Wild animals clinic delayed by mining crisis 80% complete

A clinic for wild animals is 80 percent complete, as announced by the Ministry of the Environment (MiAmbiente).  It should have been completed in mid-November but was delayed by the road closure crisis.

The director of Protected Areas and Biodiversity of the institution, José Victoria, pointed out that this clinic is of utmost importance for the different specimens of wild species that are rescued.

“In this clinic, veterinarians and specialized personnel will provide care to animals, cure and perform surgical interventions as required by the units that are brought to the site. There will also be equipment for hospitalization. Until now, cases of animals affected by ailments required to be attended to by foundations and non-governmental organizations that had the facilities,” he indicated.

Mariana Parks, the veterinarian of the institution’s Biodiversity Department, explained that the wildlife veterinary clinic will have the equipment, inputs, supplies, materials, products, and resources necessary to provide medical care services for control and prevention, treatment, monitoring, and rehabilitation of wildlife from rescues or illegal possession, and not for the care of domestic animals or pets.

The specialist added that this site will also make it possible to reference horizontal diseases between animals and diseases that can affect humans (zoonotic), and in turn, be an epidemiological surveillance unit that would allow establishing plans and programs for the conservation of species and others.

The Biodiversity Department of MiAmbiente has carried out, until October 31, 2023, 508 rescues where 196 were birds, 251 mammals, and 61 reptiles, of which 40% received veterinary care, most of the cases were due to accidents, loss of habitat and connectivity, illegal possession among others.