Wildlife Vets International’s avian surgeon Johanna Storm continued to pass on her expertise to save birds injured during the International Kite Festival in Ahmedabad, India earlier this year.

WVI patron Steve Leonard cohosts this series with Clare Balding, presenting ground-breaking operations to save the lives of wild animals.

In this first of a three part series, Steve visits the largest A&E on the planet which sees more than 2,000 birds pass through its gates each year.

WVI were invited to improve the survival rate of the birds of prey in particular as JCT and volunteer vets had little experience in handling them.

Through improved pre and post surgical care as well as during the surgery itself, the survival rate has increased from less than 40% to over 97% over the past two seasons.

An injection of much needed fluids given on arrival and force feeding of a suitable diet during recovery from surgery has meant the birds are more able to cope with the surgery, mend better and are released back to the wild healthier and stronger than they had been previously.

Birds arrive in a terrible state having struggled against the strong cutting strings for hours, even days.

They are dehydrated and most frequently have severe trauma to the frontal edge of their wings. Unlucky ones will have broken wing and legs bones as well.

This year WVI initiated giving fluids to the birds on arrival at the clinic to kick-start recovery and the correct nutrition was provided once the birds had come round from anaesthesia.

The provision of a carnivorous diet is particularly difficult as the provision of meat goes against the Jain culture.

Therefore WVI took out VetArk’s Critical Care Formula, a powder that is made into a paste. It is specifically aimed at animals that have been through trauma and/or surgery. Some meat was able to be supplied later on.

JCT staff and volunteers embraced the concept when they saw positive effects.

Together with training on how to force feed the different species, the new nutritional plan has had an enormous positive effect with birds recovering fitness quicker and to a higher level.

It was fantastic for our patron to visit another of WVI’s projects. Steve came back full of admiration for what the Jivdaya Charitable Trust achieve in the face of such onslaught.

As a small animal vet himself, Steve was most impressed by Johanna’s surgical skills (and the Indian food). Perhaps he learnt a thing or two!

WVI is very grateful to the following supporters of this project:

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What kind of dog can kill a cat like this?

A sick dog, passing on deadly distemper.

Infected tigers can die.

They can also lose their fear of man.

A tiger with no fear can become a killer.

Then, tragically, the tiger may well be killed.

WVI is determined to break the deadly cycle. Our big cat vet Dr John Lewis is working in freezing Russia and in the forests of Sumatra and Bangladesh on vital research.

Can you help and save the tiger?

Fundraise to win …..

pledge to raise funds for WVI and win a trip with a zoo vet. Contact the office for more information: info@wildlifevetsinternational.org

New disease in endangered magpie robins

A few endangered Seychelles magpie robins Copsychus sechellarum have been found with an eye infection.

Conservation organisations in the Seychelles have little or no veterinary support within the Seychelles and no budget for bringing in international expertise.

WVI has the funding to complete the pathology testing but needs more funds to send a vet out to advise on how to deal with the problem.

This issue highlights how important it is to improve the capacity for wildlife medicine within the countries we work in.

TEXT SEYC01 £5 to 70070 or donate online to help the Seychelles magpie robin.

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