| James Kon |
LACK of expertise, absence of a proper wildlife rehabilitation centre and scattered and haphazard workings of various nature groups should be rectified as there are still plenty of wild animals in Brunei that need to be protected from declining numbers and poachers.
Proper rescue and rehabilitation work is not easy as it requires proper training. The task requires the right know-how on handling the animals and the methods and medical supplies used. Without this, attempts to rescue wild animals could cause unnecessary injuries and may also spread zoonotic diseases (diseases that can be spread between animals and humans).
That was why the hosting of Brunei’s first ‘Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Training’ was highlighted as a significant initiative by the Founder and President of BruWILD (also known as the Brunei Biodiversity and Natural History Society) Liaw Lin Ji. The opening ceremony of the event was held at the Institute for Leadership, Innovation and Advancement (ILIA) of Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD).
In working to realise the training, she said, “BruWILD and the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (IWRC) have spent countless hours organising, facilitating meetings after meetings, odd-hour conference calls, months and months of research for medical supplies to make this first initial step of wildlife rescue and rehabilitation work in Brunei possible.”
“It has taken us a year of hard work to get to where we are now. The realisation of this would not have been possible without the great support of our collaborators – the US Embassy whose generous support helped fund this training, UBD for providing the venue and refreshments for the event, to the wildlife divisions and International School Brunei who have been supporting our endeavour ever since the beginning,” she added.
Group photo of the United States Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam, Craig Boyd Allen with the partici-pants of Brunei’s first ‘Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Training’. – JAMES KON
Meanwhile, the United States Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam, Craig Boyd Allen, in his special address to the 30 participants shared his passion for conservation.
“Today, we see more and more urban landscapes colliding into the natural environment, threatening wildlife and its habitats. Brunei Darussalam is home to pristine rainforests and many animal species unique to this part of the world. Shortly after I arrived in Brunei, I made it a priority to experience the country’s natural beauty when my family and I visited Ulu Temburong National Park,” he said.
“I was immediately impressed and continued to encourage many of our visitors to spend time in this special place in the heart of Borneo. It would be a tragedy if future generations could no longer enjoy what my family experienced, the excitement of walking in an unspoiled rainforest rich with animal and plant species,” he added.
The United States Ambassador also highlighted the recent statement from Secretary John Kerry during World Wildlife Day where he said, “The United States is a country with a deep and abiding conservationist tradition. We rallied to the defence of our bald eagle and the American bison. We have fought to save tuna, salmon, sharks, tigers, whales and many other endangered species. But protecting wildlife is not just an American value; all of us have a special responsibility for future generations to live our caretaker responsibilities.”
The training programme includes IWRC’s two day flagship course on basic rehabilitation conducted by Certified Wildlife Rehabilitators from IWRC, Dr Kelli Knight and Lloyd Brown. The training includes pain management, wound management, parasitology and zoonoses, which are all geared towards the particulars needed in wildlife rehabilitation. Other areas that will be covered are disaster management, Brown’s area of expertise where he has worked in human and animal disaster management for many years.
The 30 participants of the training are from NGOs, private and local educational institutions as well as government agencies and they will gain over 40 hours of continuing education. Following the training, participants will be working closely with the Brunei Government in wildlife rescue operations in Brunei.
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