Skye Environmental Centre Ltd Wildcare Forum 2002

The wildlife hospital on the Isle of Skye has been operational since 1988, with a rapidly increasing workload each year. The hospital now receives casualties from all over Scotland, while carrying out hands-on practical rescue and rehabilitation work themselves. Their specialty lies with seals and otters, but they take in any wild animal or bird casualty.

The Wildcare Forum was an opportunity for vets, research scientists, rehabilitators, one person operations, and organisations such as the RSPCA to get together and discuss issues of interest and concern.

Initially the Forum was aimed largely at people working in Scotland, but since its introduction in 1991, delegates and speakers travel from all over Europe and the rest of the world.

Topics included in the discussion forum range from:

• Treating oiled birds
• Seal rescue
• Problems with swans
• Running a wildlife hospital in America
• Post release radio tracking of hedgehogs
• Setting up emergency facilities for treating wildlife casualties
• The use of osteopathy in the treatment of wildlife casualties

The Forum allowed the exchange of information and knowledge between all attendees, and encouraged continued contact regarding welfare issues or individual cases. It attracted good media coverage, which helped to draw public attention towards wildlife welfare issues.

Mr Peter Southgate, a BVA:AWF Trustee attended the conference on behalf of the Foundation.

For more information on the Skye Environmental Centre Ltd please visit http://www.otter.org/

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