Meet the..Green Balkans Rescue Centre team

We will look at the things that determine the survival of the Centre and we will introduce you to the people that form the team, its volunteers and trainees. We will learn about the activities and tasks they perform every day. We will lift the veil and show you what happens behind the scenes at the Rescue Centre, showing you hundreds of usual, and unusual activities that each of us perform to make the Rescue Centre work.

We hope this initiative will answer some of your questions and make you ask others. In the process including the public and making them more aware of whom we are and what we do.
We will start first with the activities undertaken by the only foreigner in the Green Balkans Rescue Centre.

Meet our associate Darren Weeks whose responsibilities include the "ex-situ breeding program activities" and the Rescue Centre’s project for the “Reintroduction of the Saker Falcon to Bulgaria".

Darren, as we like to say is a "new Bulgarian". An immigrant from Britain, Darren and his wife Nikki moved to Bulgaria 7 years ago and settled in the village of General Inzovo near Yambol.
Today Darren is an official member of the Green Balkans team and works at the Wildlife Rescue Centre in Stara Zagora. Darren is proof that the open market of the European Community is an opportunity for us all to achieve our dreams.
The main tasks of Darren at the Rescue Centre are connected with the activities of returning the Saker Falcon to Bulgaria. He is directly responsible for six pairs of Saker Falcons at the Centre and looks after their welfare, breeding and rearing.
An interesting fact is that in order to learn what was required, last year, Darren was sent as a representative of Bulgaria to the International Wildlife Consultants Ltd in Wales. During three months of training there he received the basic knowledge that is necessary for the specifics of his work at the Rescue Centre in the raising and breeding of Saker Falcons.

Now it is his responsibility and his dedication that will account for the return of this extinct bird to the nature of Bulgaria.

Here are some of his duties: Nutrition and welfare of the Saker Falcon breeding pairs to encourage the production of young falcons, marking newly hatched chicks in accordance with Bulgarian legislation, technical maintenance of aviaries, cleaning and disinfection of cages and equipment, daily monitoring and notes of the birds' behaviour, preparation and delivery of food and food supplements.
Simultaneously, Darren cares for the other "big" birds from the Wildlife Rescue Centre breeding programs like the Griffon and Bearded vultures and the Imperial Eagles. Another part of his duties is focused on feeding all 150 inhabitants of the "old” facilities of the centre as well as maintenance and cleaning of over 40 aviaries.

Darren’s other obligations include working in close contact with “Luli” the Tawny Owl and “Honey” the Honey Buzzard. These are birds with disabilities that meet the children at the visitors centre.
And of course last but not least, Darren does the translations of all the news that is placed on the site of the Rescue Centre. He edits all our publications in English, and helps English-speaking visitors to the Centre.
The history of our acquaintance with him dates back to more than four years ago when he and his wife Nikki brought in a wounded Long-Eared Owl. Unfortunately, the bird did not survive, but the year after that Darren became a volunteer. And it was because of his perseverance, dedication and his genuine desire to work that our team saw in him, he has earned his place among us.

HERE you kan fine Darren's work at the Centre in pictures !

Christina Klisurova - Veterinarian
PR Rescue Center Wildlife
e-mail: hhristova@greenbalkans.org; mobile phone: 0886570053