PWRC has an amazing team of staff and volunteers and this summer, we have three students volunteering at PWRC, Justine, Mindy and Caroline. Justine is in the Master’s program at the University of Manitoba, where she is studying raptors, particularly falcons. She formerly worked at Parkland Mews Falconry and Bird of Prey Education Centre in St Norbert, focusing on Peregrine falcon behaviour. Mindy has a lot of experience working with animals. She previously worked at a dog kennel, which sparked her interest in a career caring for animals and she is currently studying to be a veterinary technician at Red River College. Caroline is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences at the University of Manitoba and she has always been passionate about nature, the environment, and also music.

 All of the students agree that working at PWRC provides a unique opportunity to work directly with a wide variety of animals and also to learn about the specific needs of different animals. Working at PWRC also provides opportunities for the students to understand the challenges and limitations that particular species deal with and how to protect and support wildlife better. Caroline has always been interested in caring for wildlife, including caring for butterflies as a child, and saw her work at PWRC as an opportunity to care for wild animals. Justine shared, “I have been volunteering at PWRC since 2014 and Lisa’s awareness of environmental issues sparked some ideas and introduced me to contacts that were influential in selecting my [research] project.”

 Clearly, PWRC plays an important role, not just through the direct impact of rehabilitating wildlife and education, but also in training future animal researchers and experts! The students all agree that they are constantly learning through their work at PWRC. Caroline said that the seeing the animals’ “resilience and ability to find a way to live in a world that is constantly changing due to humans is amazing.” Mindy says that “the knowledge that I’m taking away from this summer of working here is something I know I would never have been able to learn without coming to PWRC.” Justine has discovered how many research questions she wants to explore, so maybe she’ll be doing even more research and work with PWRC in the future.

 PWRC has been very lucky to benefit from the knowledge and experiences of all the summer students. On behalf of all the other PWRC staff, volunteers, ambassadors, and Manitoba wildlife, thank you so much to Justine, Mindy, and Caroline!

*Article originally printed in Prairie Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre newsletter.

For more information or to become a member and subscribe to the newsletter, please visit the PWRC website: http://pwildlife.ca/.