While in the process of relocating the current wildlife residents to a new sanctuary site, the team at the Laos Wildlife Sanctuary has also been overwhelmed with rescue and release missions!
The sanctuary is a home for a wide variety of weird and wonderful animals, many of which have had a difficult start to life. The animals typically arrive at the sanctuary after being confiscated by the government from the illegal wildlife trade or being surrendered as former pets.
The following rescues occurred in the last month. Fortunately, all of the animals have the potential to be fully rehabilitated and eventually released back into the wild. However, it is common for animals to arrive at the sanctuary too habituated or traumatised for future release. In these situations, the sanctuary offers a safe, forever home.
No Creature Too Small
The sanctuary staff rescues and cares for more than just cute and cuddly animals, as every animal has an important role to play in the ecosystem.
Recently, staff members came across a deceased scorpion on the side of the road who still had all of her babies on her back, some of which were still alive. Scorpions give birth to live young and carry them on their back for the first few weeks of life until they are strong enough to fend for themselves.
Without their mother's protection, these babies would have quickly died off in the heat. Fortunately, one of the fully trained staff members carefully collected them and brought them back to the centre, giving them the best chance of survival. When older, they'll be released to fulfil their role in the ecosystem, eating small animals and being a source of prey for birds, mongoose, snakes, lizards and more.
Reptile Resilience
Sadly, the illegal wildlife trade is widespread in Laos, and our sanctuary often receives animals confiscated by the government. This month, they received a group of nine reptiles from a food market, including:
- Four impressed tortoises (endangered)
- Three clouded monitors (near threatened)
- Two wattle-necked softshell turtles (critically endangered)
One of the tortoises had a hole drilled through her shell, likely used to secure her with a hook or rope at the market. Another tortoise was found to be carrying at least 18 eggs.
Thanks to the collaborative effort of the government and sanctuary, these reptiles will be released back into the wild after a period of healing.
Self-admission
It's not every day that a new patient brings themselves to the sanctuary. However, last week, an Asian barred owlet was discovered outside one of the staff houses. The poor creature had likely fallen from its nest and suffered some head trauma.
The dedicated veterinary clinic team stepped in immediately to provide the necessary care for the owlet. The owlet is currently receiving treatment and will remain under their watchful eyes until it has fully recovered. Once back to full health, they will release the owlet in the area where it was found to provide a familiar environment.
The veterinary team performed an ultrasound on the owl's eye to check for any damage. The results will be sent to a specialist, who will provide guidance on the best course of treatment for the sanctuary's new feathery friend.
Leaping for Langurs
Last month, the Laos Wildlife Sanctuary lept into action to rescue two baby Indochinese grey langurs who were confiscated from the illegal pet trade. Listed as endangered, the IUCN Red List estimates there are fewer than 2,500 Indochinese grey langurs remaining.
Both babies have progressed well at the sanctuary over the past month under the care of the dedicated team. Currently, these infants need round-the-clock care and feeding every three hours, but when they are old enough, they'll be integrated with the resident group of langurs, weened from human contact, and will one day be fit to be released into the wild!
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Every month, the sanctuary safely moves hauls of animals over to the new site, rescues vulnerable and endangered wildlife from the grips of the illegal wildlife trade, and still releases rehabilitated animals ready to return to the wild. If you're looking to volunteer in a stunning country, make a real difference in the conservation of some incredible species, and meet like-minded people from around the world, head over to the Laos Wildlife Sanctuary project page to learn more!
