Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society  

My first day at MARS set the pace for what would be an extraordinary five weeks. I was the second intern to live in the new, cozy cabin. The first day I was thrown into the middle of a working rehabilitation center and I never looked back.

The beginning of what was to be a splashing seal season was the start of what was to be an enriching experience, but was surely not the end. During my time at MARS 10 harbour seals came through the center. Having a seal in house means tube feeding every 4 hours and arranging transport to a facility that rehabilitates seals. The first few weeks at MARS were very busy, with regular duties and telephone book delivery; there was hardly a moment to rest.

Being involved with such an organization as MARS was a very enriching experience. Daily I pushed the limits of my abilities, from crazy pigeons to seals, each case was unique and you had to be prepared for anything. Daily I battled my own limits whether it was feeding and handling raptors for the first time, the constant cleaning of cages, or dealing with euthanasia; the work can be very demanding both physically and emotionally. The volunteers at MARS are great; the organization is lucky to have such wonderful people that volunteer their time to clean, chop wood, do laundry, feed animals, educate the public, do parades, and anything else one could imagine. I met many wonderful people through MARS.

My daily duties involved feeding, cleaning, and observing the animals. As an intern, I had the unique opportunity to care for the animals day after day. This allows one to become familiar with an animal and detect changes in behavior and watch for indicators of health. However, my experience at MARS was not limited to just the daily duties, there was also hiking through the bush to mark a wildlife tree, playing detective on mysterious cases, performing necropsies, bathing a gull, and dealing with the reality of seriously injured cases.

Before my arrival at MARS, I did not have any experience with the care of sick and injured wildlife. It was a unique opportunity to learn first hand what wildlife rehabilitation is like. I have to admit that when I first arrived at MARS I was a little scared of the birds; daily I was overcoming my fears and learning to respect the animals. As time progressed, respect for the animals, from crows to owls, developed. Every species, every individual bird, has its own temperament and it is important to be able to respect them. The animals upon arrival become intertwined in your life, they depend on you. Days are long and can sometimes be crazy, but also very rewarding.

When my five weeks were up, I did not want to leave. I felt as though I was just starting to get a firm grasp on what I had to do and how to do it, but at the same time felt I had so much more to learn. My experience at MARS can be summed up in a few words, life enriching. Not a day was boring or dull and you are continuously learning about nature and yourself.

Thanks for everything Maj.

Melanie Carlson, Summer Intern 2002.