Line of action:

Terrestrial ecosystems

Status:

En ejecución

Location:

Tres Cantos, Madrid (Community of Madrid)

Execution date:

2022

Duration:

01/06/22-31/12/2025

Total budget:

213,596 euros

Amount of aid from the Biodiversity Foundation:

200,000 euros (93.63%)

Coordinating entity:

Foundation for Research in Ethology and Biodiversity (FIEB)

The fight against illegal trafficking requires rescue centres that ensure the well-being of the seized species. The large number of animals and different species housed in the FIEB Rescue Centre will increase knowledge about these species and implement protocols for both animal welfare and management of a centre of these characteristics, which can be extrapolated to others. This knowledge will help to train professionals related to seizure operations and to create awareness campaigns, through the dissemination of the problems of the specimens housed.

Some of the actions included in this project are:

• Rescue and maintenance of CITES Convention animals: The Fieb Foundation specialises in the rescue, shelter and maintenance of birds, reptiles, amphibians and small mammals including small primates. Due to the Foundation’s facilities we can accommodate large seizures. We will collaborate in the rescue of the specimens whenever we are summoned by the Competent Authorities as until now. In addition, all the animals of the aforementioned groups that have the capacity to house at all times will be transferred to the Fieb facilities.
• Conditioning of new facilities for new specimens: After each new seizure, the necessary facilities for the reception of the new specimens will be conditioned, taking into account their food and handling needs (space, furniture, temperature, humidity, etc.).
• Creation of protocols for the reception of animals: Protocols will be created that define in detail the actions to be carried out by the centre’s technical team each time a new animal enters.
• Updating and maintenance of the database: the database will be updated in order to enter all the data pertaining to each of the animals, including at least: FIEB ID, microchip or ring, species, sex, age, location, name of the police operation, court handling the case and status of the sentence.
• Creation of a system for the digitization of the record of records: in order to speed up the preparation of lists of the specimens, to know their condition and to record their veterinary histories, a computer application will be created that will allow the management of all the data quickly and efficiently.
• Computerization of the seizure, biological and veterinary data of all animals: all available data of all animals currently housed in FIEB will be entered into the application, as well as of each of the new specimens that arrive. It will be used both for control and for the daily management of the specimens, including veterinary treatments and changes of location within the center itself.
• Update of the health protocol for the reception of seized animals: The current health protocol will be updated to carry out a specific health check on each of the new specimens that arrive at the center.

The project has significantly improved the living conditions of rescued animals, consolidated collaboration with institutions and authorities, and promoted greater public awareness of illegal species trafficking.

The project has made it possible to:

• The reception and maintenance of 357 new specimens of Appendices I and II of the CITES Convention.
• The renaturalization of 27 spaces to improve the living conditions of animals.
• The development of 4 protocols for the reception of the different groups of fauna.
• The creation of 7 new sanitary protocols for the reception and maintenance of animals.
• The implementation of 2 enrichment programs for two different groups of animals (Psittacines and small primates).
• The dissemination of the project through social media (55 publications), the entity’s website (8 entries) and informative talks (4 presentations).
• The training of 47 students of different grades.