Hanging out at Freeme KZN Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre

I am all brave now that this big boy has been put to sleep.
He weighed in at 11.8 Kg's and I witnessed him tear the crap out of a blanket earlier so forgive my apprehensiveness.

At eleven O'clock on Saturday night I found myself at my parent’s doorstep. I had been suffering from anxiety all day and after a crippling panic attack I knew I had to leave the city. Howick on a Saturday night was just the place I needed to be. After a few cups of tea and a crumpled paper bag later I was asleep.

Awake at five the next morning, my feelings of anxiety came back. I needed to do something, something new. In desperation I decided to take my laptop and sit at a morning function at an organisation called Freeme website, which takes in injured wildlife for the purpose of rehabilitation and release. 

I ended up spending my entire day there. 

The highlight was participating in the release of two adult Serval that had been rehabilitated from a form of feline biliary. They had to be darted, weighed, captured and tagged before being released into Blue Crane farm, a reserve in Underberg. The process was witnessed by UK students who had come to do research into South African wildlife conservation. 

Dr. Ramesh (UKZN Servil studies) and Dr. Ryan van Deventer ( wildlife vet)

I also found myself in love with a warthog that had been brought in on Saturday, he been left with a broken pelvis after being hit by a car. He looked so sad and Roz, the GM of Free Me KZN, commented that he might have been lying on the road for some days. 

Visiting student

The whole concept of conservation in South Africa relies on support and donations. Education is the key to sustaining our wildlife and non-profit organisations like Free Me who work hard to educate, rehabilitate, release and rescue are under increased financial strain. The reality is that the survival of our wildlife depends on our own efforts to stop poaching. This can only be done by supporting organisations that actively work to fight against poachers.

The whole conservation experience really left a mark on me and I found myself wanting to belong to this wonderful organisation. I was exhausted but happy, and for the first time in a long while, I felt like I had a purpose.This is how I want to spend my day. This is my contribution, I will now be doing PR for Freeme KZN.

Just hanging with my new homie, a sweet baby Reedbuck.

For more information or to make a donation:

P.O. Box 48, Howick, KwaZulu Natal, 3290

Tel: 033 330 3036

Fax: 086 6539 658

e-mail: admin@freemekzn.co.za
http://freemekzn.co.za/