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Identifying the species of an animal is crucial to making informed
decisions about it, beginning with whether and how it should be
reunited with its family, left alone, or brought into rehabilitation.
Species that look similar can have very different requirements for
diet, feeding schedule, housing, medications and pre-release environment.
Identification can be extremely difficult, especially when dealing
with a newborn. Juveniles and adults may also present challenges.
Species identification allows the rehabilitator to gain the necessary
thorough understanding of the animal's development, habitat, diet,
socialization requirements, foraging strategy and natural history.
Field guides are among the better and more accessible sources of
information; many have photographs or illustrations of animals at
different stages of development, as well as brief natural histories.
To learn more about identification or to find field guides for the
animals of the world, choose one of the topics below:
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