Introducing our new monthly column, ANIMAL MAGIC by Natalie Gould from The Vale Wildlife Hospital.
In this first edition, she introduces the work of the charity that was founded in 1984 to care for sick and injured British wildlife.
By Natalie Gould
The Vale Wildlife Hospital was founded more than four decades ago by my mum, Caroline Gould, in our family home in Cropthorne and now operates from its purpose-built wildlife hospital in Beckford, near Evesham.
Annually, we admit over 8,000 British wildlife species that are sick, injured, or orphaned, with the aim of treating, rehabilitating, and releasing all our admissions, where possible.
The hospital is staffed 24/7 (casualties can be admitted between 7am and 10pm every day) with our trained Wildlife Care Assistants, veterinary team and, of course, our fantastic volunteers, and we are available to attend large mammal callouts (foxes, badgers, deer etc) anytime of the day or night in our wildlife ambulances.
This badger cub is now tucked up safely. Photo -Vale Wildlife Hospital
Wildlife rescues are struggling, and Vale Wildlife Hospital is no exception. Without help, we risk losing the already low number of wildlife rehabilitation establishments that exist in the UK.
Humans are directly or indirectly responsible for the vast majority of the 8,000+ casualties that come through our doors every year – it’s not down to nature, sadly, it’s down to us.
We are losing species at an alarming rate, and this will increase exponentially if we keep building on wildlife habitat, constructing more and more roads, polluting waterways, destroying hedgerows, woodlands and meadows, discarding damaging rubbish, wiping out bees, butterflies and other vital insects, and increasing the population on our small island.
A very young cub. Photo – Vale Wildlife Hospital
Wildlife rehabilitation in the UK does not receive any funding whatsoever and many rescues have already closed their doors due to the massive financial impact of the huge rise in the costs over the past few years.
The future of wildlife rehabilitation in the UK looks very bleak, at a time when we need more facilities for wildlife in need, not less.
Over 41 years, Vale Wildlife Hospital has treated well over 160,000 wildlife casualties and raising the £75,000 every month that it now costs to run the charity is becoming an almost impossible task.
Over the coming months, I hope to raise awareness of wildlife rehabilitation, educate on wildlife species and give examples of the small changes that everyone can make to help make a big impact on our British wildlife in the future.
Visit valewildlife.org.uk for more information about Vale Wildlife Hospital.
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