Day 1: First Day Volunteering!

May 8th, 2023

6:30 PM CDT

Today was a busy day for me! I volunteered four hours at the Texas Wildlife Rehabilitation Center from 10 AM to 2 PM.

During my first day alone, I have already gained valuable insights into the intricate workings of the wildlife rehabilitation process. First, I learned how the wildlife rehab department works and got to know the technicians and other volunteers. I was amazed by the dedication and compassion of the technicians and volunteers at the Texas Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, who work diligently to provide care and support for the animals in need. Their devotion and expertise made the volunteering experience even more inspiring. With their assistance and guidance, I got to feed some baby birds and the "bug farm," which sounds pretty gross, but it was actually really cool! After all, we need live and healthy bugs to feed our birds! Additionally, I also learned to make some enrichment toys for squirrels using twigs and leaves, and they went "nuts" over them! So, from feeding the baby birds to creating enrichment toys for the squirrels, the experience was both rewarding and educational.

After lunch and a short nap, I spent a few hours, from 3 to 6 PM, researching scientific infographics and the processes of wildlife rehabilitation in Texas. Learning about the different approaches and techniques used in wildlife rehabilitation was interesting. Overall, it was a productive day, and I feel grateful for the opportunity to learn and give back. I'm excited to learn more skills tomorrow and gain new insights, especially with the abundant amount of opossums we have in the center!

Total hours: 7 hours