Don't interfere with wildlife

I really don't like ranting posts. I feel like I am preaching and I sound snobbish but I can't help not to. In response to this news article I just want to say not to mess with nature. Picking up wildlife and saving wildlife in particular is a risky risky business.

First of all, you may end up hurting the animal instead of saving it. In the case of the news above, the girl saved a tortoise by dropping it in the water. Problem is that some tortoises can't swim and she may have just drowned it. In other cases, helping baby animals may actually affect their life. Some baby birds drop from their nests and their mother pick them up. That's how they learn how to fly.  Some animals leave their young for a while to go foraging for food. So while you are walking around, you may encounter a nest of young and think they are abandoned and deprive the young of their mom.

Secondly, it may be dangerous for you. There are countless videos and reports of people being attacked by animals which were either injured, cornered or had their young threatened. Nature is unpredictable that way and it may just be that you are endangering your life. Another unseen threat is diseases. People who have rescued stranded dolphins or wounded animals have been known to contract diseases from those mammals. So you may actually hurt yourself or your pets/animals you love.

So what should you do? The best course of action is to let an official know. If you have phone signal, call the local authorities for wildlife in the area and let them know. They will handle it as they see fit. In some cases you may be asked to leave the animals alone. It may seem cruel and evil but it may ultimately be for their own good. If you are worried about the stance of your local authorities then contacting an NGO or non profit organisation may be a good idea. If they give you a similar response then follow their instructions.

If you aren't in an area with phone reception then the best course of action is to leave the animals alone. If an animal is visibly injured, mark the location and return to a place where you can contact the authorities. Keep in mind that if that animal is a herbivore you may be messing with some predator's  meal and be on your guard.  Never approach the animal because cornered and injured animals can deal out some serious damage. In case of marine strandings, call the authorities as soon as possible and they will let you know how to deal with it. Don't try putting it back in the water as you may hurt it, and don't try keeping it wet as you may induce shock. Usually the person at the end of the line is capable to guide through some basic stuff that you can do while the professionals arrive.

What happens if you are too far away to get help? That is all up to you and your ethics.  However assessing the situation, being smart and levelheaded as well as realistic should be your first instincts and never put yourself in danger or situations you can't handle.

In conclusion, nature and wildlife have a way of dealing with situations themselves. If you are worried then contacting the authorities before acting is always the best plan and remember that even animals you are rescued/have rescued can hurt you so always be aware.