What is the origin of the field of rehabilitation and release?

No one knows the origin of rehabilitation and release of native wildlife. When the first compassionate individual picked up an orphaned fledgling bird and raised it until it flew away, wildlife rehabilitation was born.

As natural habitat becomes harder to find, wild animals are learning to live in close proximity to human beings. As a result, wild animals must overcome daily challenges to their survival from both natural and unnatural predators. Cars, trucks, and watercraft are a constant threat, as are domestic dogs and cats. Birds are injured when they collide with windows, or other human-built structures. Wildlife may be purposely or accidentally poisoned. Animals may become trapped in dumpsters, fall down vent pipes, or become entangled in wire or fishing line. Young animals are particularly vulnerable—their nests may be destroyed when trees are pruned or cleared for development, they may fall out of their nest and land on a street or sidewalk, or they may be discovered and "kidnapped" by a curious child.

When people discover injured or orphaned wild animals, they usually don't know how to help or even if they should. The field of wildlife rehabilitation grew out of a need for trained individuals who could offer professional assistance to wildlife in need.

Since the 1970s and 80s, organizations like the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (IWRC) and the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (NWRA) have been working to bring together the thousands of people who do this work out of their homes. These groups provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and necessary training, and create a professional approach to rehabilitation and release.

Who performs the task of rehabilitating and releasing wild animals?

Today, wildlife rehabilitation is carried out by licensed wildlife rehabilitators who are based either out of their own homes; in organized centers such as The HSUS's Cape Wildlife Center on Cape Cod, Second Chance Wildlife in Maryland, or the Wildlife Center of Virginia; and in state-of-the-art facilities associated with universities and veterinary schools such as the Bernice Barbour Wildlife Clinic at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine. Wildlife rehabilitation is also a worldwide phenomenon, with activities in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Australia.

Rehabilitation and release of wild animals is regulated by local or state governments or by federal agencies.

The Marine Mammal Protection Act, through its implementing agencies, the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, regulates marine mammal rehabilitation. Only those entities holding letters of authorization from these agencies can legally handle stranded marine mammals. Many such animals can be refloated immediately from the shore upon which they stranded; others may require some treatment, either "on the beach" or in a facility, before being released. Regardless, these animals require special handling, and authorization is required before someone can respond to a stranding.

Several regions have marine mammal stranding networks—authorized individuals with special training or expertise who are called out when a stranding is reported.

What is Rehabilitation?

Rehabilitation is the care and conditioning provided to sick, orphaned, injured, or displaced animals in order to prepare them for life in their native habitats.

What are some of the specific steps/activities taken to rehabilitate animals?

Treatment of wounds, injuries, or medical conditions; feeding a correct and nutritious diet; providing housing that allows the animal to develop the necessary motor skills to survive; teaching or developing the skills and abilities to find or catch food and to avoid predators; avoiding habituation of the animal to human caretakers; determining the correct time and place for release; post-release monitoring, where feasible.

What are the pitfalls/dangers in rehabilitation?

Habituating or taming the animal, thereby depriving it of its natural fear of humans; feeding an incorrect diet, which can seriously compromise the development or healing of feathers, bones, and muscles, or kill the animal; release at an improper time or location; raising social species in unnatural isolation from conspecifics. Other dangers include violating laws regulating rehabilitations, and the potential for zoonotic diseases.

What constitutes success?

With most native species, if an animal can perform the tasks it needs to survive (fly, swim, climb, hunt, search out food, avoid predators, recognize members of its own species) and it is released, the rehabilitation is considered a success. Some argue that a successful release must include a post-release study showing that the animal is functioning in its habitat for a certain period of time and/or breeding or reproducing. Most rehabbers would use the first (or similar) criterion to conclude that an animal has been successfully rehabbed and released.

Perhaps the most famous rehabilitated wild animal is the African lioness Elsa, who was immortalized in the movie Born Free. Hand raised and habituated to human "parents," she was taught by them to be a wild lion again. In the process, she nearly died because she seemed incapable of hunting. Her caretakers did not interfere, however, and at that crucial turning point, she finally made a kill. Elsa then went on to continued successes on her own, as a free and wild lion.

The methods used with Elsa are the closest example of what Keiko has experienced so far in the effort to give him what he needs to become a free-living killer whale. Like Elsa the lioness, we believe he will succeed.

How does a rehab professional determine if an animal is a good candidate for release?

Any wild animal who is whole and healthy is a candidate. Some animals with major trauma (lost wing on a hawk, amputated leg on a deer, owl with one eye) cannot be released, and therefore, if kept alive, they are destined to live in captivity.

Why is Keiko a good candidate for rehabilitation?

Although not necessarily the best candidate for rehabilitation, Keiko is healthy and adaptable. (He's proven that again and again.) We do know that he's proving himself to be receptive to the efforts to reintroduce him to at least a "semi"-captive life. Does he have a very good chance of being released? None of us know—this has never been done before. He was captured very young; we don't know who his family members are; and he's been in captivity, under varying conditions, for more than 23 years.

The critical point is this: There has never been another rehabilitated orca. Keiko is a groundbreaker. Given his progress to date, his odds of returning to the wild as a self-sufficient animal are at least even or better than even at the moment. But given that this has never been done before and there are no successes or failures to compare him to, it is extremely difficult to determine whether the progress we see will result in his eventual return to the wild.