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Webinars

Webinars   IWRC webinars are created for the edification of our membership. They are short narrated videos (7 to 20 minutes) that detail a specific topic. The webinars are at a variety of experience levels. Additionally, some webinars are fantastic as a before class refresher, or supplementary to our courses. Everything you wanted to know …
To access this page, you must be a current member, please log in or purchase any of the following membership Lifetime Membership, Membership – Library, Group Membership – Organizational, Membership – Student, Membership – Individual or Membership – Family. Contact office@theiwrc.org to check your current member status.

Peer-Review Process

Why do we have peer review?

As wildlife rehabilitation is a fairly new profession, the credibility of the field and the work of wildlife rehabilitators are constantly questioned. IWRC’s courses are science-based with live classroom courses and online training options to choose from. In order to meet minimum knowledge standards, IWRC’s courses, journals and books are peer-reviewed and developed by professionals from different aspects of wildlife rehabilitation and medicine. These resources are both single- or double-blind reviewed and addressed to a scientific audience as well as individuals who are not from a science-based background.

However, webinars and web content are reviewed differently and are mostly evaluated by professionals or volunteers prior to publishing online, instead of undergoing a full peer review process.

 

What are the different types of peer review?

1. Single-blind review process: The reviewers are not identified to the author but the reviewers are aware of the author’s identity.

The advantage of this process is that it allows unbiased decisions by the author that are free from influence as the reviewers are anonymous. However, the authors may be concerned that reviewers from the same field may delay the review in order to delay publication as this enables the reviewers to publish first1.

2. Double-blind review process: The identities of authors and reviewers are concealed from each other.

This method is the most effective for journals with material that is free from referencing geographic study areas to ensure that research authors are not easily identified when a study area is described in a manuscript. However, reviewers can sometimes identify the author through the paper’s style or subject matter1.

 

The Peer-Review Process
Adapted from The Wildlife Professional
Adapted from The Wildlife Professional

Peer reviewers are not perfect — as humans, they make mistakes too. However, peer reviewing verifies that the best science and practices are used. It is also “the best system we have been able to devise in order to maintain the integrity of the scientific publication process,” according to Leonard Brennan, former editor of the Wildlife Society Bulletin2.

 

References:

1White, G. More than 50 shades of gray. The Wildlife Professional. 2014;8: 22
2Brennan, L. Editorial guidance and wildlife science: the role of wildlife society bulletin associate editors and reviewers. Wildlife Society Bulletin. 2012;36(2):396

Courses

All Spring (in person) Courses Postponed 
 
To all our current and interested students, the IWRC has made the difficult decision to postpone all of the courses we had scheduled for the Spring season in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. We follow the recommendations of experts at the World Heath Organization (WHO), CDC, and local government guidelines, and think of public health. We hope that everyone stays safe during this uncertain time. 
 
Please know that all classes will be rescheduled. We are working on a summer course in Kentucky, and courses in Edmonton and Saskatoon in the Fall to replace the Spring classes. We are also expecting to have many other great Fall locations including Kansas City, Michigan, Ohio, and Nebraska. Please contact aya@theiwrc.org or call our office if you have any questions about IWRC courses.
 
Online classes remain available with more coming summer 2020.

Online Classes

In Person Classes

Online Course Catalogue

Wound Management For Wildlife Rehabilitators 

CE Hours: 7 Description: The purpose of this course is to provide tools and knowledge on wound management to aid in the successful rehabilitation of wildlife.

Developed specifically for wildlife care professionals, Wound Management provides a systematic review of the physiology and treatment of the most common types of soft-tissue wounds seen in injured mammalian and avian species. Topics include wound assessment, wound types, antibiotic therapy, cleaning and topical agents, bandaging techniques, and the physiology and stages of wound healing. Fractures and wound management in herpetofauna are not covered in this course. RACE approved.RACE

 

Oil Spill Volunteering

CE Hours: 1 Description: This course is designed to prepare potential oil spill volunteers in what to expect at an accidental uncontrolled release of oil into the environment. Legal and managerial/organizational aspects of the class are specific to the US environment, but may also be useful in organizing non-US spills.

Pain Management

CE Hours: 2.5 Description: This course is designed to give wildlife care professionals a working knowledge of the vocabulary and concepts underlying the modern approach to pain management in mammalian and avian species. Lecture Topics: the physiology and clinical signs of pain, supportive care techniques, and drug therapy including indications, contraindications and side effects.

Zoonoses

CE Hours: 3.5 Description: Wildlife rehabilitators work with animals that are ill or injured. One risk of our profession is the potential exposure to zoonotic diseases (diseases passed from animals to humans). Rehabilitators are viewed as a community resource due to our extensive outreach and education, and are often turned to for information regarding zoonotic diseases. This course provides information on the risks, prevention, and management of zoonoses, including acting as a resource to the public for information on zoonotic diseases. RACE approved RACE

Already Registered for an online class? Click here to head to our online on demand classroom.

Course Catalogue

Basic Wildlife Rehabilitation

(Two-Day Class) Duration: 8:30 am – 5:30 pm (first day); 8:3o am – 5pm (approximately, second day). Price in US Dollars: $188 for IWRC members; $235 for non-members CE Hours:15  Description: This is an introductory course for beginning wildlife or novice rehabilitators seeking formal education. This class is meant to be a flipped classroom experience. We challenge you to do your homework and readings before you get to your class. This will facilitate a richer learning experience in the classroom. Lecture topics: introduction to wildlife rehabilitation, basic anatomy and physiology, calculating fluid therapy, handling and physical restraint, thermoregulation, stress, basic shock cycle, initial care and physical examination, nutrition and associated diseases, standards for housing, zoonoses, euthanasia criteria and release criteria. Lab topics: gavage (tube-feeding), physical restraint, intramuscular and subcutaneous injections, physical exams, limb immobilization and weighing. Lab procedures are performed on cadavers.   RACE approvedRACE

Pain & Wound Management

(One-Day Class) Duration: 8:30 am – 5:00 pm Price: $105 for IWRC members; $125 for non-members CE Hours:10 (3 Pain Management + 7 Wound Management) Description: When taught live, these two courses are provided as a package with total classroom time of 8 hours. However, two certificates will be provided to participants upon successful completion. Developed specifically for wildlife care professionals, Wound Management provides a systematic review of the physiology and treatment of the most common types of soft-tissue wounds seen in injured mammalian and avian species. Pain Management is designed to give wildlife care professionals a working knowledge of the vocabulary and concepts underlying the modern approach to pain management in mammalian and avian species. Lecture topics: wound assessment, wound types, antibiotic therapy, cleaning and topical agents, bandaging techniques and the physiology and stages of wound healing, the physiology and clinical signs of pain, supportive care techniques, and drug therapy including indications, contraindications and side effects. Fractures and wound management in herpetiles are not covered in this course. Lab Included.  RACE approvedRACE

Reuniting Raptors – North America only

CE Hours: 5.5 Description: This course is designed to provide the essential know-how for licensed wildlife rehabilitators to reunite or foster most species of North American raptors. Most healthy nestling raptors “rescued” by the public are not truly orphans, and it’s generally agreed their best option is to be reunited with parents or fostered to another nest, so they can grow up in the wild in the care of wild adults. Reuniting and fostering also relieves stress on overcrowded rehabilitation facilities during baby season. But many wildlife rehabilitators lack the knowledge and tools for reuniting. 

Click here to meet the instructors!

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IWRC is an official AZA Learning Partner. Are you a zoo or aquarium professional looking for more great training opportunities? Visit the Association of Zoos & Aquariums’ website to learn more about the courses, webinars, and conferences that can help you enrich your career. Learn more at http://www.aza.org/professional-development/

FAQ

FAQ

1. How do I become a CWR?

Wildlife rehabilitator certification is exam-based. The only requirement to become a Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator (CWR) is to take and pass the CWR exam.

The Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator program is available to all that apply — there are no eligibility requirements.

 

2. If I become a CWR how much CE do I need to fulfill each year?

Certification expires two years from the date of issue listed on the CWR Certificate and must be renewed every two years to remain valid. Certification Renewal Candidates must accrue and show proof of two continuing education units (CEU) during this two-year certification period to qualify for renewal.

 

3. If I become a CWR what kind of wildlife can I rehabilitate?

The Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator™ program provides a reliable validation of knowledge that will accelerate professional development and enhance credibility in the field of wildlife rehabilitation.  It does not provide you with the rehabilitation skills to care for specific species of wildlife, or exempt you from existing governmental laws and/or permits required to rehabilitate wildlife.

 

4. What classes do I need to take to become a CWR?

No classes are required to be taken to become a CWR. Wildlife rehabilitator certification is exam-based. The only requirement to become a Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator (CWR) is to take and pass the CWR exam.

The Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator program is available to all that apply–there are no eligibility requirements.

 

5. If I take an IWRC class including the Basic Class does that mean I’m certified?

No. After the completion and passing of an IWRC class, a certificate of completion will be provided to you but it does not mean that you are CWR certified or legally licensed. In order to be CWR certified, it requires that you take and pass the CWR exam. In order to be licensed you must comply with your country’s legal requirements.

 

6. If I take the Basic class what kind of license do I get?

No licensing is provided by taking the Basic class.  Some states and provinces require that you take the Basic class in order to be eligible for a wildlife rehabilitation permit. Please contact your local conservation officer or game warden for more information pertaining to permits or visit our page on How To Become A Wildlife Rehabilitator.

 

7. Can I take Basic class online?

IWRC offers some courses online such as oil spill volunteering, pain management and parasitology. Other courses, such as the Basic class, are offered only as an in-person course.  This offers students the unique opportunity to interact face-to-face with instructors, as well as gain hands-on experience during the Basic class’ interactive lab.

 

8. How do your online courses work?

Most of our online courses are on demand (if they are not they will say “live” and have dates listed on the registration page). On demand courses include video lectures, some additional readings or worksheets, and an online exam. The online on demand courses are designed to be flexible.  You can start and stop them, return later, and pause when you need to.

The videos are streamed over the Internet. Our online courses have been tested on Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, and Safari and currently work on all recent versions of these programs. Old versions are not supported. We suggest using Firefox or Chrome for best results.

 

9. I’ve taken all the online classes, now what?

Have you taken all of IWRC’s online classes and are looking for more continuing education opportunities? Consider attending IWRC’s symposium, attending one of our in-person classes or take the CWR.

 

10. What is the difference between licensing, permitting, and certification?

Certification is a professional designation of knowledge. Licensing and permitting are legal functions required by many countries and by all US states and Canadian provinces to take care of wildlife. Many places also allow for volunteers or sub-permittees working with already licensed rehabilitators, so each individual at a center does not need to be permitted.

 

11. What are some of IWRC’s membership benefits?

As a member of IWRC you have access to member-only benefits such as our unique webinars, online Kcal and Drug calculators, access to job postings and animal placements as well as a current membership directory. It also includes our peer-reviewed Journal of Wildlife Rehabilitation, a copy of the Minimum Standards document, discounts on courses, literature orders and symposia as well as voting privileges in board elections. Organizational members will also be able to participate in the IWRC Practicum Accreditation beginning in 2015.

 

12. How can I renew my membership?

Your membership can be renewed online through IWRC’s online store or even easier, sign-up for an automatic renewal. Additionally you can call 866-871-1869 x0 to renew or send a check and this form to the office.

 

13. I would like to submit an article to the Journal of Wildlife Rehabilitation. How do I do this?

All submissions should be accompanied by a cover letter stating the intent of the author(s) to submit the manuscript exclusively for publication in the JWR. Electronic submissions are required; hard-copy manuscripts are not accepted. The manuscript file should be attached to the submission letter (which can be the body of your email) and sent to jwr.editor@theiwrc.org

 

14. I found an injured animal. Can IWRC take it?

IWRC is available to help individuals connect with wildlife rehabilitators internationally. Visit our Emergency page to find out what you need to consider about finding wildlife in distress, and how you can find a rehabilitator closest to you.

 

Membership

 My Account Update your information here Directory IWRC Membership Directory Calculators Kcal and Drug Dosage Calculators Standards Download the 4th edition here Webinars Discounts Job & Animal Placement Current Journal Issue Unsubscribe Unsubscribe your auto-renew here Renew Membership 
To access this page, you must be a current member, please log in or purchase any of the following membership Lifetime Membership, Membership – Library, Group Membership – Organizational, Membership – Student, Membership – Individual or Membership – Family. Contact office@theiwrc.org to check your current member status.

President’s Report Summer 2011

Dear Colleagues
Summer is at its height in the Northern Hemisphere and rehab centers are loaded with babies and injured adults to care for, and a phone that never stops.  We often forget to take time to care for ourselves.  Having been there and gotten many tee-shirts, I can only ask you, my dear colleagues, to try and take time for yourselves.  Some years ago, I wrote a talk entitled ‘Stress, burnout, compassion fatigue, and adrenal fatigue – the dark side of rehab’ (yes it is a bit like do as I say and not as I do!).  In preparing for this, I asked colleagues on a rehab chat line for input, what are the worst issues you face and how do you de-stress.  One reply still resonates and I have endeavored to use it in my life.  This wise person takes time for an unbreakable date with her husband each evening, meeting on the deck at 6pm, time for being together.  My translation is nibbles, a drink, maybe a fruit juice spritzer, and M*A*S*H re-runs with my husband, so calling me between 5 and 6pm may not be a good thing.  We chat, catching up on the day and deciding what supper will be if there are no left-overs in the fridge.  Magic!  I look forward to this special time and always feel recharged afterwards.
IWRC has been busy with planning for the 2011 Symposium.  Kai and Kim will let you know the details as soon as the plans are finalized.  I look forward to meeting you in Florida this November.  Maybe we can try meeting for a drink at 5!
Bookings for courses are also keeping us busy.  Don’t forget to check out the in person courses that may be coming to your region.  On-line courses are also being revamped and released.  There are several new and very exciting courses in the works.  Kai will let you know more next week.
Instructor Team
Did you know that all of IWRC’s instructors are Certified Wildlife Rehabilitators (CWR)?  We, yes me too, have all sat this on-line exam, designed to challenge our knowledge and ensure that a pass really is quite an achievement.  IWRC is also proud to welcome new instructors on board.  If you are interested in preparing for this exam, the Basic Course is a great start.  Check out the locations of up-coming classes.  None near you?  How about hosting one?  Contact Kim at office@theiwrc.org
The Basic Course needs your help (and Nutrition Course too).
This wonderful course is in need of an update which will be tackled later on this year.  But we need images to update the PowerPoint.  Can you help please?  Topics cover a wide range, as any of you who have taken this class know, and you probably remember that many of the photos are looking rather ancient!  So, this summer, take lots of photos and share your high quality digital images with us and other rehabbers.  Topic we need digital images for include: facilities, caging, flight caging, housing, diseases, general images of wild animals, babies of all sorts, injuries, release sites and releases, laboratory set-up, digital X-ray images, safety equipment, and any thing else you would like to share with us.  We would also like to to place some of the images not used in the course in the IWRC Members site as a resource available for browsing.  Please let Kai know who took the images so we can ensure they are acknowledged correctly.  Email images to director@theiwrc.org.
The Nutrition Course is also up for review and I would like to bring more images into this course also.  So think about any photos that would be of use to illustrate nutritional issues.  Have you received an animal with severe nutritional deficiencies?  How about feather damage?  Fractures?  Please take those photos and send them to Kai.
Talking nutrition, calcium is often an underdone component of our young wildlife diets.  You can simply use your egg shells for your charges.  If they come from boiled eggs, simply dry them and grind them up.  If uncooked, bake them for 20 minutes at 250°F, grind them up and store them in a container.  Place a little egg shell in all your cages allowing your charges the chance to add calcium to their diet as needed.  Deer antlers are great calcium sources for small mammals.
Thinking about courses, a new series of webinars are going to be added to the IWRC Members section.  The first one should be out next week.  It is the first in a new series called ‘Almost everything you wanted to know…’.  These webinars address topics we all need to know something about, the first one – Needles and Syringes.  The next – Reading a pharmaceutical label.  I have to admit, I learned lots too as I pulled them together.  Plus it was fun to do these units.  Are you interested in helping?  One I am working on is – how to identify that white stuff in that bird’s mouth.  Contact Kai.
In the works are a special series in the ‘Almost everything…’ group – Wildlife Disease Webinars.  We are hoping to enlist veterinary students to help prepare them.  However, we need your help too.  Let us know what wildlife diseases are of concern in your area.  What species are affected and what common names are used for this disease.  Also, do you have any contact with your local vet school?  We would love to ensure that they are in our database.  This series could be a great class project and the benefits ongoing for years to come.  Email Kim at office@theiwrc.org if you have a vet school contact to share.
Translation
The webinars are all going to be translated into French and Spanish.  However, I don’t want to wear out our 2 volunteer translators, so do you know someone who can help with these languages?  It would also be useful if they are prepared to simply review the translation.  My hope is that we can also translate the webinars into other languages, Mandarin and Cantonese being two languages that would be so exciting to offer these in – OK I know, dreaming in Technicolor again, but if we don’t, nothing changes.  So if you dream too, and can help, let me know.
Books
I was really excited when Kai asked me to look over the book titles she was considering purchasing for the on-line store.  There really is nothing like a great reference book on the shelf, something to turn to for help and ideas.  Let her know at director@theiwrc.org if you need other titles.  I am looking for a new drug formulary.  What ones do you find most useful?
A new Database for State, Provincial, and Territory contacts (and beyond)
We are developing a new database for our membership of all the contact information, current regulations for registering a rehab center, relevant wildlife rehabilitation laws and regulations for the USA and Canada.  This is a huge undertaking and needs help to make it happen.  Board member, Brenda Harms is preparing a template to ensure we cover all the bases as we develop this informational database.  Are you interested in helping with the information for your State, Province, or Territory?  We can send you the template as soon as it is ready.  Or you can send Kim the email contact for your permitting office.  Any regulations or web based forms will also be of great use to your colleagues.  Not in the USA or Canada?  Send your government’s information along.  It might be a very long while before we have information available worldwide, but we can start with the countries with IWRC members!  Email information to office@theiwrc.org
Don’t forget to protect yourself through these long days of hard work, never ending demands for your time and expertise, and always one more job to do.  Sleep all you need, eat well and don’t forget to laugh, maybe one of our greatest gifts for de-stressing.  I hope you can plan a break with all of us in Florida this November.  If this is not a possibility, do make time for time out, you deserve it.
My very best to you all,
Lynn

Schedule 2011

2011 Symposium

Printable Schedule

Collected Paper Abstracts and Bios

 

Tuesday 8th November

Time

Ibis

Egret and Breezeway

8:00am – 10:00am

Basics 1AB

Oiled wildlife response (International Bird Rescue)

 Break – 10:00am – 10:30am
 10:30am-12:30pm

Basics 1AB

Oiled wildlife response (IBR)

Break  – 12:30am -1:30pm

 
  1:30 – 3:00pm

Basics 1AB

Oiled wildlife response (IBR)

 Break – 3:00pm -3:30pm
  3:30 -5:00pm

Basics 1AB

Oiled wildlife response (IBR)

Wednesday 9th November

Field Trip – 8:00am – 1:30pm

IWRC Board Meeting, St Andrew Room – 8:00am – 3:00pm

Time

Ibis

Egret and Breezeway

 8:00am– 10:00am

Basics 1AB

Oiled wildlife response – IBR

  Break – 10:00am – 10:30am

10:30am -12:30pm

Basics 1AB

Oiled wildlife response – IBR

 Break  – 12:30am -1:30pm

 
 1:30 – 3:00pm

Basics 1AB

Oiled wildlife response – IBR

Break – 3:00pm -3:30pm
 3:30 -5:00pm

Instructors meeting

3:00pm – 4:00pm

Oiled wildlife response (IBR)

Meet and Greet, Breezeway Terrace (bar opens) – 5:30pm

Thursday 10th November (Sessions)

Time

 

8:00am –10:00 am

IWRC General Meeting  and Keynote Speaker Dr Greg Harrison

Break – 10:00am – 10:30am

 

Mammals Track – IBIS Room

Disaster planning Track  –  Egret room

10:30am–11:30am

11:30am–12:30pm

Crumpacker- Coyote Rehabilitation Enclosure Design

Bailey- Raccoon Neonatology and Paediatrics

L. Miller- Monitoring Northern Gannets

De Napoli- Saving Penguins from Oil Spills

Break  – 12:30am -1:30pm

 

1:30pm – 2:15pm

2:15pm –3:00pm

 Leggett- Rehabilitation of the Eastern CottontailWhitman, Krempels- When is a Rabbit not a Rabbit? Holcomb – Outcomes from the Louisiana Oil SpillGrogan- Factors Affecting Welfare of Oiled Guillemots

 Break – 3:00pm -4:00pm
  4:00pm –5:00pm Collins – USFWS Permit Changes Roundtable

Film Festival, Orchard – 6:00pm

Friday 11th November (Sessions)

Time

 

 

Mammals Track – IBIS Room

Disaster planning Track  –  Egret room
  8:00am – 9:00am

9:00am –10:00am

Dominguez- Wildlife Rehab in SE Queensland, AU

Loeffler- Wildlife Rescue in China

McRuer- WILD-One: A rehabilitation tool for quality animal care and monitoring wild animal health

Break  – 10:0am -10:30am   – Book Signing Begins @10am – 1:30pm

 

10:30am – 11:30am

11:30am – 12:30pm

Astorga- Tourism and Wildlife Rehab in Chile

Crawford- Using our Rehab Experience Int’l

Joyner- Ethics in Wildlife Medicine

Joyner- Human Dimensions of Avian Conservation

Break – 12:30pm -1:00pm

Reuniting  Track

Disease Track
  1:00pm – 5:30pm Renesting and Reuniting – Multiple Presenters plus Roundtable (details in booklet)

Brown- Role of Raccoons in the evolution of Parvoviruses

Disease webinars

Bar Opens – 5:30pm

Banquet – 7:00pm – 10:00pm

Saturday12th November (Sessions)

Time

 

 

Birds (general)    Ibis Room

Disaster planning Track  Egret Room

8:00am – 9:00am

9:00am – 10:00am

Stevens- Non-Eagle Feather Repository

Neville (formerly Amico)- Chimney Swift Rehab

Bevan and Forsberg- Disaster Planning and Response for Wildlife Rehabilitation

Break  – 10:0am -10:30am

 

10:30am – 11:30am

11:30am –12:30pm

Aley- Virginia State Hunting Laws and Interp

Bevan and Forsberg- Disaster Planning and Response for Wildlife Rehabilitation

Break – 12:30pm -2:00pm

Visit to South Florida Wildlife Centre
        2:00pm

Leave Hotel – Meet in Lobby                         Arrive at Centre @2:45

Presentations

3:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Sherry L. Schlueter- Criminal Abuse of Wildlife,  Stefan Harsch- Validation of Triage Scoring, Antonia Gardner- Capture Myopathy in March Birds, Renata Schneider- Success’ and Failures of Orthopedic Surgeries at SFWC

Tour of the Center – 5:00pm – 6:00pm

Dinner – 6:30pm – 8:00pm

Return to Hotel –8:00pm

Back to previous symposiums

Science and Rehabilitation Resources (member only)

Scientific and Rehabilitation Resources

Webinars

These items are IWRC webinars created for the edification of our membership.  The webinars are at a variety of experience levels.  Additionally, some webinars are fantastic as a before class refresher, or supplementary to our courses.  Look for more additions to the list every month.

Everything you wanted to know about…

Needles and Syringes

Pharmaceutical Labels

Handouts, Manuals, and Aids

The below resources are items that we at IWRC have found useful aids in practicing wildlife rehabilitation (note that not all are peer reviewed).

Recognizing Fractures of the Wing – Leah Shimmel

Avian Splinting Manual – Rebecca Duerr

 

Journal Articles and Research Press releases of Interest

Efficacy of Rehab Centers in the Study of Disease – Journal of Wildlife Disease

The Risk of Prion Zoonoses – Science

Songbirds: Scared to death – Sciencemag.org

Investigation of undiagnosed disease affecting arctic ring seals – AVMA

Universal precautions for the management of bat white-nose syndrome (WNS) – USGS Wildlife Heath Bulletin

Probable Zoonotic Leprosy in the Southern United States – The New England Journal of Medicine

US Plague Surveillance Report – National Wildlife Disease Program

US Tularemia Surveillance Report – National Wildlife Disease Program

Dual Parasitic Infections Deadly to Marine mammals – PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases

Summary and press release (dual parasitic infections in marine mammals) – National Institute of Health

Big Leap in Understanding Frog Threat – Press Release from University of Sydney on research into amphibian parasites.

Study of H5N1 Vaccinations in European Zoos – Clinical and Vaccine Immunology

Continent-wide association of H5N1 outbreaks in wild and domestic birds in Europe – Geospat Health

President’s Report Spring 2011

Dear Colleagues;

Thank goodness we can do this electronically and don’t have to chop down any trees! It is just there seems to be so much to talk about. So let me begin with a Thank You.

THANK YOU to our out going president, Dody Wyman. Dody devoted many years to the board of directors and began transitions that are paying dividends today. But she has not escaped and is chairing the Course Development Committee (CDC) – more about that group later.

Now to our present board. Let me introduce everyone to you. Please check out the IWRC website for comprehensive bios on your board.

Harry Kelton, Vice-President. Harry has a wealth of knowledge in many fields and is truly special.  Check out Harry’s bio on IWRC’s website. He is amazing.

Brenda Harms, Secretary. New to rehab, and a wonderful resource to IWRC with her background in the law. Brenda has taken on the job of secretary and has made a huge difference to our understanding of the many aspects involved in this job. To work as a legal entity, IWRC must explore the many rules and regulations governing an organization that boasts a membership world-wide. Brenda is making this so easy because she understands all the big words used in legalese.

Earl Fox. Treasurer. A new addition to the board, Earl has taken on this extremely important task. In this, he is supported by the Finance committee. It is such an important role and we are delighted Earl is on board.

Randie Segal. Co-chair of the Symposium committee and maker of the best foot baths (want to know more, see me at the conference). Home is sometimes the ‘Songbird’ a wonderful bus, sometimes Arizona and sometimes Wisconsin. Take a guess at when those residences are occupied! Here’s a hint, it looks as if Randie does not like snow!

Deb Teachout. Veterinarian and all round good egg. Deb is in her last termon the board. We will miss you. Deb also was involved with making the Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator exam a reality. I am so delighted that IWRC has made this exam a professional qualification to be proud off. It is no
romp in the park, but a great feeling to pass it.

Mary Seth. Masks’r’us. Mary made sure we had some great laughs at last year’s Symposium with fun masks that brought some stunned looks, and then laughter when she and her gang crashed the classes in progress. What’s next Mary???  Mary also is a very active rehabber and often shares wonderful cases with us.

Melissa Matassa-Stone. As an engineer, precision is Melissa’s world, and it is this expertise we see coming to the foreground as Melissa chairs the Development committee. I have also learned so much about how to run a meeting from you, thank you.

Susan Wylie. A very active bird rehabber and amazing organizer. Susan also co-chairs the Symposium committee, and helps to bring together many aspects we all love including the silent auction goodies to be perused at the annual Symposium.

Adam Grogan. Our newest board member. We have been waiting on Adam to be able to join the board for some time. He is based in England with the RSPCA’s wildlife rehabilitation program. With Adam joining, I am no longer the only oddly accented person on the board. Adam is also on the Symposium committee and very involved in the program of presentations.

Finally, me, Lynn Miller. Growing up in New Zealand, I never thought I would be living in Canada, pursuing my passion in caring for our wildlife. I also have the very great privilege to be an IWRC instructor for many years meeting many wonderful rehabbers, sharing knowledge, tears and laughter. Thank you.
For more  information check out the board bio’s on IWRC’s website.
IWRC Staff. We are so fortunate to have Kai Williams as Executive Director extraordinaire! She is aided by Kim Forrest. Together, they are helping IWRC on so many levels, as well as making sure you get to talk to a real person, quite a pleasure in this age of automated services. Thank you both for your hard work and dedication.
The Journal is wildlife rehabilitation’s only peer reviewed publication.
Kieran Lindsey guides its production, ensuring high quality information
available for all of us. The next issue was recently published, and announced in the April Newsletter. Go to the IWRC website and log in to access JWR.
This is a working board and everyone is extremely involved in many committees and activities. The following committees groups are all working on a diversity of aspects involving IWRC. They are all open to new members, and we encourage anyone contemplating becoming involved with IWRC to consider
joining a committee. These committees are all very active and if one appeals to you, please contact Kai at director@theiwrc.org.
Course Development Committee. Chaired by Dody Wyman. This dedicated team works very hard to bring new courses into being. The courses begin in one of several ways. One way may be a person with expertise is willing to write a course and approaches the CDC, or the committee has identified a subject and a writer is then sought. That is only the beginning. With a draft course in hand, the CDC puts it through the peer review process where it is evaluated by other experts. Their comments are then reviewed and incorporated into the course. This ensures the course is of extremely high quality and meets the needs of the rehab community.
Symposium Committee.  Co-chaired by Sue Wylie and Randie Segal.  If you have attended a conference, you see the end product, but the reality is that a huge amount of work goes into making it successful. IWRC’s Symposium committee has many aspects within its mandate; the program, the location, fun events, the dinner and silent auction.
Development Committee.  Chaired by Melissa Matassa-Stone.  It takes money to develop and update the courses that serve our mission.  This committee has recently put together a Development Plan that looks at fundraising on several fronts, including applying for grants and to foundations, seeking corporate support, and of course filling our membership in on the benefit of private donations to meet IWRC goals.  Keep an eye out for more information in the IWRC newsletter and website!  We are actively looking for a few enthusiastic committee members who have fundraising and marketing experience to help IWRC to keep our programs current, plentiful and serving membership needs.

Finance Committee. Chaired by Earl Fox.  IWRC has been making its financial reporting and practices a priority. Ensuring bookkeeping practices are current and governmental reporting needs are met, takes time. This committee is preparing a Finance manual to aid the treasurer and executive director in their activities.

Ethics Committee. Randie Segal and Deb Teachout. The ethics committee is in place to help guide and evaluate issues that relate to ethics or ethical situations. If you are interested in this aspect of our work as rehabbers, please let Kai know.

States, Provinces and Territories Committee. Chaired by Brenda Harms. One question we often hear is “how do I go about getting my permit?” One way IWRC can help is by setting up a members section which has all the relevant information for each State, Province and Territory. Brenda is currently working on the template for this section. However, we need help to make this
undertaking a reality. The information we hope to provide is only one part of this undertaking. We also need to have member ambassadors for each of the States, Provinces and Territories. IWRC can then ensure meetings, conferences, and local information is relayed from these ambassadors to our
membership. Interested in helping, please let Kai know.

International Committee. Steering committee chaired by Mikal Deese. To ensure IWRC reaches out to our colleagues in the rehab community all over our planet, this committee will set up a framework to ensure International committee members come on knowing the goals of this committee. Essentially IWRC knows that the material that we find relevant here in the North American sphere may not be so in Katmandu or Veracruz. So by working with our colleagues in as many countries as possible, we can all learn from each other, finding equivalencies, and alternatives that are realistic for the many different regions. We have a Canadian, Caribbean, and USA rep, now we need rehab colleagues in as many countries as possible.

Scientific Advisory Panel Committee. Chaired by Kristin Madden. Have you ever wondered about an odd behavior in your foxes, a disease that seems new in your raccoons, or how a cliff swallow fledges? But who to turn to? This committee is mandated to approach experts in a wide range of subjects, introduce them to IWRC and invite them to share their expertise with our membership.

Educational Webinars.  We are starting to develop mini courses available free to our members only. Under the working title ‘Almost everything you wanted to know about …’ the first mini course is now with the review team. Also, these courses will be available in English, Spanish and French with other languages being added as we reach out to members world-wide. So the first mini-course subject – Needles and syringes. Subjects discussed for additional mini-courses; what is that white spot in your birds mouth?; Disinfection; rehydration fluids; IM and SQ injections; gavage; bandaging; physical exams; microscopes and how to use them; ruptured airsacs; illustrated glossary; you get the picture, how about helping? Contact Kai.

We also have another new member section underway.

The monographs on North American mammals will bring a wealth of biological data together, species by species. We are hoping to add much more to this section. More to come.

Interested in what is happening in, say, Nepal? A new section will post newsletters and information from all over our world. Do you know of a great publication that highlights the world of rehabilitation and conservation that can be added to this section? You know who to contact!

There is so much happening at IWRC. Are you interested in becoming more involved? Contact Kai and let her know what interests you. Also, keep visiting IWRC’s website, there’s lots more to come.

Lastly, don’t forget to check out news for the 2011 Symposium. Plan your holiday to relax from your rehab season and pre-holiday craziness by joining us in Florida this November. It will be a wonderful gathering, packed with great classes, lectures, networking and social events.
Meantime, I know many of you are already busy, caring for your wild patients. Don’t forget to care for yourself too, we all need you.
Cheers,
Lynn