The Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitators Association
Presents a Virtual Wildlife Conference
February 20, 2021
9:00am - 5:00pm
Sessions and Times
9am-10am Crystal Sharlow-Schaefer, Wisconsin Humane Society Wildlife Rehabilitation Center
Lessons Learned Answering Phones in 2020
We all know that 2020 presented wildlife rehabilitators with many challenges, including significantly increasing the volume of phone calls we received. Crystal will share lessons learned and strategies utilized at the Wisconsin Humane Society this summer. There will also be open conversation time where we can discuss and share other strategies and hopefully laugh a bit as we commiserate what we all got through. Expect to leave this chat with some tips and suggestions to help make the next busy summer season ahead a tad more manageable!
10am-11am Gabriele Paul, Colorado Wild Rabbit Foundation
Rehabilitation of Cottontail Rabbits: From Basics to Advanced
At the Colorado Wild Rabbit Foundation, we receive around 450 cottontail rabbits each year, representing three different species. Over the years, our protocols and success in rehabilitating these animals have improved considerably. Topics covered in this talk include natural history, basic husbandry and feeding, weaning, GI diseases/diarrhea, common medical conditions, release and reuniting considerations, and more. I will also discuss specific changes in our protocols that have contributed to our success. Species-specific differences will be highlighted as needed.
11am-12noon Mandy Kamps, WDNR
Open forum q&a-- topics already asked to cover:
a. Bans on bat, mustelid, and felid rehab
b. What steps need to be taken to allow skunk and wolf rehab
c. WWRA will send out emails to members and conference attendees for questions also!
12noon-12:30pm Peggy Popp
Toolkit for Wildlife Rehabilitators and Veterinarians
An introduction to a ”Tool Kit” of resources that was created to facilitate communication, outline expectations, and provide resources for both wildlife rehabilitators and their veterinarians of record. The Tool Kit, which can be customized, will be shared with all conference participants.
12:30pm-1pm Lunch Break
1pm-2pm Erin Lemley, Dane County Humane Society's Wildlife Center
NSAIDS - How do they work?
Pain management is very important in our wildlife patients, and Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) are one of the most common ways to provide pain relief. This talk will show how NSAIDS work in the body, how they prevent pain, and differences between different types of NSAIDS. We discuss common side effects to watch out for and how species react differently to NSAIDS.
2pm-3pm Barb Hucek, R-PAWS/Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary
Hand-Rearing Orphaned Songbirds, Hatchling to Juveniles:
Learn about caring for these delicate, curious, and complex critters that can eat everything from seed to worms to fruit—and learn how to keep it all straight! This includes housing, feeding techniques, common complications—and get some great stories too!
3pm-4pm Marge Gibson, REGI
Lead poisoning in birds of prey
4pm-5pm Lori Bankson and Amy Harris, R-PAWS/Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary
Botulism in waterfowl and case study from summer 2020
Botulism has to have the right conditions to strike waterfowl and waterbirds—and when it does, it can decimate large populations if not caught quickly. Learn how Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary discovered and tracked an outbreak on their site, what they did for treatment, and how they worked to clear the outbreak while dealing with a 2ndoutbreak in the Bay of Green Bay.
Conference Registration
Click the button below to register for
WWRA 2021 Virtual Conference
Virtual Conference Information
Conference Host
Hosted via Zoom through a partnership with Partners for Wildlife
Thank you to our Conference Sponsors!
Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control
Tomahawk Live Trap
Why virtual?
While we know we can’t meet for our annual conference in person for the personal health and safety of all of us – we can still meet virtually! We are very excited to be able to bring you this online learning opportunity geared specifically for Wisconsin wildlife rehabilitators. This is a perfect time to spend a day with each other online, to connect with your fellow Wisconsin rehabilitators, and get some continuing education credits!
Since this is our first time hosting an online conference (and possibly your first time attending one), we’re sticking to a refined, but still high-quality schedule to help prepare you for what 2021 will bring us. We’re working to make this conference as stream-lined and as easy of a process for you to access the presentations and materials as well.
What you will need
To access the online conference, you do need to have an email account and a device that can access Zoom. And that’s it! Your device could be a computer, laptop, tablet, or even a smartphone. If your device doesn’t have a camera – that is okay, you’ll still be able to see the speakers even if they can’t see you. And if your device doesn’t have a microphone, no worries. There still is a “chat” option that you can type questions into to communicate with the speakers during the conference.
Hosting an online conference will absolutely be different, and we will miss seeing you in-person. However, our hope is that with the barrier of travel removed that we can increase accessibility to all WWRA members and the Wisconsin wildlife rehabilitation community. We also anticipate there may be out-of-state attendees!
About Us
Who are we?
Who are we?
Who are we?
The Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator's Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping Wisconsin's wildlife by promoting communication, education, and professionalism in the field of wildlife rehabilitation.
Our goals
Who are we?
Who are we?
Through our member newsletter, and conference we seek to:
- Preserve Wisconsin's Wildlife.
- Facilitate networking among
wildlife rehabilitators.
- Promote professionalism and ethical excellence in the practice of
wildlife rehabilitation.
- Foster an understanding of, and support for wildlife rehabilitation among wildlife manageme
Through our member newsletter, and conference we seek to:
- Preserve Wisconsin's Wildlife.
- Facilitate networking among
wildlife rehabilitators.
- Promote professionalism and ethical excellence in the practice of
wildlife rehabilitation.
- Foster an understanding of, and support for wildlife rehabilitation among wildlife management agencies, the veterinary community and the general public.
Benefits
Who are we?
Benefits
Membership benefits
*WWRA Newsletter – packed full of wildlife news, important issues, wildlife care methods, and wildlife conference announcements. *WWRA Directory – a valuable listing of
wildlife rehabilitators and others
interested in Wisconsin wildlife.
*Discounts – Receive discounts on
WWRA conferences.
*WWRA Board – contact the expe
Membership benefits
*WWRA Newsletter – packed full of wildlife news, important issues, wildlife care methods, and wildlife conference announcements. *WWRA Directory – a valuable listing of
wildlife rehabilitators and others
interested in Wisconsin wildlife.
*Discounts – Receive discounts on
WWRA conferences.
*WWRA Board – contact the experienced wildlife rehabilitators on the WWRA Board of directors for rehabilitation advice or referral.
Help Our Cause
Your support and contributions will enable us to help wildlife rehabilitators of Wisconsin. Your generous donation will fund our mission.
New or Renew Membership
Click the button below to become a WWRA member or renew a WWRA membership