Page 11 - Talk of Tequesta - August '24

The Talk Of Tequesta, Page 11

in Your CommuniTY from page 10
Busch Wildlife Sanctuary Welcomes

New Animal Ambassador: her help, educate residents about her species and how to “The addition of Dr. Johnston to Busch Wildlife Sanctuary
is a true game changer for the organization,” Kight said.
cohabitate with native wildlife.
Rihanna, The Virginia Virginia opossums are the only native marsupials in “While she has been donating her spare time for close to two
Opossum North America. Opossums play many important roles in decades as a board member, having her as a full-time staff
member will allow the Sanctuary to expand our conservation
their ecosystems and are beneficial to humans. Opossums eat
insects, snails, slugs and other critters, which helps control efforts far beyond the doors of our rehabilitation center.”
Busch Wildlife Sanctuary at Abramson & Schlaggar their populations, in addition to eating unwanted household Johnston graduated from Ohio State University’s College
Reserve, a renowned nonprofit organization dedicated pests like rodents, cockroaches, rats and mice. of Veterinary Medicine in 2002 but had already worked in
to wildlife conservation and education, is delighted to To learn about Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, visit www. wildlife rehabilitation nearly a decade beforehand, involved
announce a new permanent resident and educational buschwildlife.org. Nurture what’s wild. in raptor rehabilitation and an osprey reintroduction
animal ambassador: Rihanna, the Virginia opossum. program. Johnston holds certifications from the Association
Full-Time Wildlife of Avian Veterinarians in pathology, diagnostics, disease,
therapy, surgery, and anesthesia. She is also a member of
Veterinarian To Its Staff the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians and the
Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians.
Busch W ildlife Johnston will begin employment at Busch Wildlife
Sanctuary at Abramson Sanctuary on July 22, 2024.
& Schlaggar Reserve, To learn about Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, visit www.
a renowned nonprofit buschwildlife.org. Nurture What’s Wild.
organization dedicated
to wildlife conservation In Your Community on page 12
and education, is thrilled
to welcome a full-time
wildlife veterinarian
to its staff: Heather
Johnston, D.V.M.
Rihanna was brought to the wildlife rehabilitation This milestone
center on April 30 with most of her tail missing after an has been a dream for
altercation with a domestic cat. Fortunately, that was the decades, said Amy Dr. Heather
only injury the juvenile opossum sustained. Staff treated Kight, the organization’s
the wound and provided preventative care including Chief Executive Officer. The Sanctuary’s rehabilitation
antibiotics, antiparasitics, pain relievers and fluids. center admits nearly 6,000 injured wild animals annually.
Without the majority of her tail, it was clear Rihanna The nonprofit has fantastic community partners that
would not be releasable. An opossum’s prehensile tail volunteer services for specialized treatments when needed,
helps stabilize it when climbing and latches onto tree but having a full-time veterinarian on staff will ensure
branches to prevent them from falling, so Rihanna would patients receive more advanced lifesaving care even
have difficulty evading predators without one. quicker than before.
Once Rihanna was healthy enough, the education and Johnston has long supported Busch Wildlife Sanctuary
animal care teams moved her to the sanctuary and began and its mission since moving to Florida in 2004,
acclimating her to life there. Busch Wildlife Sanctuary is volunteering her time and skills in the organization’s
honored to provide a forever home to Rihanna and, with rehabilitation center and joining its Board of Directors.