“It’s great to feel that my work makes a difference”

Carolina Nunes, specialist in Conservation Biology

The ‘birdsitter’, a tawny owl, is now part of the family. She arrived at CRASSA (Santo André Wildlife Recovery Centre) in April 2022 with an injured wing after falling from her nest, from which, even with physiotherapy, she never fully recovered. With her wing crooked and accustomed to humans, as she had been in illegal captivity, if she were returned to her natural habitat, it would be hostile to her. Currently, she is doing well despite being considered irrecoverable and supports the recovery of other nocturnal birds of the same species that are admitted there for treatment. With a keen maternal instinct, she adopts orphaned chicks, helping them to socialise and teaching them to fly and hunt.

Each animal that arrives at this centre on the Alentejo coast carries with it a unique story, full of challenges. That of the tawny owl is just one of many examples of the impact and dedication of CRASSA which, together with the Castelo Branco Centre for the Study and Recovery of Wild Animals (CERAS) and the Montejunto Centre for the Recovery of Wild Animals (CRASM), is managed by the environmental organisation Quercus with the mission of welcoming, treat and return to their habitat wild animals of our native fauna that are debilitated, injured or orphaned, in addition to developing other activities in the field of research and environmental education.

It is part of the National Network of Wildlife Recovery Centres under the responsibility of the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF) and is located in Moinho Novo da Galiza, an old watermill in Vila Nova de Santo André, in the municipality of Santiago do Cacém, an area included in the Santo André and Sancha Lagoons Nature Reserve. This location is particularly interesting in terms of conservation, as it is a Protected Area of importance due to its wetlands and birdlife.

Carolina Nunes' work at CRASSA is very varied, ranging from feeding the animals to assisting in the infirmary. On the day of our report, the hedgehogs needed to be weighed. The task has to be done quickly so that the animal does not become accustomed to human contact, which facilitates its subsequent release into its natural environment once it has recovered.

After completing her master's degree in 2018, she returned to Lisbon and devoted herself to small jobs in the field of biology, focusing on environmental education. However, it was volunteering at LxCRAS in Monsanto that sparked her passion for birds, even though she initially thought she preferred mammals. The support of the team helped her overcome challenges, such as her aversion to blood, and gain practical skills in animal care. Realising that she did not enjoy life in the capital, she decided to look for opportunities in quieter areas. 

A year later, the opportunity arose to return to Alentejo, where she had previously lived as a student, for a professional internship at CRASSA, which led to her being hired, first as a technician and later as technical director, a position she currently holds. Therefore, of the three centres she coordinates, this is where she spends most of her time, which, in the last five years, has seen exponential growth in the number of animals, patrons and volunteers. "When I joined, there was one animal in recovery, now we are going to end the year with around 500 and more than 100 volunteers who help us fulfil our mission. We have seen constant progress, which makes me very happy," adds the coordinator. 

United by the same mission to care for and inspire
 

The daily routine of CRASSA's technical director is anything but monotonous. No two days are the same. She is primarily responsible for rehabilitation, which also includes environmental education, as well as providing support to the infirmary and feeding the animals: "The philosophy here is that everyone does a little bit of everything, depending on the needs, although we divide the work into two main areas: veterinary medicine, supervised by clinical director Andreia Gonçalves, and rehabilitation, under my responsibility. This is the message we try to convey to the volunteers, many of whom are university students in the sciences or on internships, giving them the opportunity to try a little bit of everything so that they can discover what they really like and want to do in life."

With regard to environmental education in particular, this organisation has been developing protocols with local councils, schools and other public and private institutions to promote not only information sessions and the release of animals into the wild, but also various activities for children and families. 

"We try to reach as wide an audience as possible, both through social media and training activities. Basically, we try to take advantage of any opportunity to spread our knowledge and our work, because, in fact, any of us could find an injured wild animal in need of help. On the other hand, it is also through these actions that we are often able to raise donations and recruit volunteers, so these are very interesting and very important activities for the centre."

Birdwatching is one of Carolina's favourite hobbies.

Among the hobbies of CRASSA's technical director are walks through the Santo André and Sancha Lagoons Nature Reserve, accompanied by her binoculars, which are essential for one of her favourite activities, birdwatching. She likes to ‘unwind’ on the beach, watch the beautiful sunsets that the Alentejo coast offers, and when she goes hiking in the Reserve, she never forgets her binoculars, which allow her to observe birds. She also volunteers at the National Ornithological Station and with domestic animals, such as dogs and cats.

To make all this possible, CRASSA relies on support, mainly from patrons, which is essential, for example, to carry out construction work and purchase equipment.

Thanks to their patrons, Carolina and her team feel more comfortable welcoming and rehabilitating a greater number of animals

‘Being able to combine our hobbies and passions with our job is a privilege,’ she says, without letting go of that sparkle in her eyes that reveals the enthusiasm and dedication she puts into her daily work. Therefore, the technical director concludes, ‘I hope to continue working in this area in the future, as it is something I believe in. This is the mission I want to fulfil. I have always wanted my work to have some kind of positive impact on the community and the environment. It feels great to know that my work makes a difference.’