Animal Management students have recently been to Secret World Wildlife Rescue in Highbridge for a day of learning. They were gathering information for an assignment, ‘Present a rehabilitation plan for rescued wildlife’.

The morning started with lectures about why we rehabilitate wildlife, how to administer wildlife first aid and a delightful lecture on rearing young orphans. The students were taken around the site to see the wide variety of facilities; hospital rooms, a badger cub rearing room, the initial assessment room, a deer calf rearing pen, ‘Hogwarts’ for hedgehogs, and a selection of different aviaries to suit rehabilitation of water birds through to birds of prey. They also got to meet resident animals which had been hand reared and become too comfortable with humans to be released – a red deer and three foxes.

During lunch, Secret World staff discussed their jobs, their qualifications and their specialisms. They all stressed the importance of volunteering in order to gain the experience to have an edge at an interview.

After lunch there were lectures on the importance of health and safety, and housing and feeding rehabilitating wildlife. The students worked in groups with cards detailing different animals and different kinds of facilities – working out which animal needs what. Finally some information on releasing wildlife was presented and it was time to go home. The students felt they had gained a lot from the day, not only for their college work but to help progress their careers in the future.

Find out more about Animal Management courses here or call 01278 441234.