“It’s great to know that my work makes a difference”

The “birdsitter” tawny owl has become part of the furniture at the facility. She arrived at CRASSA (Santo André Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre) in April 2022 with an injured wing after falling out of the nest, from which she has never fully recovered, despite physiotherapy. Nursing a crooked wing and being so used to humans due to the time she spent in illegal captivity in the past, would make it impossible for her to readapt to her natural habitat. She is now doing well, despite having been classified as having no chance of rehabilitation, and helps other nocturnal birds of the same species admitted to the sanctuary to recover. Her keen maternal instinct enables her to adopt orphaned young birds, help them to socialise and teach them to fly and hunt.

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Every animal arriving at this facility on the Alentejo coast has a unique story, full of challenges. The case of this tawny owl is just one of many examples of the impact and dedication of CRASSA, which, together with the Castelo Branco Wildlife Research and Rehabilitation Centre (CERAS) and the Montejunto Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre (CRASM), is managed by the environmental organisation Quercus with the mission of welcoming, treating and returning debilitated, injured and orphaned animals from our native wildlife to their natural habitat, in addition to conducting other activities within the scope of environmental research and education. This organisation is part of the National Network of Wildlife Rehabilitation Centres under the responsibility of the Institute for Nature and Forest Conservation (ICNF) and is located at Moinho Novo da Galiza, an old water mill, in Vila Nova de Santo André, in the municipality of Santiago do Cacém, an area that is part of the Santo André and Sancha Lagoons Nature Reserve. This location is particularly interesting with regard to conservation, as it is an important Protected Area due to its wetlands and birdlife.

The coordinator of these three facilities located in different areas of Portugal is Carolina Nunes, a conservation biologist who had spent her entire life in the Lisbon region until the day she decided to study in Evora, which offered the degree she was looking for, Animal Science and Technology. However, due to the fact that this course was focused more on animal production, she chose to specialise in another area. “Without a shadow of doubt, it was Conservation Biology that gave me my purpose in life”, she reveals, who first became interested in the world of animals and nature by watching documentaries on the National Geographic channel when she was a child. Over time, this initial curiosity turned into a genuine desire to further her knowledge on the subject, until she ended up deciding that this would be her future calling.

After completing her Master's degree in 2018, she returned to Lisbon and worked on small projects in the area of ​​Biology, focusing on environmental education. However, it was volunteering at LxCRAS, in Monsanto, that awakened her passion for birds, although she initially thought she preferred mammals. The support of the team helped her overcome challenges such as her aversion to blood, and gain practical skills in animal care. Realising that life in the capital city didn´t suit her, she decided to look for opportunities in quieter areas.

A year later, the opportunity arose to return to the Alentejo, where she had lived as a student, to undertake a professional internship at CRASSA, which led to her being hired, first as a technician and later as technical director, a position she still holds. Therefore, of the three facilities she manages, this is where she spends most of her time, and which has seen an exponential growth in the number of animals, patrons and volunteers over the past five years. “There was one animal in rehabilitation when I joined, and we will end the year with around 500, and more than 100 volunteers helping us to fulfill our mission. We have seen constant progress, which makes me very happy”, adds the coordinator.

The injured wild animals arriving at this rehabilitation unit are generally found by patrols from the Nature and Environmental Protection Service (GNR), Nature Watchers (ICNF) and by local residents, and come mainly from the region between Troia and Odemira. “Investment in dissemination, communication and environmental education is of paramount importance to ensure that everyone knows what to do when they find an injured wild animal. In other words, it´s important to understand that you shouldn´t ignore the animal and leave it to die, nor take it home, as this can be harmful to the animal itself and even to people, as many of them can transmit diseases. The right thing to do is to contact the authorities or a nearby rehabilitation centre immediately so that the animal can be rescued and given the appropriate care as soon as possible”, explains Carolina Nunes.

UNITED BY THE SAME MISSION OF PROVIDING CARE AND INSPIRATION

The day-to-day life of the CRASSA technical director is anything but monotonous. No two days are the same. She is mainly in charge of rehabilitation, which also includes environmental education, in addition to providing assistance in the infirmary and feeding the animals: “The philosophy here is that everyone does a bit of everything, in accordance with their needs, although we divide the work into two main areas, veterinary medicine, supervised by clinical director Andreia Gonçalves, and rehabilitation, under my guidance. This is the message we try to convey to the volunteers, many of whom are university students in the areas of Science or doing internships, giving them the opportunity to try a little bit of everything to enable them to discover what they really like and want to do in life”. Specifically regarding environmental education, this organisation has been developing protocols with town councils, schools and other public and private institutions to promote information sessions and the release of animals into the wild, in addition to various activities for children and families. “We try to reach the widest possible audience, both through social media and training activities. Basically, we try to take advantage of every available opportunity to share our knowledge and work, as any of us could come across an injured wild animal in need of help. Moreover, these activities often give us the chance to raise donations and enroll volunteers, which is why they are so interesting and of such importance to the centre” she explains.

To make all this possible, CRASSA relies on support, especially from patrons, such as the Galp Foundation, which are essential for carrying out works and acquiring equipment that, according to the director, makes a big difference in the daily treatment of animals that “belong to all of us. And anyone that wants to preserve this biodiversity can help in some way. In 2019, for example, we didn’t have an inpatient room or an anesthesia machine. The number of animals we were able to take in was very limited because we couldn’t perform surgery. Now, thanks to our patrons, we are far better off”, says Carolina, adding that she is very lucky to be able to work doing what she loves. So much so that even her hobbies are linked to nature and conservation. She enjoys unwinding on the beach, watching the beautiful Alentejo sunset, and when she goes for a walk around the Reserve she never forgets to take her birdwatching binoculars, in addition to doing volunteer work both at the National Ornithology Station and with domestic animals such as dogs and cats. “Being able to combine your hobbies and passions with your job is a privilege”, she assures, and the little sparkle in her eyes reveals the enthusiasm and dedication she puts into her daily work. Therefore, she concludes, “I hope to continue working in this area that I believe in so much in the future, this is the mission I want to fulfill. I´ve always wanted my work to have some kind of positive impact on the community and the environment. It´s great to know that what I do makes a difference”.