In the second part of a two-part conversation, we dive into operant learning, definitions, and concepts related to working with ambassador animals with Melissa Moore, the Curator of Behavioral Husbandry and Ambassador Animals at the St. Louis Aquarium, and Jackie Kozlowski, the Senior Trainer at Tracy Aviary in Salt Lake City.Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine.Resources mentioned:Dr. Susan G. Friedman – Behavior Works (https://behaviorworks.org/)NWRA – Education and Programs (https://www.nwrawildlife.org/page/Programs)IAATE – Conferences (https://iaate.org/conferences/)Ken Ramirez – Clicker Training (https://theranch.clickertraining.com/)Natural Encounters (https://naturalencounters.com/)Barbara Heidenreich – Force Free Animal Training (https://barbarasffat.com/)Cassie Malina – Awesome Animal Solutions (https://www.awesomeanimalsolutions-cassiemalina.com/)ABMA (https://www.theabma.org/) 

In the first part of a two-part conversation, we discuss the significance of ambassador animals with Melissa Moore, the Curator of Behavioral Husbandry and Ambassador Animals at the St. Louis Aquarium, and Jackie Kozlowski, the Senior Trainer at Tracy Aviary in Salt Lake City.Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine.

In this episode, we continue our discussion on Eastern Box Turtles with Debbie Sykes, the Director of Nashville Wildlife Conservation. We explore common injuries, care processes, behaviors, and criteria for release.Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine.Links to referenced presentations: NWRA Presentation: Soft Release of Rehabilitated Eastern Box Turtles: Maximizing Health & Territory – NWCC (https://drive.google.com/file/d/13j-3U3DNcihzYGOUd9M4k1STK9HJhf00/view?usp=sharing)Debbie Sykes: Eastern Box Turtle Patient’s Needs  – NWCC (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZQc1aG-hSuOt5YWgHzgxbkC7j7l1sEuC/view?usp=sharing)

Partners for Wildlife welcomes Debbie Sykes, the Director of Nashville Wildlife Conservation, to the show! In this two-part conversation, we dive into natural history, common injuries, and care of Eastern Box Turtles. Did you know they’re born the size of a raspberry? We didn’t!Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine.Links to referenced presentations: NWRA Presentation: Soft Release of Rehabilitated Eastern Box Turtles: Maximizing Health & Territory – NWCC (https://drive.google.com/file/d/13j-3U3DNcihzYGOUd9M4k1STK9HJhf00/view?usp=sharing)Debbie Sykes: Eastern Box Turtle Patient’s Needs  – NWCC (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZQc1aG-hSuOt5YWgHzgxbkC7j7l1sEuC/view?usp=sharing)

We continue our conversation with Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research's Clinic Director, Andrea Howey-Newcomb, along with Marian Quinn, the Clinic Outreach and Oil Programs Core Team Volunteer, and Maryanne Yingst, the Volunteer Coordinator and Downstate Delaware Field Response.In this episode, the Tri-State team discusses how adult learning theories have shaped the S.A.F.E.T.Y. Method. They highlight inspiring collaborations with other local rescue organizations and share valuable insights and strategies for expanding training programs and engaging volunteers!Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Links:Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research (https://tristatebird.org/about-us/)Malcolm Knowles’ Adult Learning Theory (https://www.growthengineering.co.uk/adult-learning-theory/)

Partners for Wildlife is thrilled to welcome Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research's Clinic Director, Andrea Howey-Newcomb, along with Marian Quinn, the Clinic Outreach and Oil Programs Core Team Volunteer, and Maryanne Yingst, the Volunteer Coordinator and Downstate Delaware Field Response.In this two-part discussion, our guests and host, Gail Buhl, dive into the system Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research developed for training volunteers to rescue and transport birds. We discuss the origins of The S.A.F.E.T.Y. System, its meaning, how it is used, and its evolution. Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine.Links:Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research (https://tristatebird.org/about-us/)

Partners for Wildlife is excited to continue our conversation with Brittany Turner, the Rehabilitation Director of the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota. In the second half of their two-part conversation, Turner and host Gail Buhl talk about baby pigeons and doves, providing tips and tricks for their care based on their natural history! Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine.Links:NWRA Standards Book (https://national-wildlife-rehabilitators-association.myshopify.com/products/standards)Oxbow Carnivore Care (https://www.chewy.com/oxbow-critical-care-carnivore-small/dp/704838?psafe_param=1&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=187982379&utm_content=10442378979&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAhvK8BhDfARIsABsPy4hb1B_lriiYq3FSEmouk-oeRyu3jtgbIHiiLTNDZdWAPwwRLy8pbiMaAlXuEALw_wcB)RoudyBush Formula 3 for Granivores (https://roudybush.myshopify.com/products/formula-3)National Pigeon Association (https://www.npausa.com/)We’ll be sharing additional resources called out in the show shortly. Stay tuned!

Partners for Wildlife is excited to welcome back Brittany Turner, the Rehabilitation Director of the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota, to the show. In this two-part discussion, Turner and host Gail Buhl explore the natural history of pigeons and doves. The conversation will continue in episode 7, where they will discuss baby pigeons and doves and their care.Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine.Links:Birds of the World, Cornell Lab (https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/home)NWRA (https://www.nwrawildlife.org/mpage/Symposium_Home)

Partners for Wildlife returns with Dr. Mark Pokras, a wildlife veterinarian and nationally recognized expert in loon and wildlife medicine. In this episode, Dr. Pokras and host Gail Buhl discuss environmental justice, the importance of working groups, the iNaturalist app, and sentinel species.Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine.Love what you're hearing? Please take a moment to share a rating on your preferred listening platform. Your support means the world to us and helps us keep the show going. Thank you!Links:Loon & Diver Stewardship Working Group (https://journeynorth.org/httpjourneynorthorgloonindexhtml/featured/loon-diver-stewardship-working-group)Northeast Loon Study Working Group (NELSWG) (https://loon.org/nelswg/)iNaturalist (https://www.inaturalist.org/)Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (https://bookshop.org/p/books/braiding-sweetgrass-robin-wall-kimmerer/16712606)

“The dead teach the living” – Dr. Mark Pokras on the importance of necropsies.Partners for Wildlife welcomes Dr. Mark Pokras, a wildlife veterinarian and nationally renowned expert on loons and wildlife medicine, to the show. Dr. Pokras and host Gail Buhl discuss his career, imposter syndrome, One Health, common loons, loon biology, sentinel species, and forensic pathology.Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine.

“There’s a lot of beauty in just being in the dance” – Sara Cole on wildlife rehabilitation.Partners for Wildlife is excited to welcome back to the show, Sara Cole, a wildlife rehabilitator from Minnesota. Join host Gail Buhl for a discussion about baby squirrels, expressions of gratitude, lessons learned, and advice to new rehabbers. Sara shares her insights, and experiences, describing how “the work calls you to be in community and maybe even in communion with living things in a way that just cracks you open.”Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine.

Partners for Wildlife is excited to welcome Dr. Katie Haman, the Wildlife Diversity Veterinarian with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, to the show. Join host Gail Buhl as they explore the concept of One Health. Dr. Haman shares her journey while diving into the interconnectedness of animals, the environment, and humans. They also discuss One Welfare and highlight the essential role that wildlife rehabilitators play as vital contributors to One Health!Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Mark your calendars to celebrate One Health Day next November 3rd!Links:One Health Institute (https://ohi.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/)One Welfare (https://www.onewelfareworld.org/)

“Whatever you think an animal might need, you need too.” – Tiffany Wentz-Root on self-compassion for wildlife rehabilitators.Partners for Wildlife kicks off its fourth season with the second part of our compassion fatigue conversation. Washington state-based mental health therapist Tiffany Wentz-Root joins host Gail Buhl to discuss the impact of trauma, burnout, balance, joy, boundaries, and the power of memes!This episode contains references to restrained eating habits, military service, negative self-talk, elements of depression, and child-care trauma.Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine.Links:Part one of this conversation (https://blubrry.com/3720290/132484823/s3e12-tiffany-wentz-root-on-mental-health-in-wildlife-rehabilitation-part-1/)Check out Lindsay C. Gibson’s book: Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents (https://bookshop.org/p/books/adult-children-of-emotionally-immature-parents-lib-e-how-to-heal-from-distant-rejecting-or-self-involved-parents-lindsay-c-gibson/16712089?ean=9781626251700)Learn more about The Raptor Center (https://raptor.umn.edu/)Finding a therapist through Psychology Today (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists)

Host Gail Buhl welcomes Washington state based mental health therapist Tiffany Wentz-Root to the podcast to discuss self-care for wildlife rehabilitators. This is Part 1 of 2. In Part 1, Tiffany explains her origin story, which includes serving in Iraq for the U.S. Marine Corps in 2003. Tiffany goes on to reveal some of her own past struggles with mental health, how that experience led to her interest in becoming a mental health provider, and how she draws on her experiences to cultivate greater empathy for vulnerable populations she serves. Gail and Tiffany begin to discuss the phenomenon of "compassion fatigue," a specific type of burnout seen most often in caretaking professions that witness suffering of animals or fellow humans. Tiffany describes the broader theme of burnout as an imbalance between stress and the ability to cope. Compassion fatigue arises out of vicarious trauma, Tiffany explains, which is experienced when the caretaker witnesses suffering of their patient. The episode includes some signs and symptoms of unaddressed trauma such as changes in eating habits, diminished memory, and sleep difficulty. In Part 2, episode 13, Gail and Tiffany will continue the conversation on maintaining self awareness of one's own mental health and things to do to move forward when feeling stuck in burnout.Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Our executive producer and host is Gail Buhl. Our producer is Kirk Klocke.To learn more about The Raptor Center, visit Homepage | The Raptor Center (umn.edu) (https://raptor.umn.edu/). For more on Partners for Wildlife, visit Partners for Wildlife Home | The Raptor Center (umn.edu) (https://raptor.umn.edu/partnersforwildlife).

Host Gail Buhl is back for Part 2 of her in-depth discussion with Minnesota-based wildlife veterinarian Dr. Miranda Torkelson on the medical management of fox. In this episode, Gail and Dr. Miranda touch on topics ranging from the treatment of mange and other parasites to diets, handler safety, housing, and preparation for release. Dr. Miranda urges listeners not to attempt to treat wild fox outside of the guidance of a licensed veterinarian. Dr. Torkelson was very gracious and if you have any questions about fox, fox mange, transfusions (for the veterinarian listeners) etc. please contact her via email: mirtork@gmail.comNext episode, Gail welcomes Tiffany Wentz-Root to discuss the mental health & wellness aspects of working in wildlife rehabilitation. Tiffany draws on her own experience as both a therapist and a person who has experienced mental health struggles to be able to delve into the topic in a meaningful way. This is a topic that affects all of us, whether we’re aware of it or not, so we hope you’ll join us for season 3, episode 12! Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Our executive producer and host is Gail Buhl. Our producer is Kirk Klocke.To learn more about The Raptor Center, visit Homepage | The Raptor Center (umn.edu) (https://raptor.umn.edu/). For more on Partners for Wildlife, visit Partners for Wildlife Home | The Raptor Center (umn.edu) (https://raptor.umn.edu/partnersforwildlife)

Gail Buhl welcomes wildlife veterinarian Dr. Miranda Torkelson for a two-part discussion about the medical management of red foxes. Dr. Miranda starts out with some of her origin story, which includes highlights from her ambitious career in wildlife medicine. Later in the episode, Gail and Dr. Miranda cover the basics of red fox natural history as well as perspectives on often well-meaning but ill-informed attempts by members of the public to try to fight the parasite sarcoptic mange. Dr. Miranda explains why programs such as "Mange By Mail" can do more harm than good and why it's critical to leave treating wild animals to licensed veterinarians. Gail and Dr. Miranda share their own stories of contracting mange (often called scabies when it's an infection in humans). We get itchy just thinking about it! Next episode, in Part 2, Dr. Miranda and Gail continue talking about the medical management of red foxes with topics that include trapping, more on treating mange, itch & pain control, housing and more! Dr. Miranda has a lot of wisdom and experience to offer on foxes, so we hope you'll join us for episode 11!Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Our executive producer and host is Gail Buhl. Our producer is Kirk Klocke.To learn more about The Raptor Center, visit Homepage | The Raptor Center (umn.edu) (https://raptor.umn.edu/). For more on Partners for Wildlife, visit Partners for Wildlife Home | The Raptor Center (umn.edu) (https://raptor.umn.edu/partnersforwildlife).

In episode 9, Gail Buhl welcomes Amanda Nicholson back to the podcast. If you missed Amanda's first appearance on Wildlife Rehabilitation: From Rescue To Release, check out season 2, episode 13. There she talks with Gail about social media best practices in wildlife rehabilitation.Amanda serves as Senior Vice President of the Wildlife Center of Virginia. In this episode, she virtually visits Gail to talk about having crucial conversations -- those sometimes difficult or touchy talks we have to have with our partners, bosses, employees, or even someone checking on the status of an animal in rehabilitation. Amanda offers some basic guidance on keeping these conversations structured and simple while offering the other person as much autonomy and dignity as possible. She urges the listener to be especially careful about not filling in the blanks with a (often negative) made-up story explaining someone's behavior or point of view. This is a must-listen for anyone working in wildlife rehabilitation, because these conversations come up so frequently. Next episode, Gail talks with wildlife veterinarian Miranda Torkelson about the red fox. It's a fascinating in-depth, 2-part discussion on the red fox's natural history and techniques for caring for it with the goal of release back into the wild. We hope you'll join us!Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Our executive producer and host is Gail Buhl. Our producer is Kirk Klocke.To learn more about The Raptor Center, visit Homepage | The Raptor Center (umn.edu) (https://raptor.umn.edu/). For more on Partners for Wildlife, visit Partners for Wildlife Home | The Raptor Center (umn.edu) (https://raptor.umn.edu/partnersforwildlife).

Gail Buhl is back with Part 2 of her discussion with Ruby Davis, the Wildlife Rehabilitation Director for the Carolina Wildlife Conservation Center. In Part 1, episode 8, Ruby discusses her origin story and the natural history of the striped skunk, a common skunk species in North America. Here in Part 2, Gail and Ruby do a deep dive into the rehabilitation techniques of young skunks in care. That includes feeding, behavior, husbandry, and even how to avoid getting "sprayed." Ruby includes a spray scrubbing recipe to get the smell out of your skin and clothes in case it does happen. Next episode, Gail welcomes Amanda Nicholson back to the podcast to discuss having "crucial conversations." A lot of tough conversations come up in the course of wildlife rehabilitation, so you won't want to miss episode 9! Back in season 2, episode 13, Amanda talks with Gail about social media best practices in wildlife rehabilitation.  Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Our executive producer and host is Gail Buhl. Our producer is Kirk Klocke.To learn more about The Raptor Center, visit Homepage | The Raptor Center (umn.edu). For more on Partners for Wildlife, visit Partners for Wildlife Home | The Raptor Center (umn.edu).

Host Gail Buhl welcomes Ruby Davis, the Wildlife Rehabilitation Director for Carolina Wildlife Conservation Center. There, she oversees the center’s rehabilitation, along with the training and mentoring of staff and volunteers.This was an in-depth conversation, so we've divided it into two parts. In part 1, Gail and Ruby cover Ruby's origin story and how she came to enter a long and fulfilling career at the Carolina Wildlife Conservation Center. From there, the conversation covers some basic natural history of striped skunks, a common skunk species in North America. This episode details the striped skunk's eating habits, seasonal and mating behavior, types of nests they prefer, and times of day they're most active. Ruby also recounts some common reasons skunks are admitted to wildlife rehabilitation and how members of the public encounter them. Be sure to stay tuned for Part 2, in which we do a deep dive into the details of skunk rehabilitation!Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Our executive producer and host is Gail Buhl. Our producer is Kirk Klocke.To learn more about The Raptor Center, visit Homepage | The Raptor Center (umn.edu). For more on Partners for Wildlife, visit Partners for Wildlife Home | The Raptor Center (umn.edu).

Host Gail Buhl is back for a Part 2 with guest Tim Jasinski to talk about the wild fostering of the Canada Goose. In Part 2, Tim and Gail get further into topics such as goose behavior, understanding flocks, gender differences, how goslings develop, and techniques in wild fostering of goslings in their journey to independence.  Next episode, Gail welcomes Ruby Davis, wildlife biologist and wildlife rehabilitation director of the Carolina Wildlife Conservation Center in North Carolina.  Ruby will discuss one of her passions and areas of expertise -- skunks! So, don't be a "stinker" and remember to join us for Episode 7 on skunks. It was a really interesting talk, so you won't want to miss it!Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Our executive producer and host is Gail Buhl. Our producer is Kirk Klocke.To learn more about The Raptor Center, visit Homepage | The Raptor Center (umn.edu). For more on Partners for Wildlife, visit Partners for Wildlife Home | The Raptor Center (umn.edu).