Grandma’s VS. Raccoons today

by Katherin McGill

Not so long ago a person would think twice about threatening a mother raccoon. My grandfather taught me such wisdom as we walked thru the woods near his house. He said, “Beyond their survival needs, animals abide by Live and let Live, and it’s best if we humans do the same”.

Sadly, society today has very little comprehension of animals beyond domestic pets and livestock. More human’s means further encroachment on wildlife habitat. The best antidote for conflicts? KNOWLEDGE!

Urban wildlife is a fact of life, yet so many particulars are unknown to us. If all we are told is presented as a risk or a nuisance of course we won’t appreciate nature, or have any patience. Less sensationalizing and more sensible education is the missing link today.

Education should not come from fear: “Don’t approach wild animals / secure trash and pet food / report ‘strange’ activity” is good advice, but severely inadequate. How do we even know what “strange” is anymore! Healthy nocturnal animals DO venture out during daylight, yet do you know why? Or what vital roles each wild animal plays in a critically important and balanced ecosystem?

When humans lose patience with wildlife the agencies responsible for managing it will also, and the balance dangerously tips. Management then becomes more about regulation enforcement and essential education regresses further. Please, implore agencies, and the governments above them, to implement and support educating the public and renewing appreciation for urban wildlife.

Take children to Nature parks, surf the intranet, invite wildlife rehabilitators and educators into our schools, and truly learn about our wild, interesting neighbors. You will be amazed by what you have NOT been told! We all win with peaceful coexistence, and we definitely all lose without it. ‘Live and let live’ is still very manageable – and even quite enjoyable!

Ian, Sara, Annie, all grown up

The last 3 orphaned raccoons of the year are nearly ready to be released. The scheduled release date is October 20th or 21st.




Annie


Sara


Ian

Below:

Opossum Mother with 3 babies in her pouch that sat in a trap for 2 days trying desperately to get out, as you can see. She's now safe with good food and enough room to raise her babies and get back into shape. Once they are all recovered from their ordeal, they will be released at a soft release site.



And then we have, besides 12 other squirrels, the little squirrel that doesn't want to grow named Bonsai:



Bonsai is the one with the eyes open. The baby in the front is FIVE WEEKS younger than Bonsai, has his eyes still closed and weighs 3 grams more than Bonsai.

This is a very interesting case. Bonsai appears healthy and very feisty..she's just very tiny.

Other than that, our little Mary still comes around to visit. Mary is a white winged dove that grew up here earlier this year and sticks around after her release:

Orphaned Squirrels growing up

What kills Birds?

What Kills Birds?

Human Causes of Bird Fatalities Curry & Kerlinger has compiled the following information from environmental organizations and goverment agencies. This list is meant to inform the public and to put wind turbine fatalities in perspecitve.

Glass Windows

Bird Deaths a year: 100 to 900+ million

Dr. Daniel Klem of Muhlenberg College has done studies over a period of 20 years, looking at bird collisions with windows. His conclusion: glass kills more birds than any other human related factor.

House Cats

Bird Deaths a year: 100 Million

The National Audubuon Society says 100 million birds a year fall prey to cats. Dr. Stan Temple of the University of Wisconsin estimates that in Wisconsin alone, about 7 million birds a year are killed by cats

Automobiles / Trucks

Bird Deaths a year: 50 to 100 Million

Scientists estimate the number of birds killed by cars and trucks on the nation's highways to be 50 to 100 million a year. Those statistics were cited in reports published by the National Institute for Urban Wildlife and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Electric Transmission Line Collisions

Bird Deaths a year: up to 174 million

Estimates made by the U.S. Fish and Wildife Service demonstrate millions of birds die each year as a result of colliding with transmission lines.

Agriculture

Bird Deaths a year: 67 million

Pesticides likely poison an estimated 67 million birds per year according to the Smithsonian Institution. Cutting hay may kill up to a million more birds a year.

Land Development

Bird Deaths a year: unknown

Suburban sprawl is a silent but deadly killer. The National Audubon Society says loss of bird habitat is the greatest threat to bird populations.

Communication Towers

Bird Deaths a year: 4 to 10 million

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that bird collisions with tall, lighted communications towers, and their guy wires result in 4 to 10 million bird deaths a year.

Stock Tank Drowning

Bird Deaths a year: unknown

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists and other conservationists believe that large numbers of birds inadvertently drown in livestock water tanks.

Oil and Gas Extraction

Bird Deaths a year: 1 to 2 million

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports that up to 2 million birds died landing in oil pits to bathe and drink in 1997. Fish and Wildlife says netting has improved that situation somewhat. There are no overall estimates for the number of birds affected by oil and gas spills, and oil and gas extractions (and transport.)

Logging and Strip Mining

Bird Deaths a year: unknown

Logging and strip mining destroy bird habitat. According to the National Audubon Society, habitat destruction is the leading cause of bird population declines.

Commercial Fishing

Bird Deaths a year: unknown

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Ornithological Council report that 40 thousand seabirds per year are killed in the Gulf of Alaska by longline fishing operations. These same sources say long lining and gill netting kill large numbers of birds in other parts of the country as well.

Electrocutions

Raptor Deaths a year: more than 1,000

Experts estimate that more than one thousand hawks, eagles, falcons and owls are electrocuted on transmission lines and poles each year.

Hunting

Bird Deaths a year: 100 + million

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildife Service, more than 100 million ducks, geese, swans, doves, shorebirds, rails, cranes, among others are harvested legally each year.

Source: http://www.currykerlinger.com/birds.htm

Click here for a complete summary of studies on wind turbines and birds.

Lulu and her Puppies

Lulu and her Puppies:

When a Wildlife Rehabber has to pee

I was working on my computer when I noticed undoubtedly that I had to pee! I got up and glanced at the bucket of drinking water for my 5 dogs. It was on 'reserve'. Dirty too. I considered if I could withstand the running water sound without having to make a dash for the bathroom and decided that I could.

I carried the bucket to the sink which was, of course, full. Both sides. I sighed and put the bucket down, reached for the Dawn and found the bottle near empty. I had to write it on the shopping list before I forget it! NOW! The shopping list is on the computer.

So I walked back to the computer, making really tiny steps, and opened the shopping list. Before I could write the item down I noticed a blinking icon, signaling me that there is important Email in my Inbox that requires immediate attention.

I opened my Email program and sure enough, the subject "HELP, FOUND A BABY SQUIRREL" was just screamed at me. I had to take care of this first. Forgotten was the pressure on the bladder, the dogs that wanted water, the dishes and the detergent.

30 minutes later I had written detailed instructions on how to find a wildlife rehabber and how to take care of the baby until such has been found and sent off. I tried to copy and paste a standard text, wrote numerous different responses, but none of them ever seemed to fit.

Once I had hit that sent button and the email was on its way to hopefully save a squirrel, my bladder reminded me that I had another job to take care of! I got up again and just rolled my eyes at the water bucket knowing that this time the sound of running water is not going to help. I almost made it to the bathroom door!!

Rrrrrring rrrrrring, telephone! "OMG OMG OMG, my dog had this little thing in his mouth and I think it's a squirrel, it's squealing it's head off, can you hear that??? OMG OMG OMG!!"

15 minutes later I had a hysterical old lady calmed down and given direction to my house with instructions on how to transport the squirrel safely.

On my next attempt to reach the bathroom I had to ignore my guilt feelings looking at my 2 Great Danes sitting by the empty water bucket, giving me this "we are going to die now if we don't get water an hour ago!" look.

No way! I kept on walking. I looked at the clock on the wall and realized that I had to get started with warming up formula because in ten minutes it's feeding time. There are not only thirsty dogs, but also hungry cats, puppies, kittens, squirrels, birds, opossums, raccoons, rabbits and myself.

But not in my condition! I turned the lights on in the bathroom and lifted the lid to the bowl..and yes, you guessed it, the door bell rang! I hesitated..should I just go for it? Get it over with and let whoever I didn't expect, wait? But what if it's a baby whatever that's hurt and in pain? I knew I was going to regret that decision, but I ran to the door uttering words I didn't even knew I knew!!

To make a long story short, it took about another 2 hours before I managed to relief myself. In the meantime I admitted 3 squirrels, calmed down and educated the folks who dropped them off, gave the dogs water because I had to run it anyway to warm up the Pedialyte for the squirrels, which were terribly dehydrated. Too dehydrated to just put down and go pee. And while I was at it, I fed the 6 squirrels that I have at the moment and some other critters too. I felt like gurgling!

This is a scenario that repeats itself with different variations every day. I do not get much done, even though I'm amazed sometimes how little I do not get done, but over 200 animals have not died this year and many kids and adults alike have not cried over them but instead learned about the critters they found and felt good about having done the right thing.

I also answered a phonecall while juggling some bowls and bottles, just to listen to some distraught old fool threatening me not to release any of those varmint tree rats in his neighborhood or he'll shoot them all! And how derranged and mentally ill I need to be to waste money and time on such useless junk and messing with nature instead of helping hungry human orphans in Africa. Makes me wonder what he does with his time other than wasting it by telling others what to do with theirs.

The same evening I was also told by somebody else that I need to get a real job where I can earn some money so I can drive a big car and live in a big house and be somebody. Thankfully I do not need advise from humans like that. My best teachers are the animals. They don't care how much you have in the bank, if you are ugly or pretty, if you are a king or a bum, nor do they feel sorry for you or themselves. So why should I?

I am Birgit Sommer, Wildlife Rehabilitator.

Currently at the Rainbow Wildlife Rescue

Currently residing at the Rainbow Wildlife Rescue:

Ian:



Annie:



Sara:



6 Squirrels:







Lulu and her 3 puppies:

Rocky, Abi, Lena, raccoons, are released

Today was the big day! I had planned to release 4 of the 6 raccoons that have grown up at the Rainbow Wildlife Rescue.

I know that I had to keep Ian and Annie, because they still depend on their bottle, but I thought Sara, the little wild one that I was never able to even touch, would be ready too.

But it turned out this morning that she was not, demanded her formula too, so it was Rocky, Abi and Lena. I also took the 3 opossums along for release, since they were ready too.

Once we arrived at the soft release place and I let the girls out of their crate, I had sworn to myself that if they climb the tree, they can stay. If they however climb my leg, they come back home with me.

And it was Rocky who ended up making it real hard for me. She had lost sight of Abi and Lena, who were climbing up high in the trees, and she got scared and kept wanting up on my arm. I decided to take her back home with me.

But once Abi came back down the tree to check out the food Judy, the property owner, had put out for them, Rocky took off with her exploring and I was all but forgotten! Which was just fine by me. We observed them for a while and when I was satisfied that the girls were in good hands, Mother Nature AND Judy, I left with one laughing and one crying eye!

Of course I took plenty of pictures and put together a movie:




MissDolittle (me) and Rocky


Saying good-bye to Rocky








Rocky


Lena


Abi waves good-bye