Roberta Ross, who runs Jersey Wildlife Rescue, said that she had recently come across a number of cases of Islanders attempting to care for orphaned animals themselves. She explained that while this was usually done out of compassion, there were ‘many reasons’ why it could be harmful.
Ms Ross said: ‘First and foremost it isn’t in the best interests of that animal or bird to be reared or cared for by someone inexperienced.
‘You can also bring some very serious diseases into your household which could affect your own pets, such as myxomatosis in rabbits. Most wild animals and birds in Jersey, with the exception only of a small number of species, are protected by our wildlife law and so it can be illegal to keep them for certain periods of time.’
Ms Ross, who has been shortlisted in the Environmentalist of the Year category in this year’s JEP Pride of Jersey Awards, also said that the rise of social media had contributed to members of the public attempting to care for wild animals themselves.
‘I am part of a wider global network of wildlife rehabilitators and we often discuss this subject at length, as it is a huge issue for us. There is a plethora of cute videos online where people have raised baby birds and animals themselves, later releasing them into their garden. This in turn influences others to do the same, particularly because the videos are often edited in such a way that makes the process look so easy,’ she said.
Ms Ross explained that in reality the animals featured in these videos had often not been fed the correct diet, spent any time with others of their own species or learned any natural behaviours.
‘In a lot of cases they have also imprinted on the human caregiver through too much handling, which means they’ll have little to no ability to fend for themselves in the wild and are far more likely to be caught by a predator than a correctly rehabilitated animal,’ she said. ‘At Jersey Wildlife Rescue one of my primary goals is to reconnect people with the wildlife around us, so you can be assured that any animal you bring in will not only receive the best-possible care, but you will be invited to be part of that journey. You can name the animal or bird if you so wish, as well as ask for updates and, in some limited cases, you may be invited to be present when the animal or bird is released.’
