Helping nature during times of crisis
– Wildlife Rescue
If you live in the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve, you’re no stranger to disasters.
During these crises, nature is usually at the bottom of the list of priorities.
When we lose thousands of hectares of wild environments, before nature has been able to recover from the previous onslaught, then we start facing a nature catastrophe.
The Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve therefore wants to take action to help now – before the next disaster strikes. And we need YOUR support.
We’ve got a plan:
We’re bringing together a team of volunteers. We’re looking at setting up a Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre to care for sick and injured animals – in order to release them back into the wild. And we’re getting the necessary equipment in place now, so that we’re prepared. There’s so much we can do now, such as:
- Find an appropriate home for our Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre
- Use this centre to set up environmental education and training opportunities
- Receive the necessary training to safely help during disasters
- Acquire the equipment that we need, such as Personal Protective Equipment
- Put plans in place for disaster situations
- Undertake rescue operations BEFORE planned burns take place
- Work with key partners and build relations to ensure support when crises hit
- And so much more.
Wildfires are an obvious example of threats to our wildlife in the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve. But these are not the only risks we face. The Overberg has been severely impacted by flooding events in recent times too. Snares are a common problem, creating extreme pain and stress for our animals. Poisoning incidents have also been recorded. And there are other events, both natural and manmade, where our natural environment is impacted, with terrible consequences.
The KBR has therefore trained a group of volunteers as Wildlife First Responders who can respond to incidents and work together with veterinarians in the area.
But we cannot do any of this work without you.
We need your help – please get involved:
GET INVOLVED AND DONATE
Donate to this rescue unit. All funds raised are used to acquire the necessary equipment and to run rescue operations. Or help us find the ideal spot for our Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre – where we can care for injured and sick animals, in order to release them back into the wild.
Donate equipment
- First Aid supplies (any first aid medical supplies)
- Medical tape
- Latex gloves
- Animal handling/working gloves
- Towels (all sizes)
- Animal food
- Catching nets
- Fine mesh (birds nests)
- Spray bottles
- Baby bottles and teats
- Heat pads
- Scales (handheld/kitchen)
- Flashlights/headlamps
- Beanies/pouches
- Pillow cases and old sheets
- Carrier cages (cages for transport/temporary holding cage)
- Herbariums/fishtanks
- Animal-carrying stretcher
- Hacksaws/loppers
- Buckets
- Black bags
- Personal Protective Equipment
- Hand sanitiser
- Cable ties, duct tape
- Cotton gauze and bandages
Help us set up a Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre
We’re working with a permitted wildlife rehabilitator, Michelle Watson from Wildlife Rescue SA to set up a centre for animals. Michelle is one of the first people in South Africa to become certified by the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council. Michelle is also the co-founder of the Coalition of Rehabilitation Expertise and is responsible for introducing the Wild-One system to SA.
- Help us identify an appropriate
space for a centre - Provide cages to keep the animals
- Help us find soft release sites
- Help us with food for our patients
- Provide financial assistance to
upgrade the centre - Help with shade cloth and hardware
LOCAL VETS WE’RE WORKING WITH
Our wonderful local vets have teamed up with the Kogelberg Wildlife Rescue Group. They’ll be helping when and where they can to treat injured wildlife. If you would like to donate to the rescue work, you can donate to the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve Wildlife Rescue Group. Or you can donate to these vets (please use ‘Wildlife Kogelberg’ as the reference).
Dr Floris Kruger in Kleinmond
Banking Details: Southern Vet, FNB Current account: 63018363513
Dr Peter Dave in Kleinmond
Banking Details: Kleinmond Animal Clinic, Nedbank Kleinmond, Branch 147005, Account: 1470023490
Dr Michelle Lawrance in Grabouw
Banking Details: Grabouw Animal Clinic, FNB Grabouw, 62091293953
Dr Donalyn Hennessey in Villiersdorp
Banking details: Grabouw Animal Clinic, FNB Grabouw, 62091293953
| EMERGENCY WILDLIFE CONTACT LIST | ||
| Wildlife and Birds | ||
| Kogelberg Biosphere Wildlife Rescue Team | Corlie Hugo | 082 380 9071 |
| Kogelberg Biosphere Wildlife Rescue Team | Michelle Watson | 073 314 0674 |
| Snakes | ||
| Snake Catcher | Kleinmond | 082 385 1589 |
| Kleinmond Michael Green | 082 212 5116 | |
| Betty’s Bay Johan Cloete | 083 460 2123 | |
| Pringle Bay Francois van Zyl | 083 271 8809 | |
| Pringle Bay Dan | 083 463 9178 | |
| Poison Information Center | Snake Bites | 021 931 6129 |
| Poison Information Helpline | 0861 555 777 | |
| African SnakeBite Institute | Snake & Snake Bites | 082 494 2039 |
| Netcare Ambulance | 082 911 | |
| ER24 Ambulance | 084 124 | |
| Marine Mammals | ||
| S.A National Strandings Network | All Marine Mammals (Meredith Thornton) | 082 746 5579 |
| Overstrand Municipality | Office Hours | 028 316 3724 |
| Control Room | 028 313 8000/8111 | |
| South African Shark Conservancy | Hermanus | 028 312 3029 |
| Sea Turtles | ||
| Two Oceans Aquarium | 021 418 3823 | |
| Seabirds (Marine) | ||
| SANCCOB | CapeTown | 021 557 6156 |
| APSS | Hermanus/Gansbaai | 072 598 7117 |
| Bees | ||
| Gys Boonzaier | Kleinmond | 083 225 5695 |
| Animal Welfare (Domestic) | ||
| KAWS | Kleinmond | 028 271 5004 083 516 5535 |
| Rooisand Wild Horses | ||
| Rooisand Horse Watch | Leanne Dryburgh | 083 293 7208 |
| Prof. F van der Merwe | 082 959 8787 | |
JOIN THE TEAM
You can become a volunteer. Please download and fill in the volunteer form.
We’re also a Public Benefit Organisation with SARS. Our number is PBO: 930029352.
The KBRC can therefore issue Section 18A tax exemption certificates to our donors.
LATEST NEWS
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Snaring animals is “cruel, criminal” – and widespread
Snares are commonly used to catch wildlife for bushmeat – even in the Western Cape, and especially in areas in the Kogelberg Biosphere
Biosphere Living
If you live in the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve region, you’re already enjoying Biosphere Life. That means you can already enjoy all that Mother Nature offers you here, in this incredibly special part of the world.
You can take the next step, to become even more involved in the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve.
And remember to include us in your social media posts, by using the hashtag: #BiosphereLiving.