Wildlife Rehabilitator Salary

Wildlife rehabilitation has recently turned into a full-fledged profession for various families and people whose forefathers/ancestors were wildlife rehabilitators. Earlier, it was pursued by people as a part of their hobby or due to their love for wild animals and wildlife. However, as the wheels of time have turned, with various non-governmental organizations and environmental enthusiasts encouraging participation from people, this career is taking new shapes and dimensions.

Job Description
The job of a wildlife rehabilitator involves a variety of tasks and limiting it to just a few paid tasks demeans the spirit of love and care for animals. One must have a drive for self-less service towards animals and wildlife to survive in this profession. The salary is for those who work on a paid basis. For all the rest that work voluntarily, it is the joy of service that motivates them for work. The job description is as follows.

• Feeding and bathing baby birds and animals.
• Helping the veterinarian in imparting fluid therapy to the diseased animals.
• Bandaging the animals in the case of hurt animals (accidents, hunting, animal abuse).
• Supervising, guiding and instructing the paid or voluntary workers.
• Maintaining a regular database, about the health, food and other factors that help in tracking the growth of the animals.
• Capturing and transporting injured wild animals.
• Spreading awareness about wild animals like snakes, that are generally killed on sight, in case they are found in the vicinity of villages and areas close to the villages.
• Talking to concerned citizens and similar thinking people, and making a team for improving the conditions of wild animals.

Requirements
Though no degree or qualification is essential for becoming a wildlife rehabilitator, except a heart that cries every time an animal is in pain, still, as every profession demands skills and knowledge, some NGO's and firms prefer people with a degree in animal anatomy, zoology, biology and other life sciences. Basically, the idea is that the worker must have basic knowledge of animals and their living styles. However, if you don't have any such degree then it's not a matter of concern, as the passion to make some real difference in the life of animals is more important than any of the degrees.

One should know that almost all birds and wildlife are protected by strict laws. To work with mammals, reptiles and amphibians, it is expected that the agencies or organizations hiring wildlife rehabilitators get a permission from the state wildlife agencies. The state agencies test the candidates as per their standards in specialized training, with written and oral exams, before giving the permits. Only by receiving an adequate permission they can work with full authority.

Who Should Be a Wildlife Rehabilitator?
One must have a craving to help and heal the wild animals. Anybody who is trustworthy, honest, cooperative and can work in teams is always welcomed by the employers. The bottom line of recruiting is that the person is self-motivated and has a genuine concern for the life of animals and their well-being. Organizations look out for people who are responsible and are aware of the problems and challenges that this job can present before them.

Salary
The main concern for most of the people (it may be that you are one of them) is how much is the salary? Well, first of all if your sole purpose is to earn money, then better consider some other options instead of considering a wildlife rehabilitator career. The salary is not at all glamorous. This does not mean that you won't be able to make money at all. Basically, money should be the secondary thing in this career. The salaries of paid workers are usually raised by the funds that are given by corporate companies, NGOs and other organizations. The average salary is around $20,000 annually. There are many agencies run by the US government that keep these workers on a paid basis.

This career must not be viewed in the light of just salary. It does not matter whether you work voluntarily as a or work with some paid agencies, just make sure that you treat the animals with love, care so that they can heal faster. You can start this good work of animal rescue, by registering in some local zoo and taking care of the zoo animals. Gradually, as you gain some experience in handling the wild animals, you can switch over to larger roles.