- Title: Nigerian vet gives sanctuary to rescued animals
- Date: 16th August 2019
- Summary: LAGOS, NIGERIA (AUGUST 6, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MARK OFUA HOLDING A SNAKE AND A PANGOLIN / PANGOLIN CLIMBING ON THE CAMERA MARK OFUA TAKING SNAKES OFF HIS NECK AND SAYING: "Come here Duke, no not you, come here, Clara where are you, okay now this is Clara, if you look she has a very big scar here, a large scar, she was macheted by a hunter before they called us to rescue her and we took her in, we stitched her, it was quite traumatic for her but she is fine now and she has lost her fear of humans." OFUA'S FACE VARIOUS OF SNAKES DRINKING WATER FROM A BOWL VARIOUS OF SNAKE SLIDING AWAY VETERINARIAN AND CONSERVATIONIST, MARK OFUA HELPING A SNAKE SHED ITS SKIN, SAYING: "She's shedding and I'm helping her shed, you can see under her shed there is a beautiful skin, if properly handled and taken care of they are very gentle creatures." SNAKES (SOUNDBITE) (English) VETERINARIAN AND CONSERVATIONIST, MARK OFUA, SAYING: "I am a conservationist and I try to do my bit to save nature. I also try to educate people that these animals are not the mindless killing machines that we think they are. They have a role to play in ecology and the eco system, they are not so quick to bite if properly handled and taken care of. They are very very gentle creatures; they are not very quick to be a menace that we think they are." EXTERIOR OF SANCTUARY VARIOUS OF RESCUED DOGS VARIOUS OF RESCUED CIVET VARIOUS OF RESCUED TORTOISE VARIOUS OF RESCUED BABOON VARIOUS OF MARK PUTTING SNAKES IN CAGE (SOUNDBITE) (English) VETERINARIAN AND CONSERVATIONIST, MARK OFUA, SAYING: "All these animals that I have with me, they are rescued -- hunters traps, people that see them in their environment they call me to come and rescue these animals and I do my bit, I do what I can to relocate the animals but there are some of them that I have that I can't relocate because I have imprinted on them so strongly, if I take them to the wild they won't survive because they have forgotten how to hunt and they have lost their fears for humans so I take them in and I keep them and feed them and do my best." VARIOUS OF PANGOLIN VARIOUS OF MARK TAKING PANGOLIN OUT OF A CAGE (SOUNDBITE) (English) VETERINARIAN AND CONSERVATIONIST, MARK OFUA, SAYING: "When I rescued him, he was tied up in a bag and dehydrated, weak, so I have had to rehydrate him and rehabilitate him with medications and as soon as he is strong enough, I will release him to the wild, to a protected forest. Why? Because it will surprise you to know that this is one of the most trafficked mammals on earth, it is an endangered species and we have to do the little we can, or the much we can to conserve this specie." VARIOUS OF SIGNAGE READING (English): "NIGERIAN CONSERVATION FOUNDATION, LEKKI CONSERVATION CENTRE AND NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS" VARIOUS OF MARK AND A CONSERVATION GUIDE WALKING WITH A PANGOLIN IN A CAGE AND SNAKE IN A BAG TO BE RELEASED IN PROTECTED FOREST MARK BRINGING OUT THE SNAKE FROM BAG MARK RELEASING SNAKE ON A TREE MARK BRINGING OUT PANGOLIN FROM A CAGE SOUNDBITE) (English) VETERINARIAN AND CONSERVATIONIST, MARK OFUA, SAYING: "He is strong and fit to go back into the wild now and we brought him to the protected forest of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation Lekki, and this is where we are going to release him. We have made some releases here so he won't be alone, he will have his family to relate with and he is going to be happy." MARK RELEASING PANGOLIN ONTO A TREE VARIOUS OF PANGOLIN CLIMBING DOWN THE TREE
- Embargoed: 30th August 2019 14:36
- Keywords: animal shelter sanctaury snakes pangolins civet turtles rescued animals hunters
- Location: LAGOS, NIGERIA
- City: LAGOS, NIGERIA
- Country: Nigeria
- Topics: Environment,Nature/Wildlife
- Reuters ID: LVA001ASGWKLZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:A ball python and a pangolin are some of the animals that Nigerian veterinarian and conservationist, Mark Ofua is nursing back to health at his animal sanctuary in Lagos.
Ofua says he is determined to change perceptions here towards reptiles and wild animals, and wants to get communities to do more to care for wildlife.
The vet has been saving and treating wild animals and reptiles for about ten years now. The rescued animals often end up here after being injured by hunters, or through accidents. Others are attacked by people trying to protect themselves.
Today, he is feeding and cleaning ball pythons rescued from hunters a month ago.
"Come here Duke, no not you, come here, Clara where are you, okay now this is Clara, if you look she has a very big scar here, a large scar, she was macheted by a hunter before they called us to rescue her and we took her in, we stitched her, it was quite traumatic for her but she is fine now and she has lost her fear of humans," said Mark.
Ofua says he discovered his love for wildlife when he was 13-years-old, after a cobra crawled across his leg and slid away, as he read a book in the garden.
He later went on to study veterinary medicine and practiced as a vet until 2009, when he decided to focus on wildlife conservation.
"I am a conservationist and I try to do my bit to save nature. I also try to educate people that these animals are not the mindless killing machines that we think they are. They have a role to play in ecology and the eco system, they are not so quick to bite if properly handled and taken care of. They are very very gentle creatures; they are not very quick to be a menace that we think they are," said Ofua.
Ofua runs a rehabilitation centre which also serves as a clinic for pet owners.
Over 30 different animals are housed here, from pangolins to civets, baboons, turtles and even stray dogs.
He places domestic animals up for adoption and returns wildlife to protected forests once they are rehabilitated.
Ofua also goes round schools sensitizing students on the need to protect wildlife.
He encourages people to contact him whenever they come across snakes and other dangerous animals instead of attacking them.
"All these animals that I have with me, they are rescues -- hunters traps, people that see them in their environment they call me to come and rescue these animals and I do my bit, I do what I can to relocate the animals but there are some of them that I have that I can't relocate because I have imprinted on them so strongly, if I take them to the wild they won't survive because they have forgotten how to hunt and they have lost their fears for humans so I take them in and I keep them and feed them and do my best," said Ofua.
Ofua who self-funds his refuge recently rescued a Pangolin.
Termed as the most endangered mammal, Pangolins are often illegally trafficked from West Africa to Asia where they fetch thousands of dollars per kilo, for use in ornaments and medicine.
"When I rescued him, he was tied up in a bag and dehydrated, weak, so I have had to re-hydrate him and rehabilitate him with medications and as soon as he is strong enough, I will release him to the wild, to a protected forest. Why because it will surprise you to know that this is one of the most trafficked mammals on earth, it is an endangered species and we have to do the little we can, or the much we can to conserve this species," he said.
Once the animals are healthy enough and able to survive in their natural habitat, Ofua brings them back to a protected forest.
"He is strong and fit to go back into the wild now and we brought him to the protected forest of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation Lekki, and this is where we are going to release him. We have made some releases here so he won't be alone, he will have his family to relate with and he is going to be happy," said Ofua.
(Seun Sanni, Angela Ukomadu) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None