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The Role of Registered Carers
Carers are experienced volunteers who provide their expertise
without payment and nurture creatures at their own expense
to ensure the dwindling native colonies survive. Hobart Carer
Robyn Gates has worked with wildlife for 15 years, specifically
gliders for 5 years, and has kindly provided much of the information
on this site. Her home in the foothills of Hobart's Mt Wellington
backs onto tall timber eucalypt forest and is the perfect
place to release rehabilitated gliders.
Techniques I have observed
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Food Orientation
The key to Robyn's care is that it's food orientated.
Gliders are only handled in conjunction with being fed
to engender a positive connection with any treatment.
It also helps her to lure them out of their cage with
a minimum of stress or fuss.
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Environment Selection
The carer will select from a series of cages appropriate to
the level of injury and the patient then becomes part of family
life. Robyn has found that the gliders are particularly conscious
of any peripheral activity and uses this trait as another
strategy to stimulate the gliders. Whilst she does attempt
to reduce noise, she does encourage activity around the healthier
gliders by introducing another glider. Robyn tries her best
to emulate a natural environment and to reinstate the glider's
instinctive interaction with other animals.
Marking
Gliders are highly territorial and as they mature they
develop scent glands which are used to mark their territory
and members of their community. Scent marking glands are particularly
well developed in the male, and individuals are recognised
by thier odour. A carer may transfer the scent of one glider
to another whilst still in seperate environments before attempting
to bond them.
Bonding
Bonding is another technique Robyn uses when one glider has
not fully recovered but is well enough to survive in the company
of a stronger role model. It encourages the weaker glider
to eat and play and motivates them to take an interest in
their surroundings again. This is another technique to stimulate
their healthy interaction.
Interpreting Communication
An injured glider will only issue a warning growl in self-defence,
rather like a child would cry. However in their natural environment
they yap, romp and chitter. They issue a shrill danger call
to each other if a predator approaches. . Consequently a carer
is able to assess a gliders progress by their return to use
of a more varied forms of communication. A glider 'on the
mend' is more likely to yap and chitter, especially in the
presence of other gliders.
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Professional Consultation
A visit to the local vet for assessment is first on the
agenda so that a recuperation plan and dietary requirements
can be determined, on a case-by-case basis. Some vets
offer their services free of charge where possible. This
donation is of great benefit to carers, who along with
thier vets have developed a form of physiotherapy for
injured gliders, from years of experience. |
Gradual Release
When a glider appears to be ready for release into the wilderness,
the carer will release the animal into a 'half way station'
in the form of a nearby nesting tree first. This will allow
for close monitoring of their progress. It also provides some
protection where the gliders are most susceptible to attack.
Food is originally provided until the carer is satisfied the
glider has begun foraging for itself.
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