As a part of our “Where Are They Now?” series, we had an e-interview with Dr. Madis Leivits, who was our Intern for Veterinary Diagnostics in 2009 – 2010.
Q: What have you done professionally since leaving the Wildlife Center?
Since I changed positions at my elementary school and became a librarian, I found that I am able to reach many more students about caring for wildlife. Anytime anyone on campus sees wildlife, they come to me (or Miss Christina, our secretary). In the spring of 2017, we rescued two Eared Grebes that became stranded on the ground. Both were released. We also had a bunny that managed to ‘self-release’ in our school office after it was taken from a student. The bunny was eventually caught and released outside as well. And since school started in August 2017, it’s been a rattlesnake and a
I believe that before getting yourself into something, you should ask yourself why you're doing what you're doing ... and think about how it relates to the big picture. That is why I have had a few ideological concerns about wildlife rehabilitation and whether it disrupts nature’s natural process and evolution. During my rehabilitation externship period, I have clarified my thoughts as to justify the benefits of wildlife rehabilitation.
Vultures are disgusting creatures that have naked heads and eat dead things. At least, this is what most people believe, including myself before I started working at the Wildlife Center during my rehabilitation externship. At the Center, I learned more about vultures and how they help society and I earned a deep appreciation for their role in the environment. I also had the opportunity to work one-on-one with these interesting creatures and found that they are not the gross death eaters that I thought they were.
Before arriving at the Wildlife Center of Virgina for my rehabilitation externship, I had many preconceived notions about what my favorite species to work with would be. I was most excited to work with orphaned mammals and least excited to work with raptors. Little did I know, in just 12 short weeks, raptors would become some of my favorite patients.
At the end of the year, each of us on the staff of the Wildlife Center of Virginia is asked to provide a blog post on our memories of the year just past. After 35 years, you would think that this task might get easier but, no … with each passing year, the challenge to pick out just a few things remains difficult.
It’s not every day you carry a Bobcat kitten wrapped in a hoodie or speak to a woman holding a goose in her lap as she kayaks down a river while talking to you on her cell phone.
But the real highlight of the year for me has been all the bears.
Having moved to our new “retirement” home in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia during the past year, I finally was able to realize one of my retirement dream goals.
In thinking back on 2017, which marked my fifth year volunteering at the Wildlife Center in the Rehabilitation area, my most memorable experience involved rescuing a sick turtle, following along with its treatment, and then being able to release it back to the wild ... the very essence of what the Wildlife Center’s mission is!
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