Mystery Career #14: Who Am I? Can You Guess My Job?

One time, when I was a small child, I found a baby skunk wandering around the edge of the woods in back of my house. My mother immediately made me and my dad put it back in the woods. We made sure it was sheltered by some bushes and not too far from where I had found it. Little did she know that I'd be doing tasks like that for the rest of my life! My passion for animals turned into a lifelong career. Can you guess what I do for a living?

The animals I care for are usually very young, injured or sick but I am not a veterinarian. I take care of animals that have been found on farms, but I am not a farmer, nor do the animals I care for include horses, cows, chickens or pigs. Can you guess my profession?

I get calls from parks, animal hospitals, public works departments and private homes to trap and transport animals but I am not an animal control officer. Oftentimes, these animals aren't even sick or injured, but people know they can count on my expertise and experience to deal with the situation. Have you guessed my profession yet?

I care for many animals at the facility I work for, but they are not pets. In fact, it is illegal, even for me to keep these animals as pets. When I am sure the animals are better, I release them back into their natural habitats.

When I am not caring for these animals, I lecture at local schools on wildlife and having a healthy respect for wild animals. I teach children that this usually means to let it be!

By law, I have to be licensed in the state I live in to work with these animals. In addition, I have a permit from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to work with birds. It is illegal to care for them without it.

You still can't guess what my job title is? Well, the following are some of the situations I am called upon to deal with that might give you the clues you need:

o Trapping and relocating hurt possums and skunks from city neighborhoods.

o Taking care of birds that have accidentally flown into the sides of buildings or cars and broken their wings.

o Relocating a deer that was injured by running into a fence, once its wounds are healed.

o Nurturing and then releasing young robins and other birds that have been brought to pet hospitals and veterinarians after falling out of nests.

If you guessed that I am a wildlife rehabilitator, you are absolutely right! The best part of my job is watching a hawk or an eagle that accidentally flew into a truck on the highway, released and flying away after three months or so rehabilitation at my facility. It makes the long hours and low pay all worth it! People don't do my job for the money. They do it because they love animals!

To read the last installment of Mystery Career, click here.

Sources:

1. "NWRA - What you need to know about jobs in Wildlife Rehabilitation," nwrawildlife.org/page.asp?ID=108.

2. "Wildlife Rehabilitation Jobs - Animal Rehabilitators Career Overview," jobmonkey.com/animaljobs/wildlife-rehabilitation.html.

3. "Wildlife Rehabilitator Salary," buzzle.com/articles/wildlife-rehabilitator-salary.html.