Consideration should be made prior to the release of an animal
Consider the risks to:
the individual animal
the wild population
domestic animals
people
Animals should be released at the site they were found
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Wildlife Release
People involved have a legal responsibility for various parts of the release programme
Wildlife officers responsible for implementing the Wildlife Countryside Act 1981
Release should be the main aim whenever a wildlife casualty is found
Records should be kept of the details of the release
Date and time of release
Site of release
Weather at the time of release
wind direction and speed
rain
type of release
hard/soft
number of animals released
if released in a group
identification marks, if any
follow-up
dates and times seen alive
date found dead
cause of death, if available
a post mortem examination (necropsy) should be carried out wherever possible on released animals that are later found dead
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Wildlife Aid: Pigeon
Broken right femur, bones exposed
Only attached to the branch by the skin
Needs urgent veterinary attention
Wild pigeons are known to survive well with just one leg
decision made to rehabilitate and release
Couple of weeks rest
A few days after, released back into the wild
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Red Kite Reintroduction Part 1
The first Kite Committee was formed in 1903
RSPB is thought to have been involved since 1905
The rarity of the red kite made it a target for egg collectors and bounty hunters
Robbed up to ¼ of the nests each year
More sophisticated nest protection initiatives came about during the 1950s and 1960s
Succeeded in reducing the proportion of nests robbed, and this is no longer regarded as a serious problem for kites
In the 1980s the red kite was one of three globally threatened species in the UK
The RSPB and NCC (now Natural England and Scottish Natural Heritage) got together in 1986 to discuss the feasibility of the red kite being reintroduced to England and Scotland
Reintroduction would only be considered if the IUCN criteria were met in full:
Existence of good historical evidence of former natural occurrence
A clear understanding of why the species disappeared. Only reintroduced if disappearance was due to human action.
The factors causing extinction had been rectified.
Suitable habitat is still present
Birds intended for release are genetically as close as possible to the former indigenous population
The removal of birds for the project does not jeopardise the survival of the population where the birds are taken.
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Red Kite Reintroduction Part 2
In 1989, six Swedish birds were released at a site in northern Scotland. Four Swedish and one Welsh bird in Buckinghamshire
Altogether 93 birds were released at each site of Swedish and Spanish origin
The last birds were released in 1993 in Scotland and 1994 in England
Successful breeding at both sites was recorded in 1992
Two years later kites that were reared in the wild themselves reared chicks
The first 11 birds in the East Midlands were released in 1995, and the first breeding was recorded in 1997
Three pairs successfully bred eight young
1996, 19 birds from Germany were released into Central Scotland
First nested in 1998
Two pairs fledged five young
In 1999, the first red kites were released at Harewood House, north of Leeds
First successful breeding the following year
In 2001, Dumfries and Galloways release site to join Scottish and English populations
Four pairs nested two years later
Releases in the Derwent-Valley in north-east England started in 2004
Main threats to the birds include illegal poisoning by bait left out for foxes and crows
Secondary poisoning from rodenticides
Collisions with power cables
All birds released as part of the reintroduction programme were fitted with coloured wing tags
Each with a letter and number combination that allows for individual recognition
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