Meriem Flih traveled around the world for fifteen months to offer her veterinary services to health centers and sanctuaries. During this journey, the veterinarian was particularly touched by certain rescues that she agreed to tell us about.
Wando, the injured sloth in Costa Rica
Wando found himself on the ground, the day after a storm, and attacked by stray dogs. “This case is interesting because it raises the question of ethics: is it our role as a care center to interfere with animals that are injured in natural conditions? “, explains Meriem. When bringing Wando back to the hospital, the veterinarian found a fractured humerus. After operating on him, the sloth was released into the wild.
Sandy, the orphan manatee in Belize
Sandy, a young female manatee was left orphaned after her mother was hit by a boat. Being too young to take care of herself, it was Meriem who took care of it. “Of course, you had to clean your pool, keep it clean, bottle it several times a day, swim with it, keep it company“, explains the veterinarian. After several months of care, Sandy has advanced in the stages of rehabilitation. “We continue to feed her to support her in this transition and then, when she feels ready, she can take off and regain her freedom.“, explains Meriem.
The 18 green turtles poached in Costa Rica
One evening, Meriem receives a call from the Costa Rican authorities: they have just seized 18 turtles from poachers, which were intended for their meat consumption. Not having the space to receive 18 turtles weighing 100 kilos, Meriem and his colleagues had to build makeshift ponds and temporary ponds in an emergency. “They arrive, they are in a pitiful state, there are harpoon holes in their shells, some have lesions in their internal organs“, recalls Meriem.
This was followed by weeks of care that allowed the release of 17 turtles. One of them died but the veterinarians were able to recover her eggs and send them to a nature reserve to be incubated. “A few weeks later, her eggs hatch and you can go to the beach to see these little babies cross these few meters of sand before joining the waves of the ocean.“, concludes Meriem.