Taking over and sheltering live wildlife specimens

Within the scope of professional nature conservation activities, the Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia also participates in the taking over and sheltering of strictly protected and protected wild animal species, which are referred to in the Rulebook on the proclamation and protection of strictly protected and protected wild species of plants, animals and fungi. The similar procedure is applied to the confiscated specimens of wild animal species listed in this Rulebook, as well as in the annexes to the Rulebook on trans-boundary traffic and trade in protected species and the CITES Convention on the international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora, and in the cases of not keeping these species in compliance with the Rulebook on the conditions of keeping, the manner of marking and recording of captive wild animals.

Taking over and temporary or permanent sheltering of sick, injured, abandoned and the species disabled for independent survival, as well as of confiscated living specimens of strictly protected, protected and allochthonous wild species of animals, are conducted by shelters, zoos and other legal or natural persons who meet the legal requirements and possess a work permit issued by the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

A person who finds a specimen of strictly protected or protected wild animal species shall notify the Ministry of Environmental Protection (Inspection of the Sector for Supervision and Precaution in the Environment) or the Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia about the following:

• Specimens found dead
• Living specimens who are sick, injured or unable to survive in nature on their own.

The procedure of taking care of live wildlife specimens refers to the following:

• It begins with receiving the information about finding a certain animal species specimen, as well as about the location.
• If it is determined, based on the information obtained, that the animal is found in good health and general condition, and if it is estimated that the specimen found is able to survive on its own, it is recommended that the person who found the animal release it on the site of its finding or similar and suitable habitat in the vicinity.
• If it is determined in the interview to be necessary to provide aid to the animal, i.e. that the advice from a professional person could not be of any help, and if the Institute’s experts estimate that field intervention is necessary, such an intervention on the reported location is organized.
• If it is deemed necessary to temporarily or permanently shelter a living specimen of wild animal and provide it with veterinary assistance, experts of the Institute and / or inspectors of the Ministry shall transport the animal with a specialized vehicle to the registered shelter at the Zoo in Palić or at the Belgrade Zoo.
• If upon taking care of and medical treatment it is assessed by the veterinarian and / or expert that the recovery of animal has been successful and complete, the Institute's experts shall take the animal from the shelter and return it to nature, to the site of its finding or to a similar suitable habitat. Individual animals that are unable to survive in nature on their own are permanently taken care of in the shelter.

The same procedure as in the case of finding a specimen of strictly protected or protected wild animal species shall be conducted, if it is determined during expert supervision of the Institute and inspection of the Ministry of Environmental Protection at pet shops, wild animals kennels, zoos and other legal and natural persons that strictly protected, protected and allochthonous wild species are taken care of contrary to the provisions of the Law on Nature Conservation. In such cases experts of the Institute with inspectors shall participate in the transport and sheltering of temporarily or permanently seized live specimens of wild animals. The Ministry shall decide on the treatment of temporarily detained, temporarily confiscated, permanently confiscated and abandoned wildlife specimens in accordance with the regulation governing trans-boundary traffic and trade in wild flora and fauna. Specimens of these wild species are confiscated with the issuance of a confiscation certificate.