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What is a Wildlife Rehabilitator?While the state has assumed the role of management of our native wildlife, an injured or orphaned animal or bird can only hope to find its way into the hands of licensed individuals best trained to give them the proper care. A licensed rehabilitator is an individual who has obtained the appropriate permit issued by Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (D.E.M.), division of Fish and Wildlife, after having received the required training to handle and care for designated species. The goal of wildlife rehabilitation is to provide professional care to sick, injured, and orphaned wild animals so they can ultimately be returned to their natural habitats. Wildlife rehabilitation is not an attempt to turn wild animals into pets. Patients are held in captivity only until they are able to live independently in the wild. Fear of humans is a necessary survival trait for wild animals and every effort is made to minimize human contact and prevent the taming of rehabilitation patients. Often this is an elaborate and time-consuming process. It is against the law to rehabilitate, handle, or care for a wild mammal or bird without the specific permit issued by D.E.M. Most of the licensed rehabilitators within the state of Rhode Island are affiliated with WRARI. Most of our rehabilitators specialized in handling certain species. Locating a Rehabilitator in RI |
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© Wildlife Rehabilitators Association of Rhode Island Development Team (Bryant University) |
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