Experience of Foundation of Raptor Conservation Centre
In one of our previous publications we have raised the problem of absence of any raptor rehabilitation centre in Ukraine. It is pleasant to notice that on regional level there are attempts of solving this problem.
In the region of Ukrainian Carpathians there isn’t any specialized agency for rehabilitation of wild animals which suffered or temporarily lost abilities to survive in nature. Institutions for reintroduction of rare species don’t exist either. So, suffered animals are usually killed and stuffed or, as a better variant, given to zoos or traveling menageries, where kept till their death.
In August 2007, according to an initiative of staff-workers of the Scientific Department of Galych National Natural Park (Ivano-Frankivsk region, Galych City – www.halychpark.if.ua) the first animal was taken for rehabilitation and further release to nature. In 2008, an idea was born to establish the West Ukrainian Wild Animals Rehabilitation and Reintroduction Centre (hereinafter the Centre) on basis of the Park. The Park administration gave less than 3,000 hrivnas to construct open-air cages, buy food and a freezer.
Now the Centre is situated on a territory of the dendropark of Galych NPP and neigbouring forest. A staff-worker of the Scientific Department, engineer-zoologist takes care about animals. They are vaccinated and treated; data are recorded in the registry; ecological awareness for youth is provided.
Since the Centre has been founded, 19 animal species were kept. 10 of them were rehabilitated (the badger, honey buzzard, goshawk, sparrowhawk, hawfinch, buzzard, and great bat) and released in nature, 4 (fox, dormouse, lesser white-fronted geese, kestrel) are being treated and will be released in nature after recovery, 3 (white stork, buzzard and partridge) will be kept till death because they are crippled and cannot survive in nature.
| № n/n | Species | Period of keeping | Causes of keeping | Further fortune |
| 1 | Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus L.) | from 4.09.2007 to 28.09.2007 |
sick (infected with helminths) | released in nature |
| 2 | Buzzard (Buteo buteo L.) | from 27.08.2007 | got as a chick | released in nature |
| 3 | Buzzard (Buteo buteo L.) | from 17.12.2007 to 8.01.2009 |
crippled (broken humeral bone) | died because of lack of qualitative food and supercooling in a winter cage |
| 4 | Buzzard (Buteo buteo L.) | from 13.07.2008 to 4.08.2008 |
sick (infected with helminths) | released in nature |
| 5 | Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus L.) | from 5..2007 to 8.09.2007 |
got as a tame chick | released in nature |
| 6 | Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis L.) | from 4.07.2007 to 28.07.2007 |
got as a chick | released in nature |
| 7 | Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus L.) | from 7.08.2007 to 11.08.2007 |
got as a chick | released in nature |
The Centre regularly receives animals which require help, but lack of finances does not allow curing and keeping them properly. The Centre needs funds for valuable work (building of open-air cages and barns, buying of food and medicine).
At present, the budget of Galych NPP cannot keep the number of animals entering the Centre. The personnel of the department has to buy food and medicines for animals for their own account. There is a lack of new spacious cages, conditions for the animals and birds already kept in the Centre should be improved. That is why we are looking for sponsors and supporters who can help in maintaining and further development of the Centre. All persons who would like to help can contact Galych NPP (galychnpp@ukr.net)., or address the head of the Centre and scientific department of Galych NPP Volodymyr Buchko (buchvv@ukr.net).
It expected that lives of many wild animals will be saved due to the Centre’s activity. Reintroduction of rare species of animals and ecological awareness are also foreseen. New methods will be developed for keeping, rehabilitation and reproduction in captivity of common wild animals and reintroduction of rare species. There is a hope that the existence of the Centre will favour development of tourism in the region.
Maxim Gavrilyuk (according to materials of Volodymyr Buchko)