PETA Global AU 2022 Issue 2

A FewWords Can Save a Baby Bird

to Help YOU Save Wildlife Tips From PETA’s Rescue Team Animal EMS:

A worried PETA member called after discovering a tiny nestling near a badly damaged nest. A PETA staffer advised her to fashion a new nest out of a basket, twigs, and grass, but the parents never returned. Another call got her connected to a wildlife expert and the help the nestling needed.

Yes, YOU can save animals: Post this sign (available at PETA.org/Store ) in your yard or on trash and recycle bins.

Negative strip: © iStock.com/Gordan1 • Red tape: © iStock.com/onebluelight • Raccoon: © iStock/com/Eric Isselée | Can: © 2011 Jupiterimages Corporation | Grass: © iStock.com/sceka • Woodland illustration: © iStock.com/TopVectors

When No Action Is the Best Action

Crush It for Raccoons

Fledglings (young, mostly feathered birds) may flap on the ground as they learn to fly. Their parents are usually nearby. If fledglings are in immediate danger, move them to a nearby tree or shrub.

In most cases, wildlife should be left alone unless you see any of the following: The animal has an obvious injury like a broken wing, has been caught by a predator, is trembling or lethargic, is still dependent on parents who were killed nearby, or is in other immediate danger. In these situations, call a wildlife rehabilitator for help.

Discarded food containers are irresistible to hungry animals. PETA’s fieldworkers rescue animals facing a miserable death from dehydration or strangulation – all because they got their heads stuck in a jar or can. Save lives by rinsing food containers, putting lids back on, crushing cans, and cutting apart plastic six-pack rings. Cover recycling and garbage bins to prevent animals from getting trapped inside. And always pick up litter. Animals with their head stuck in a container should be secured in a blanket, jacket, or cardboard box so you can gently work the container free. Oil or grease can help. If that doesn’t work, contact a wildlife rehabilitator.

If the bird appears injured or ill or if the parents don’t return, contact a wildlife rehabilitator.

I t looked like a rock on the road. But as PETA’s fieldworkers got closer, they saw that the “rock” was a turtle determinedly trying to cross a highway. The turtle was inches away from being run over, and turtles can suffer for days or weeks with a crushed shell before succumbing because of their slowmetabolism. The fieldworkers whipped the van around, sprang out, stopped traffic, and whisked the turtle to safety. One more animal saved! Whether there are pelicans stranded on a bridge in a hurricane, a dolphin entangled in fishing line, or a deer with a broken leg, PETA fieldworkers have saved them all, rescuing animals around the clock. But wildlife emergencies can arise in your neck of the woods, too, so be ready. Rule #1: Never pass by, thinking, “Someone else will help” – they probably won’t. You have been chosen to help, so here’s how to become that “someone” yourself! Rule #1: Never Turn Away

Take Action Now Make sure you’re ready for an animal emergency:

These turtles were alive when PETA fieldworkers found them.

Visit PETA.org.au/Wildlife for instructions on creating a rescue kit to keep in your car.

Follow the (Baby) Cardinal Rule

Can You Canoe? A quick-thinking animal advocate called PETA after spotting a gosling who had fallen into a river and was unable to climb out. Fieldworkers jumped into a canoe and scooped up the baby bird. Since mama goose was nowhere to be seen, they whisked him off to a rehabber.

People often mistakenly “rescue” baby birds who should be left alone. If you see a fallen baby bird with few or no feathers, place him or her back in the nest. Parents won’t reject a baby who’s been touched by human hands. If you can’t find the nest, make one out of a basket or paper cup with small holes in the bottom so water can drain out if it rains, hang it in a sheltered spot close by, and watch for the parents to return (from a distance).

Why Did the Turtle Cross the Road?

where they want to go and will turn back into danger if they’re rerouted.

If you spot a turtle in traffic, pull over and put on your hazard lights. Pick up small turtles and gently nudge large or snapping turtles into a box or onto a flat surface. Take them in the direction that they were headed. Don’t ever turn them around – they know

That seemingly “dead” turtle often isn’t. Pinch a back toe or touch the corner of an eye to check for a reaction. Rush the turtle to the nearest vet or animal shelter if you see any signs of life.

23 Global

CAPTION 22 BE A NI JA FOR TURTLES