PAGE 8A
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FOR THE BIRDS
DANIEL PALEN/KANSAN
Courtney Quick, an intern from Lenexa, feeds an owl at Operation Wildlife, an organization that provides rehabilitation services for injured and orphaned wild animals
Operation Wildlife keeps critters safe
CALEB SISK
csisk@kansan.com
The State of Kansas boasts a plethora of native wildlife, which is as diverse as any other state in the country. However, unlike domesticated pets, when a wild animal is injured or orphaned, more often than not, there is no place to take it to be rehabilitated. Despite this oversight, there is an organization called "Operation Wildlife", based out of Linwood, Kan., that is helping to remedy this issue.
"Our organization covers nine Kansas counties or 4,500 sq. miles." said Diane Johnson, Executive Director of Operation Wildlife. The facility houses anywhere from 75 to 100 animals at a time and
operates purely through donations and volunteers. The facilities are staffed around the clock in order to administer the needed care to the "patients."
Outside of simply taking in and rehabilitating animals, the facility also houses a number of "Public Education Birds." These animals are birds of prey that have been deemed unfit for survival in the wild and are now used for educational purposes. After Kansas Wildlife and Parks has approved the birds, Operation Wildlife uses them to provide wildlife education to the public while asking only for donations in return.
The fact that the organization is run by volunteers offers a unique opportunity to students here at
the University. Students studying Environmental Studies or Biology can apply to an internship program offered by the organization, which will give them not only experience in the field but an independent study credit with the University. "This opportunity allowed me to learn more about local wildlife that I would otherwise not have known since I'm from the city," said Laura Florick, a student volunteer.
Those who don't necessarily want to be directly involved are still open to come in and visit the staff or bring in any animals they may come across that need assistance. Although it is a little off the beaten path, it is well worth the trip for the wealth of wildlife housed there that one would be hard-pressed to
come across while driving around town. Their facilities house everything from common squirrels and rabbits to peregrine falcons and even a bald eagle.
"This experience has not only educated me on biodiversity and how to deal with wildlife, it has also given me a greater respect for life in general," Florick said.
Students who are interested in getting involved, visiting the facility, or simply donating to the cause are welcome to visit www. owl-online.org or contact them at (785)-542-3625.
— Edited by Tyler Conover
DANIEL PALEN/KANSAN
Volunteers at Operation Wildlife bottle-feed a baby squirrel. When the squirrel is older, it will be released back into the wild.
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