Corresponding author: Loris Galli (
Academic editor: Christoph Knogge
Wildlife recovery centres are widespread worldwide and their goal is the rehabilitation of wildlife and the subsequent release of healthy animals to appropriate habitats in the wild. The activity of the Genoese Wildlife Recovery Centre (
Dessalvi G, Borgo E, Galli L (2021) The contribution to wildlife conservation of an Italian Recovery Centre. Nature Conservation 44: 1–20.
Wildlife Recovery Centres are widespread worldwide (
Number of Recovery Centres in the Italian Regions (updated to August 2019; from
Region | Number of active |
---|---|
Aosta Valley | 1 |
Piedmont | 6 |
Trentino Alto Adige | 4 |
Lombardy | 8 |
Veneto | 8 |
Friuli Venezia Giulia | 9 |
Liguria | 1 |
Emilia Romagna | 14 |
Tuscany | 8 |
Umbria | 2 |
Marche | 2 |
Latium | 5 |
Abruzzo | 1 |
Molise | 0 |
Campania | 3 |
Basilicata | 5 |
Apulia | 6 |
Calabria | 3 |
Sicily | 6 |
Sardinia | 5 |
Total (Italy) | 97 |
Wildlife “rehabilitation and relocation” is a traditional management practice, defined by
In Genoa,
The Genoese
The recovery of injured or displaced wild animals is often carried out by citizens, especially in the case of small to medium-sized animals. In other instances, recoveries are carried out by
When a debilitated animal arrives at the Centre, staff records its date of entry, species, age, provenance and assess its apparent injury or disability. The animal then receives appropriate first aid and housing, before undergoing a thorough examination by a veterinarian, the results of which do not always agree with the initial diagnosis. Following the examination, the veterinarian may recommend that the animal be euthanised when it cannot be saved or when the injuries would result in an animal living with severe pain and/or loss of independence. On the other hand, if the veterinarian’s evaluation is positive, the animal will receive the necessary treatment(s) for its recovery from the veterinarian and other appropriately qualified staff at the Centre.
At Campomorone, the Centre has only three employees professionally trained in zoology; the remaining staff is made up of volunteers trained in the treatment of wild animals who primarily feed and clean the animals and their enclosures. When an animal’s treatment regime has finished and the observations on its behaviour are positive, the veterinarian will approve its transfer to a designated rehabilitation area.
During the last stage of its rehabilitation at the Centre, the animal is visited only once a day to be fed, in order to minimise human contact. The final rehabilitation phase varies due to factors such as the species and age of the animal, the cause(s) of debilitation and the timing of its release due to the availability of suitable habitat and favourable climatic conditions.
All releases take place in accordance with the Italian law 157/1992 governing the management and protection of wildlife. The most common problem faced by the Centre is its inability to free some animals due to their overpopulation in the wild (e.g. in the case of Wild boar
The data recorded on the Centre’s registers (2015–2020) were analysed in order to obtain information relevant to the management and conservation of wild animals.
An ordinary least square regression, followed by a Mann-Kendall Trend Test was performed on data about annual recoveries in order to verify the actual increase of the Centre’s activity.
The geographic provenance of each specimen was attributed to the following areas: West and East Liguria, Genoa City and those external to Liguria.
The phenology of the entries was analysed for dominant species (at least 2% of the total individuals) or homogeneous groups of species, dividing the year into half-month periods (marked with the numbers 1 and 2). The recoveries were examined focusing on those species that represented at least 1% of the total individuals, while the remaining species were grouped homogeneously with a focus on the causes of debilitation and the final outcomes. Overall, differences amongst frequencies of species’ outcomes (adding together the numbers of animals that died in care or were euthanised) were analysed using the Chi-square Test. Additional in-depth analysis was undertaken on data concerning animals hospitalised for injuries resulting from “anthropogenic causes”. The frequencies of release of such individuals and of those admitted to the Centre following predation attempts by domestic animals was compared with the frequency of releases on the total of hospitalisations using the Chi-square Test.
PAST Software (Paleontological Statistics version 4.02,
There was a total of 5881 wild animals transferred to the Recovery Centre between 2015 and 2020 with the majority coming from the Liguria Region (Table
Liguria, NW-Italy: the Italian Region from which about 97% of the animals hospitalised at the
Provenance (number and relative percentage) of hospitalised animals at the
Area of provenance | Nr Individuals | % Individuals |
---|---|---|
Western Liguria | 664 | 11.3 |
Eastern Liguria | 2392 (1106 in Polcevera Valley) | 40.7 (18.8 in Polcevera Valley) |
Genoa | 2634 | 44.8 |
Outside of Liguria | 142 | 2.4 |
Unknown | 49 | 0.8 |
A total of 162 species were housed in the Centre during the six-year study (Appendix
Number of individuals and species of wildlife hospitalised at the
The number of wildlife admissions to
Annual phenology of animals hospitalised at the
Birds represented the 80.9% of the entries (31.1% non-passerines, 49.8% passerines), with the Common swift, Yellow-legged gull, Blackbird and Eurasian collared dove being the most common species. Mammals accounted for 18.6% of hospitalisations with the European hedgehog being the most common. Other mammals commonly hospitalised are ungulates, bats and some rodents, especially Roe deer, Wild boar, Kuhl’s pipistrelle
In Fig.
Percentages of the outcomes of hospitalisation at the
The Genoese
The seasonal distribution of wildlife admissions recorded at
Birds accounted for 80.9% of entries; mammals 18.6%; and amphibians and reptiles 0.5%. This representation of animal type by percentage is quite common in recovery centres worldwide (
In Genoa, the percentage of released animals from
The significant differences recorded amongst different species’ release rates can be attributed to the intrinsic characteristics of the species (animals more resistant or more adaptable to captivity than others) and to the types of debilitation suffered by the different species (e.g. infections, wounds, traumas, fractures) (
In the Genoese
Animals killed by cats housed in the collection of the Museum of Natural History in Genoa. In the first column, the date of collection is shown, except for some specimens indicated with M for which only the date of arrival in the Museum is known.
Date | Species | Provenance | Museum Code |
---|---|---|---|
|
|||
16.10.2012 |
|
Genoa Quinto, Via F. Filzi | |
|
|||
08.04.1997 |
|
Sori (Genoa Province), via Sant’Apollinare | MSNG 55021 |
21.03.1998 |
|
Genoa Quinto, via Bettolo | MSNG 54858 |
17.04.2002 |
|
Lavagna (Genoa Province), strada panoramica | MSNG 54986 |
23.01.2007 M |
|
Genoa, via Ruffini | |
10.05.2010 |
|
Genoa Apparizione, via Shelley | |
01.11.2013 |
|
Ferriere di Lumarzo (Genoa Province), Fontanabuona Valley | MSNG 57837 |
12.02.2014 |
|
Genoa, Piazza Manin | MSNG 57862 |
11.2014 |
|
Carasco (Genoa Province), loc. Terrarossa | |
09.2015 |
|
Sestri Levante (Genoa Province) | |
12.04.2017 M |
|
Genoa Quarto | |
28.11.2017 M |
|
Alassio (Savona Province) | |
29.11.2017 M |
|
Lumarzo (Genoa Province), loc. Costa da Cà | |
30.03.2019 |
|
Vado Ligure (Savona Province), Porto Vado, via Madonnetta | |
01.11.2019 |
|
Stella (Savona Province), Mezzano | |
|
|||
12.05.2011 | Shrew | Genoa Multedo, Villa Gavotti | |
19.06.2012 M |
|
Cremeno (Genoa Province) | |
19.06.2012 M |
|
Cremeno (Genoa Province) | |
19.06.2012 M |
|
Cremeno (Genoa Province) | |
19.06.2012 |
|
Cremeno (Genoa Province) | |
27.08.2014 |
|
Finale Ligure (Savona Province), Finalborgo, Aquila valley | |
02.09.2014 |
|
Ceranesi (Genoa Province), Livellato | |
22.06.2016 M | Shrew | Genoa Quinto al Mare | |
20.09.2016 | Shrew | Genoa Quinto al Mare | |
20.09.2016 | Shrew | Genoa Quinto al Mare | |
26.10.2018 |
|
Pezzolo, Uzzone Valley (Cuneo Province) | |
11.05.2019 | Shrew | Rialto (Savona Province) | |
23.11.2019 | Shrew | Genoa Quinto al Mare |
The work of rehabilitation/recovery centres contributes to wildlife conservation and the one in Genoa is growing in its activity concerning recovery and release of species under protection from
The
We are very grateful to Massimo Pigoni and Davide Rufino of the Genoa
Number of individuals hospitalised for each species. Species are ordered according to decreasing number and to their systematics (following:
Species | N° ind. | Protection/Conservation status |
---|---|---|
Common swift / |
1093 | |
Yellow-legged gull / |
594 | |
Blackbird / |
512 | |
Eurasian collared dove / |
361 | |
European hedgehog / |
300 | |
Roe deer / |
283 | |
Mallard / |
179 | |
Italian sparrow / |
178 |
|
Eurasian magpie / |
150 | |
Dormouse / |
123 | |
Blackcap / |
119 | |
Great tit / |
101 | |
Rose-ringed parakeet / |
99 | |
Little owl / |
81 | * |
Eurasian jay / |
80 | |
Robin / |
67 | |
Kuhl’s pipistrel / |
66 | |
Savi’s pipistrelle / |
59 | |
Goldfinch / |
58 | |
Barn swallow / |
57 | |
Common house martin / |
54 | |
Hooded crow / |
49 | |
Chaffinch / |
49 | |
Sparrowhawk / |
47 | |
Wild boar / |
46 | |
Common kestrel / |
43 | * |
Pallid swift / |
39 | |
Buzzard / |
38 | * |
Grey heron / |
36 | |
Common redstart / |
34 | |
European serin / |
34 | |
European green woodpecker / |
33 | |
Woodcock / |
29 | |
Song thrush / |
29 | |
European quail / |
27 | |
White wagtail / |
27 | |
Red fox / |
27 | |
European starling / |
26 | |
Tawny owl / |
25 | * |
European badger / |
25 | |
Muskovy duck / |
24 | |
Common pipistrelle / |
23 | |
Eastern cottontail / |
22 | |
Pheasant / |
19 | |
Eurasian |
19 | * |
Brown rat / |
19 | |
Goldcrest / |
18 | |
Black-headed gull / |
16 | |
Blue tit / |
15 | |
Fallow deer / |
15 | |
Honey buzzard / |
14 | * |
Red squirrel / |
14 | |
Black rat / |
14 | |
Beech marten / |
14 | |
Eurasian jackdaw / |
12 | |
Peregrine falcon / |
11 | ** |
Water rail / |
10 | |
European free-tailed bat / |
10 | |
Red-legged partridge / |
9 | |
Little bittern / |
9 |
|
European nightjar / |
9 | |
Eurasian reed warbler / |
9 | |
Common firecrest / |
9 | |
Spotted flycatcher / |
9 | |
Barred grass snake / |
8 | |
Goshawk / |
8 | * |
Common kingfisher / |
8 | |
Common woodpigeon / |
8 | |
European greenfinch / |
8 | |
House mouse / |
7 | |
Common chiffchaff / |
7 | |
Turquoise-fronted amazon / |
6 | |
Melodious warbler / |
6 | |
Grey wagtail / |
6 | |
European hare / |
6 | |
Crested porcupine / |
6 | |
Green whip snake / |
5 | |
Common moorhen / |
5 | |
Eurasian hoopoe / |
5 | |
Great-spotted woodpecker / |
5 | |
Long-tailed tit / |
5 | |
Common wall gecko / |
4 | |
Aesculapian snake / |
4 | |
Common shag / |
4 | |
Barn owl / |
4 | * |
Long-eared owl / |
4 | * |
Eurasian hobby / |
4 | * |
Coal tit / |
4 | |
Subalpine warbler / |
4 | |
Sardinian warbler / |
4 | |
Wren / |
4 | |
Weasel / |
4 | |
Fire salamander / |
3 | |
Little egret / |
3 | |
Booted eagle / |
3 | * |
Short-toed eagle / |
3 | * |
Western marsh harrier / |
3 | * |
Nightingale / |
3 | |
Red-billed leiothrix / |
3 | |
Eurasian tree sparrow / |
3 |
|
Hawfinch / |
3 | |
White toothed pygmy shrew / |
3 | |
Common toad / |
2 |
|
Slow-worm / |
2 | |
Eurasian teal / |
2 |
|
European storm petrel / |
2 | |
Cattle egret / |
2 | |
Collared dove / |
2 | |
Common cuckoo / |
2 | |
Eagle owl / |
2 | * |
Alpine swift / |
2 | |
Red-footed falcon / |
2 | * |
European crested tit / |
2 | |
Eurasian crag martin / |
2 | |
Wood warbler / |
2 | |
Whitethroat / |
2 | |
Black redstart / |
2 | |
European pied flycatcher / |
2 | |
Italian wolf / |
2 | * |
European polecat / |
2 | |
Strinati’s cave salamander / |
1 | |
Smooth snake / |
1 | |
Riccioli’s snake / |
1 | |
Viperine snake / |
1 | |
Greylag goose / |
1 | |
Northern shoveler / |
1 |
|
Grey partridge / |
1 | |
Sacred |
1 | |
Black crowned night heron / |
1 |
|
Northern gannet / |
1 | |
Great cormorant / |
1 | |
Black kite / |
1 | * |
Little crake / |
1 | |
Spotted crake / |
1 | |
Coot / |
1 | |
Common crane / |
1 | * |
Common sandpiper / |
1 | |
Dunlin / |
1 | |
Sandwich tern / |
1 | |
Whiskered tern / |
1 | |
Stock pigeon / |
1 | |
Short-eared owl / |
1 | * |
European bee-eater / |
1 | |
Yellow-crowned amazon / |
1 | |
Golden oriole / |
1 | |
Marsh tit / |
1 | |
Sand martin / |
1 |
|
Great reed warbler / |
1 | |
Sedge warbler / |
1 |
|
Garden warbler / |
1 | |
Lesser whitethroat / |
1 | |
Western orphean warbler / |
1 |
|
Redwing / |
1 | |
Whinchat / |
1 | |
Dunnock / |
1 | |
Tree pipit / |
1 |
|
Water pipit / |
1 | |
Siskin / |
1 | |
Cirl bunting / |
1 | |
Common shrew / |
1 | |
Natterer’s bat / |
1 |
|
Grey squirrel / |
1 |