Christian Corral

Kennel Technician & Veterinary Assistant

Christian Corral joined Carolina Waterfowl Rescue in February 2026 and serves as a Kennel Technician and Veterinary Assistant. Before moving into his current role, Christian gained experience at CWR through afternoon farmhand shifts and as a full-time fall rehabilitation intern. He deliberately chose to complete his internship full time because he wanted to learn as quickly as possible and dedicate himself to becoming a better rehabilitator for the animals in CWR’s care.

Today, Christian works closely with CWR’s rehabilitation team and assists wherever he is needed. His responsibilities include safely holding and restraining animals for examinations and treatments, administering medications, assisting with radiographs, cleaning and maintaining animal-care areas, and supporting the rehabbers with the day-to-day care of patients. He also enjoys helping CWR’s shift staff whenever possible and hopes to become more involved with animal rescue and transportation in the future.

Christian works with a wide variety of CWR patients, including Canada geese, mallards, domestic ducks, pigeons, songbirds, chickens, turkeys, and other species that arrive at the rescue in need of care. One of the most rewarding parts of his job is seeing an animal improve during a follow-up examination and learning that the patient is healthy enough to move from medical care into a less intensive stage of rehabilitation.

For Christian, there is something particularly meaningful about being able to nurse animals such as chickens and turkeys back to health. He considers it an honor to work somewhere these animals are treated as individuals deserving of medical care and compassion. He describes his work as having the opportunity to be “a sort of nurse for birds and snakes and other curious things”—a role he considers important and genuinely worth being proud of.

Although CWR is Christian’s first formal experience working or volunteering with animals, his interest in birds began long before he arrived at the rescue. As a child, he was captivated by the documentary Winged Migration, which helped foster a lasting fascination with birds. Years later, he met someone involved in rescuing geese and ducks and began helping catch animals and transport them to CWR. Those experiences introduced him to the rescue community and ultimately inspired him to become part of it himself.

While the animals initially drew Christian to CWR, the people have become an equally important part of why he enjoys his work. He values being surrounded by people he can learn from and appreciates working alongside others who share a commitment to helping animals.

Outside of CWR, Christian is a 3D artist with experience using a variety of modeling and rendering software. He owns several 3D printers and has taught himself CAD and the practical applications of different printing materials, including designing functional and moving parts to scale. He also creates miniatures, toys, and novelty pieces and has experience with graphic design and digital art. His creativity occasionally crosses over into his life at CWR—Christian has even created cartoons inspired by some of the animals he has encountered at the rescue.

Christian considers creativity and a willingness to try things he has never done before among his greatest strengths. That curiosity is reflected in both his artwork and his approach to animal care. Whether he is learning a new rehabilitation skill, assisting with a medical procedure, or caring for one of CWR’s more unusual patients, he is proud to be doing work that gives animals a chance to heal.