One HUGE goal for LWP is to create a vet clinic for rescued wildlife… but that is kind of expensive 😅. Last of the Wild Places is using its profits to slowly bring this dream to life, but if you’d like to support the creation of the clinic, we do have a little investment opportunity. This involves purchasing a bungalow on the same rainforest site as the clinic, this will serve as a rental for researchers, volunteers and tourists; the rental fee pays off the investment and a portion of the profits go into running the vet clinic… interested? Let’s chat!
KETAMBE WILDLIFE TRANSIT CENTRE
A veterinary facility to allow for the medical assessment and treatment of rescued wildlife; with adjoining enclosures to house rescued wildlife for transfer to a quarantine centre, or as a treatment and observation area before release.
Situated in the heart of the Leuser ecosystem, on the main arterial road of Aceh, Ketambe is the perfect location for a first response wildlife rescue centre. In the districts of Aceh Tengarra and Gayo Lues there is currently no facility or framework in place for handling rescued wildlife, and in an area with high levels of poaching and human wildlife conflict, there is a great need for such a facility to be created.
At present there are large NGO’s focussed on the rescue, rehabilitation and release of orangutan within the Leuser ecosystem; some of these organisations also assist with other critically endangered species, like the Sumatran elephant. However, there’s a plethora of other critically endangered species in need of support; rare bird species and primates valued in the pet trade, reptiles and flying mammals used for bush medicine, and critically endangered ungulates valued as food items. These species are continuously being taken from the forest, sold in villages, local markets, or sold to illegal wildlife traders who transfer animals to large animal markets in the capital cities, and potentially for export to international buyers.
With the assistance of concerned locals and NGO staff, and with the cooperation of government agencies BKSDA and TNGL, it is possible to rescue some of the poached animals before they are illegally sold to wildlife traders or end up in the kitchen. Often these animals can be nursing wounds from their capture and need immediate vet treatment, the centre would house equipment and use a network of vets in Aceh and North Sumatra to treat the rescued wildlife. The animals would be housed for observation, with the aim to release them to the wild, when veterinary staff confirming if they can be released.
OVERVIEW OF GOALS:
- Create a framework for intercepting and rescuing illegally caught wildlife in Ketambe and surrounding areas
- Create a facility to allow rescued wildlife to be treated by a vet in a timely manner.
- Help with rescues in conjunction with BKSDA and TNGL.
- Facilitate the capture, treatment and release of wildlife in Ketambe and surrounding area.
- Create enclosures for rescued animals to be treated and observed
- Transfer to quarantine centres where appropriate
- Release with BKSDA and TNGL when appropriate
