Riviera Maya, Q.R. — State officials in the areas of firefighting, civil protection and ecology have received special wildlife training. The first Basic Wildlife Care and Rescue Course for municipal authorities was presented in June.
The month-long course consisted of five theoretical sessions combined with on-site practical hours. The group started the specialized course June 12 and finished June 30.
Involved were personnel from the Institute of Biodiversity and Natural Protected Areas of the State of Quintana Roo (IBANQROO), in coordination with the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA), the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), Grupo Xcaret, Croco Cun Zoo, Akumal Monkey Sanctuary and the Payo Obispo Zoological Garden.
Their training included general aspects of wildlife care and rescue, legislation, biology, anatomy, basic handling equipment, capture methods, containment and safe transport during rescues.
Safety and hygiene measures and dignified and respectful treatment of specimens during handling was also part of the course. Personnel from Playa del Carmen, Cozumel and Lázaro Cárdenas were trained in the first session.
The second session included participation from Puerto Morelos, Benito Juárez (Cancun) and Isla Mujeres. The third included municipal authorities from Tulum, Felipe Carrillo Puerto and José María Morelos and the fourth with municipal personnel from Othón P. Blanco and Bacalar.
As part of their commitment to improving wildlife rescue response capacity, IFAW and IBANQROO delivered basic equipment to each of the eleven municipalities for handling and containing wild animals valued at approximately $10,000 pesos per kit.
Each kit consists of metal transport cages, kennel-type carriers of various sizes, herpetological hooks, snake transport buckets, poles or dog snatchers and restraining sticks.
Those trained act as first responders to wildlife emergencies across Quintana Roo. The state of Quintana Roo now has a total of 308 people from the emergency corps and municipal ecology areas to attend to emergency wildlife situations.
