© The Caring Art of Rehabilitation.

         I titled this post having been under the guidance of one of the Bahamas' leading authorities in animal/bird rehab persons for the last six years. Since childhood's earliest memories I have been labeled by parents, grandparents and close friends 'an animal person.' Some of us are gifted with this asset, others maybe not so fortunate?

Since childhood animals of all breeds have found me receptive to my touch and closeness, those who are familiar will well understand. The affinity to approach strange dogs, to hold a horse's silky muzzle close and breathe the air from their nostrils, to have wild birds in our care return to perch on my hand!

          Reuniting with my lifelong friend to make her my partner was an order of fate bound to happen? For Melissa, also one of those 'animal people' since very young, caring and nurturing the unwanted or injured of our four-legged or feathered friends always simply a part of life. Later to being a devoted Sea Shepherd member.

From pigs to goats, chickens and raccoons just for starters, her house always a sanctuary. Now, some thirty-five plus years later, I again witness her 'gentle' touch toward our voiceless ones who are in trouble. From that tiny mockingbird that takes a dreadful tumble out of the nest to hungry raccoons paying the price of living in a hurricane belt, I see fragile life given chance!

"Wildlife rehabilitation is a profession involving the treatment and care of sick, injured or orphaned wild animals with the goal of releasing healed animals back to their natural habitats in the wild. To be released, animals must be able to function in their natural habitats as normal members of their species."

This quote becomes key. For those of us who shoulder that needed compassion to care for and re-introduce to their wild, saving species becoming one of life's musts. Our world today is often obsessed with greed and technology and humankind's priority. All seemingly vital maybe, but sadly, our surroundings paying a dreadful price of the destruction inflicted by us as human beings. We watch in this year of 2022, species disappearing off our planet, forests decimated and its animal occupants cast aside. We witness races of people in the Far East believing the horn of a magnificent beast can act in a beneficial medicinal way, when in actuality baring the same simple components of a human fingernail! Their arrogance and belligerence wiping precious species off the face of this earth. We witness mass killings in our oceans, often labeled 'ritual for centuries'. 

      There are few countries that can be spared the label 'cruel'. Yet countries we deem as 'intelligent & progressive' still herd whales or dolphins into coves where the ocean becomes near saturated with blood as they annually massacre them. A ray of hope appears once in a while, a positive note with Iceland becoming the latest country to ban whaling!  Seals still clubbed to death however on the ice and western laws legislated to allow the killing of bears and their cubs inside their liars? A world going mad?

We have changed the climate with decades of disregard toward our fragile planet, polluting to near catastrophe and Mother Nature is not pleased. Humankind truly often a disgrace toward our planets' welfare, having us witness past seasons with more fire and water rage than decades past. The wrath of stronger hurricanes felt here in our Bahamaland a couple of years back and again in Florida this year decimating parts of the southwest coastline.

        This article however is about those of us who, in whatever minuscule way, take in the hurt and distressed or starving, hoping to set an example and expose the masses to the 'art and reward of rehabilitation'? 

       Out of my recent exposures to caring for animals and birds in need, the fruit of a new children's book arises, near publication within the next months all being well?. A story of last  year's strange encounters with a baby night heron that fell out of its nest to the ground one evening. Discovered by a caring family in an affluent part of our country and driving some twenty miles to meet me at a well know coffee house near our residence. Their fine example of 'caring', a valuable example of some really good souls out there amongst us. I peeked into the box, seeing this most awkward looking of juvenile birds. His humorous spiked hairstyle and huge gazing eyes while letting out the most indigent squark of annoyance. Here in this cardboard lay some wonderful material for a writer! I knew instantly that 'Henrik the Heron' © would give a chance to introduce our younger generation to the invaluable experiences of animal rehabilitation. The story unfolded and our photographs transposed into cartoon illustrations.

         I decided that this herons' journey written from that fateful fall to the spreading of his wings in freedom might illustrate, in some small way, to our youth, the value of 'caring' toward our environment and the creatures who share the delicate balancing act of survival with us? Our school children are so often exposed to the poorest of adult behaviors, the trashing of our communities, the flagrant tossing of rubbish out of a car window, the sometimes awful treatment of the street animals. 

       Raising kids these modern times a challenge. I am glad to have made it with my own offspring unscathed producing another lovely animal lover amongst us. We can hope a chance when leaving the beach on a holiday children ask their parents for a trash bag to take home that ugly rubbish. Chance they recognise that poor dog chained outside during the rain and thunderstorm be set free and given a place in the home. That they not allow pets to become a rack of bone being starved. Slowly, ever so slowly, we see in this day and age, some really fine examples of Bahamians becoming guardians of our precious surroundings, stepping out on social media and to schools demonstrating the 'gentle art of caring' and not be afraid of our harmless snakes once taught as taboo creatures. There is a new beginning in our islands and pray it continues for the good of all who are gifted to live in this paradise.

        To be able to share some of my new children's book before publication may offer some fun illustrations to show our younger audience?  Here then some clips and photographs ....

“Henrik the Heron” © Why kindness to birds & animals is so very important!

Written & illustrated by Paul Harding & Melissa Maura ~ Cartoons by ‘Insta Toon’

 

The wind howled through the treetops making scary noises in the coming darkness. Way up in the big tree our mother heron had built her nest, now holding three babies to look after, myself (a boy) and two sisters. We were big bundles of fluffy feathers with long beaks and huge yellow eyes. We looked very funny! Each of us had long, green legs that looked far too long for our little bodies and we had very silly hairstyles! It was hard to imagine that one day we could become very elegant and handsome in the great kingdom of birds!

The nice lady and gentleman carried me on to their porch where the man sat down with a soft towel in his lap. The lady placed me in it where I looked up at the big man. I thought I should show how brave I was and make a very loud noise, pretending to lunge at him with my long beak, making the man suddenly frightened of me! It worked only for a minute before they both laughed at him pretending to be afraid, it did however make a funny picture!

Our little neighbourhood was really busy with bird and animal rescues. All kinds of birds would suddenly arrive to be cared for. Young pigeons, kestrel birds of prey, even a young owl who had fallen as I had out of its nest!

 

I learned that owls can fly at night hunting for their dinner, maybe a mouse or nasty rat, yucky food for me I thought? The owl was beautiful and silent in her flight unlike me who would make squawking sounds if disturbed! 

This fun illustrated book recounts adventures with large snakes, all harmless in our country, to birds of prey, huge sea birds and fun little feathered ones that stayed with us for weeks before venturing into the wild. We will let you know when all is said and done in printed form.

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Thank you all who have shown massive support over the years. There is much more to come for sure!