsmere,

Florida. The Elephant Center will feature on-site housing for staff and two barns for

Asian and African elephants, each capable of supporting nine animals. The design

calls for barns to be connected by a central hub, surrounded by a 10-acre (4.0 ha)

habitat that can be subdivided depending on the needs of the elephants.

The largest area of the Elephant Center is the Central Elephant Meander, a 50-

acre (20 ha) area that consists of multiple landscapes linked by a series of paths and

trails. The area introduces landform and habitat elements from the savannahs and

woodlands of the elephants’ home ranges and will contain waterholes, sand dunes,

plants and scattered browse.

Elephant population management

As a permanent facility, The National Elephant center will provide:

Population management support for AZA-accredited zoos, including short-

and long-term holding for bull elephants; residency for elephants when their home

facilities are being renovated; and residency when herd dynamics change (births,

deaths), to test compatibility and new social groupings.

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Centralized training facility and programs for keepers, veterinarians and others

to answer an increasing need for a practical, hands-on training in the latest

developments in management, nutrition, preventative health care, enrichment, training

and research, as well as expertise and facilities for artificial insemination (AI) and

breeding.

Elephant research opportunities, including areas of reproduction, memory,

communication, visual acuity, nutritional requirements, pathology of disease and its

treatment to aid Asian and African elephant populations.

Support to advance elephant conservation programs by serving as a resource

for elephant experts and facilitating collaborations among the AZA Elephant Taxon

Advisory Group/Species Survival Plan, field scientists and researchers, government

organizations, and NGOs, such as the International Elephant Foundation.

Supporting public education of elephants. Studies show that accredited zoo

education programs and opportunities for people to see elephants up close and inspire

wildlife conservation awareness and action. The Center will become an elephant

resource and learning center and develop programs that can help reach the public with

important education messages about elephants.

Research and conservation

Research - Wild populations of elephants are increasingly becoming managed

due to shrinking habitat, decreasing population dynamics and encroachment by

human development. Population management research at The National Elephant

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Center will provide conservationists with tools and techniques for managing these

populations in the wild.

Advocacy 

The Center envisions becoming a voice for elephants nationally and

internationally through advocacy and collaboration that will speak up for elephants on

issues that affect their continued survival.

Education 

Though not open to the public, The National Elephant Center will educate

school children locally and support formal education programs at accredited zoos

throughout the country, which teach millions of visitors each year about elephants and

their status in the wild.

Conservation 

The Center will provide an important space for research that will assist zoos

that aid the Asian and African elephant populations in the wild.

Research programs

The National Elephant Center will provide leadership and assistance to

support the more than 85 elephant research programs that directly address many of the

issues affecting elephants in the wild. The Center will also support the International

Elephant Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports a wide variety of

elephant conservation and related scientific and educational projects worldwide.

6.2.1.8 SPCA of Monterey County

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The SPCA of Monterey County is a nonprofit, independent, donor-supported

humane society located in Salinas, California that has been serving the animals and

people of Monterey County since 1905. It is notable for its collaborative programs

with other local non-profit civic organizations. Collaborations developed by the

Monterey County SPCA have been used as models for animal protection programs

throughout the U.S.

History

The Monterey County SPCA has served the Monterey County area for over

one hundred years. Since its establishment in 1905 the organization has

provided shelter for abandoned, stray and orphaned animals, medical service for

injured animals, and educational programs for people of all ages. It offers adoptions

and has a low cost spay and neuter clinic as well as other services. There are many

collaborative fund raisers and programs that the organization participates in, in

addition to wildlife conservation efforts.

Like any other non-profit organization, the SPCA relies heavily on not only

financial donations but also on volunteers donating their time to various jobs – from

clerical or bookkeeping services to odd jobs on the 218-acre (0.88 km2) grounds.

At the time of its founding in 1905 the priority of the SPCA of Monterey

County was to address the issue of "stray dogs and cats about town." Additionally, the

organization looked to discuss the "different diseases prevalent among horses" and

"investigate the abuse and fast driving of donkeys and horses."

The location of the first meeting to establish the SPCA was the Methodist

Episcopal Church on Lighthouse Avenue in Pacific Grove, California. The

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organization continued to operate after the church was torn down in 1963 and went on

to become a haven for neglected and abused pets and injured and/or orphaned

wildlife. According to one of the local newspapers, the SPCA shelter in its early years

was a home for “833 dogs, 1050 cats, a horse, 5 cows, a bull, 4 goats, 13 rabbits, 23

chickens, 3 ducks, 5 deer, a pigeon, a coyote, 2 raccoons, an opossum, 3 white rats,

a pheasant, a pelican, 2 seagulls, a parrot, a canary, a squirrel and a snake.”

Services

Spay and Neuter Clinic

The SPCA provides a low cost spay and neuter clinic which provides not only

spaying and neutering but also operations such as rabies vaccinations and microchip

implants. The spay and neuter clinic was created by the organization to reduce animal

fights, stray animal population and spread of disease in the community.

Pet Adoptions

Animals at the shelter that are suitable as pets are put up by the organization

for pet adoption. In order for an animal to put up for adoption, the must meet health

criteria and pass temperament tests, which are carried out by the organization's own

staff of behavior evaluators.

Collaborations

In collaboration with the local Meals on Wheels organization, the SPCA of

Monterey County runs a program which lifts the financial burden of providing food

for pets for people who are physically impaired or on a fixed income. Volunteers

deliver pet food provided by the SPCA and its supporters in addition to the standard
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food delivery. The program relieves the concern that people who receive food from

Meals On Wheels will not feel the need to share it with their pets. BestPet Care &

Supplies in Pacific Grove, Harden Ranch Veterinary Hospital in Salinas and The Feed

Trough in Salinas also help to support this program. Volunteers are needed on a

weekly basis to help label and prepare the pet food for delivery. Donations to help

purchase the pet diets as specified by the meal recipients may be sent to the SPCA's

“Pet Meals Delivery Fund.”

American Red Cross

When flooding in Monterey County left people and their pets homeless in

1995, the SPCA was asked by emergency American Red Cross shelters to help with

the hundreds of evacuating pets. The SPCA has provided housing, rescue, and

medical services for displaced and stranded animals. In this instance they were able to

set up temporary animal shelters as well as care for evacuating pets just outside

the emergency shelters so people could safely evacuate, with their pets, without

worry. This was the first time a collaboration of this kind had been attempted in the

United States and it has now become the model for many other animal protection

organizations.

The Salvation Army

Every holiday season, the SPCA gathers pet food, supplies, and toys for

individuals and families in need who have pets. The donations are then distributed

by The Salvation Army in Monterey County. Many needy families in the community

are pet owners who love their pets but are having a difficult time providing food for

their families. The partnership assures food for the whole family during the holiday
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season and reduces the risk of families being forced to give up their pets because they

can't afford to feed them.

Shelter Outreach Plus

Health Department regulations prevent human service agencies from allowing

pets in homeless shelters.[citation needed] Unfortunately this prohibition can prevent people

in need of services, who also happen to own pets, from receiving needed temporary

shelter. In response to this need, the SPCA provided dog houses and material to

construct dog runs to Shelter Outreach Plus so their homeless clients can comfortably

utilize their services without worry about their pets.

Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation

The SPCA Wildlife Center is the only full service wildlife rehabilitation

center serving Monterey County. Each year, the SPCA Wildlife Center admits over

2,000 animals for treatment and care. The species of animals received ranges from

large animals such as bobcats, deer, opossums, hawks, owls, and pelicans, to small

animals, including squirrels, turtles, hummingbirds, swallows, and more.

Serving the entire Monterey County area, the Wildlife Center provides a

resource for people who encounter wildlife in need while also providing care for

exotic pet animals that are lost or surrendered to the SPCA. In addition to receiving

animals brought in by the public, Wildlife Center staff members are on call 24 hours a

day, every day of the year, to respond to wildlife emergencies and provide transport

and care to animals in distress.

The Wildlife Center functions in part as an emergency hospital for animals

that are sick or injured. Common problems include wildlife hit by cars, birds caught
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by cats or baby birds that have fallen from nests. The Wildlife Center also acts as a

nursery for the hundreds of nestling birds and infant mammals orphaned each spring.

Many wild animals are orphaned because of human activities such as spring tree

trimming or unnecessary rescue. While the Wildlife Center has a team of dedicated

and highly trained staff, its accomplishments would not be possible without the many

volunteers who donate their time each week.

Ventana Wildlife Society

Working to reintroduce the California condor to the wild, the Ventana Wildlife

Society (VWS) approached the SPCA with an interesting dilemma: condors needing

medical treatment had to endure a four-hour round trip between the mountains of Big

Sur and the offices of local wildlife specialist Dr. Mike Murray of the Avian & Exotic

Clinic in Monterey. Dr. Murray generously donates his services to both VWS and the

SPCA's Wildlife Center. Since the SPCA is privileged to reside on over 200 acres

(0.81 km2) pristine of Monterey County habitat, they can provide a small and very

secluded area for recovering condors and VWS staff. This area, complete with

temporary housing provided by VWS, is a ten-minute trip from needed veterinary

medical services.

Hartnell College Animal Health Technology Program

The budget crises in California have had many consequences for the people

and pets of Monterey County. One that directly impacts the SPCA is the possible

discontinuance of the Animal Health Technology (AHT) Program at Hartnell College.

All veterinary practices in the community as well as the SPCA's Gwen May

Spay/Neuter Clinic require Hartnell's skilled Registered Veterinary

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Technician graduates to continue delivering quality medical care for the animals. To

assist during this time of uncertainty the SPCA opened its doors as a temporary home

for the AHT program during the Spring 2004 semester while its current site is torn

down and the future of the program is debated. AHT classes will be conducted in the

SPCA Spay/Neuter Clinic & the George Whitell Education Center, with scheduling

that ensures no decrease in SPCA programs or services.[citation needed]

 The SPCA is

hopeful that this beginning collaboration will mature into a long-term, mutually

beneficial, cost-effective program that provides great benefit to the residents and

animals of our community.

Animal Camp

The SPCA's week-long summer day camp has offered children a unique mix

of exciting and educational hands-on experiences. Animal Camp builds self-esteem

and nurtures compassion in students by instilling in them a sense of stewardship and

wonder for the world around them. Program topics include California's endangered

species, animal habitats and behavior, and simple ways to protect the environment. A

highlight each year is the tour of the SPCA's Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation

Center to see how staff care for injured and orphaned animals. Attendees hear about

animal-related jobs from professional guest speakers and have plenty of time for

creative art and drama activities before receiving their graduation certificates.