In May 2014 Geraldine decided to take action after being deeply inspired from her volunteering experiences in South Africa since 2006 at Riverside Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre to help the rehabilitation and reintroduction of Vervet monkeys and Chacma baboons in their native habitat. She fell in love with the animals and was in total admiration of the incredible work the people running the centre relentlessly do every day of the year for these animals. But she aslo quickly came to realise two big issues...
Firstly, the entire journey of a rescued animal from its intake at the rehabilitation centre to its release with its troop is very costly. Primary funds are coming from volunteers and donations, none at all from the governement or local institutions. Lack of funds restricts the organisations' activities directly impacting the animals to rescue.
Secondly, it is a very complex process, scientifically designed and requiring specific skills. Releasing animals is a world apart from opening a cage on a land. This is called "dumping" an animal. There is a huge misconception of the meaning of this word, wrongly used both verbally and in action. The result of dumping an animal is most likely its death and by all means cruel. On the other hand, a safe reintroduction or release guarantees that the animals are thriving in the wild and help restore the ecosystem they live in.
If we want to save species and their habitats, it is crucial that Wild & Free works towards:
(1) The conservation of endangered species of animals by the provision of grants.
(2) The advancement of education for the public benefit on rehabilitation and reintroduction to all individuals, groups and societies concerned with the rescue of wild animals, which are endangered, orphaned, sick, injured or abused and by raising awareness of standards and necessary requirements to rehabilitate and reintroduce wild animals to their natural habitats.
Wild & Free was granted the status of UK registered charity on the 2nd October 2014. We work hard to help organisations returning wild animals back to their native habitats, but also be transparent to you about what we do and how your donations are used. It is an incredible journey to be part of, so come on board with us!