Following several complaints about the conditions in which animals were kept at a wildlife facility in Cape Town, the Cape of Good Hope SPCA Wildlife Department and CapeNature carried out an inspection.
They found that Wilke’s Wildlife Rehab in Pinelands was operating without a valid permit from CapeNature – a legal requirement for the keeping and rehabilitating of wild animals.
More than 60 tortoises on the property were kept in sub-standard conditions. Two were sick and their health issues are a result of poor living conditions.
Chief Inspector Jaco Pieterse confirmed that some of the animals at the facility were suffering. More than 100 animals were removed from the property and taken into safekeeping.
The SPCA found severely underweight and dehydrated snakes, overcrowding, no drinking water for some animals and dirty conditions, including a buildup of months of excrement in some of the animals’ cages.
Among these were two protected Blue Cranes, which are listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
‘Sadly, a peahen with only one leg and a damaged wing had to be euthanased 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,’ said Pieterse.
A warning was issued by the SPCA to ensure the living conditions of the remaining animals on the property A follow-up visit will be undertaken to ensure compliance. The SPCA advises the public to avoid taking any wild animal to Wilke’s Wildlife Rehab until the necessary permits are obtained and current issues are resolved.
Pictures: Cape of Good Hope SPCA
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