SPCA rescues animals from a sanctuary
POOR CONDITIONS: Vulnerable Blue Cranes. Picture supplied
More than 150 animals have been rescued from a wildlife sanctuary in Pinelands.
The Cape of Good Hope SPCA Wildlife Department and Cape Nature confiscated the animals from Wilke’s Wildlife Rescue and Rehab last Monday as the facility has been operating without a valid permit.
Chief Inspector Jaco Pieterse confirmed that some of the animals at the facility were suffering and living in poor conditions.
Among these were two protected Blue Cranes which are listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.
“Sadly, a peahen with only one leg and a damaged wing had to be euthanised due to her poor state.
“She had no quality of life and fell over when she tried to move, immobile and not able to express natural behaviour,” says Pieterse.
He said some animals were left as they did not require a permit while the SPCA did not have a court order to remove these animals.
The owner was issued with a warning to fix the contraventions found.
He said more than 60 tortoises, two who were sick, were kept in substandard conditions, while the SPCA also found severely underweight and dehydrated snakes, overcrowding, no drinking water for some animals and a month of excrement in some cages.
Wilke’s owner, Margo Wilke, said: “Due to personal circumstances, both family-related and medical as a result of knee replacements, the last of which was in April 2022, my permit requirements with Cape Nature have lapsed.”
She denied neglecting the animals.
“One snake (Milk snake) was anorexic. This snake was feeding consistently and its condition was being monitored,” says Wilke.
The SPCA advised the public to avoid taking any wild animals to Wilke’s Wildlife Rehab until the current issues are resolved.