Help CROW this festive season

IT’s the most wonderful time of the year and what better way to add a little festive spirit than by helping tick off some of the much-needed items on the Centre for Rehabilitation for Wildlife’s (CROW) Christmas wish list.

“Our Christmas wish list, includes items such as baby blankets and towels, old or new, serviettes, fruits and vegetables, bird seed, dog pellets and biscuits, carpet tiles, cleaning detergents and black plastic vegetable crates. We also have a dream list which consists of new or second-hand laptops for the staff at Crow, as many of our computers are outdated and they have started giving up the ghost,” said marketing and communications officer, Lana Bartholomew. Yellowwood Park’s wildlife sanctuary also makes an appeal for a refrigerator after their last one recently packed up. The donation of any second-hand items in good condition to their charity shop, The Social Cause Agency in Pinetown would also be appreciated from the local community.

“2019 has been a great year and we’ve made progress in different areas and also secured a number of new release sites all over KZN as well as the number of depot to take in some of our animals. We have received and rescued 3 743 animals this year alone and have released 1 250 animals. It has been a great year and it’s all thanks to our dedicated staff who are highly committed and passionate and that has made my job here at CROW so much easier and a big thank you to them, especially our clinic staff, who came into the baby season with high number of admissions and caring and feeding the babies round the clock,” said Craig Halkett-Siddall who joined the CROW team as the director at the beginning of this year.

The wildlife centre’s highlights of the year include successful releases back into wildlife, Clint’s personal favourite was the admission, rehabilitation and release of a green mamba which had severe lacerations and large portion of the skin had been ripped off. “I was treating it every day for about two weeks and every third day for another three weeks. We eventually took it to Ushaka Marine World where they managed to successfully operate and treat the animal which was later released back into nature,’ said the self-confessed reptile lover.

The centre has done well this year with much needed developments taking place such hosting more schools at the education centre facility and clinic upgrades. Craig said they hope to have a full time vet at the centre, an organic vegetable garden, build a natural wetland and extend their primate nursery in 2020. Craig expressed that the work he and his team do to care for the wild animals in need is both exhilarating and rewarding from the rescue to the release phase. The team faces various challenges on a day to day basis such as caring for the many animals that need attention from the clinic, staffing and vehicles.

“Although we have grown the number of our volunteers, we do have a small team here and hence are limited to staff who are able to attend to rescues. Also with the dip in the economy, corporates and people tend to pull back a little bit especially when it comes to funding wildlife and therefore funding has been quite scarce and we trying to generate more ways to raise funds. “Wherever there are challenges there is ways and opportunities to work towards a solution. The CROW calendar has also been doing quite well, more than it has in previous years during this time frame and the calendars are available throughout the country and via courier.”

“CROW is committed to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of orphaned and injured wildlife and believes in action and education with regards to the protection of all natural resources. We are grateful to our major sponsors, donors and the community, whose significant support enables us to assist thousands of injured, orphaned and displaced animals every year. On behalf of our animals, we thank all the companies and groups for their on-going support,” he said.
To support, fund or assist at the centre contact Crow on 031-462-1127 or email Lana Bartholomew on info@crowkzn.co.za.

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