You Might Be a Wildlife Rehabilitator If…

• you do a quick u-turn when you notice flashing car lights and police officers in the middle of a busy road wondering what to do with a large snapping turtle stranded in the middle of four lanes.
• you know how to handle a snapping turtle, and you happen to have a carrier for it in your car.  (See https://mefurr.wordpress.com/2014/05/13/a-snap-decision/.)

Have carrier, will rescue!

• you go to work (school, social events, etc.) with a container of infant squirrels and the formula and syringes to feed them every two to three hours throughout the day. (See Nutty for Squirrels, https://mefurr.wordpress.com/2013/09/26/nutty-for-squirrels/.)

Orphaned squirrel takes a nap at the office between feedings.

• you’ve been on a wild goose chase…literally.
• you go to the doctor for a couple of stitches on your cheekbone because you’ve been clocked by the goose you were trying to catch. (The doctor thought my story was pretty crazy but figured it had to be true. Who could make up something like that?! I don’t think you want to see the photo–had a nasty bruise too!)
• you’re more afraid of being bitten by a chipmunk than a coyote. (Those chipmunks bite hard!)

Believe it or not, I’m more wary handling these little critters than large predators like coyotes and hawks.

• you’ve handled a coyote. (See https://mefurr.wordpress.com/2013/11/02/back-to-the-wild/.)
• you’ve had a close friendship with a non-releasable crow. (See My Friend Edgar Allan Crow, https://mefurr.wordpress.com/2013/11/19/my-friend-edgar-allan-crow/.)

Edgar Allen Crow was very dear to me. I still miss her.

• you love opossums, squirrels, coyotes, snakes, vultures, crows, pigeons, and many other animals that people disdain because you know they play an important role in their ecosystem. (See Carrion, My Wayward Bird and Pretty as a ‘Possum.)
• You’ve worn a ghillie suit.

Ghillie suits help prevent orphaned animals from imprinting on humans. They’re worn especially around predators like coyotes and foxes that need to keep their distance from human habitation to remain safe in the wild.

• you can’t say no when you get a call to go rescue an injured opossum (goose, squirrel, fox, etc.), even when you’re exhausted and have just found a moment’s peace.
• you’ve been bitten, scratched, or taloned by most of the native wildlife in your area.
• you’ve said to a friend, “I’d give you a hug, but I have feces on my shirt.”
• you deal with a lot of sh*t!

But aren’t these faces worth it!!

  

Springing Forward

Although Old Man Winter is still flexing his muscles here and there (Atlanta expects temperatures to drop below freezing again this week, and my northern friends are bracing for another snowstorm), we are definitely on the threshold of spring. With the arrival of warmer weather and lengthening days, the signs of spring are everywhere – blooming spring ephemerals, budding trees, birdsong, and baby squirrels!  Here are just a few of the tell-tale signs I’ve seen in recent days that remind me that warmer, greener days are ahead.

Trout Lilies are an early herald of spring.

One of the earliest heralds of spring, Trout Lilies grow in sizeable colonies and are named for the mottled leaves which bear some similarity to the markings of brook trout. Like other spring ephemeral wildflowers, trout lilies are perennial woodland plants that sprout early in the spring to take advantage of the full sunlight. They bloom and quickly turn to seed before they are shaded out by the canopy trees. Once the forest floor is in deep shade, the leaves wither, leaving behind only the underground roots and bulb. Some other ephemerals to look for while walking in Eastern woods are Hepatica, Bloodroot, Trillium, and Jack-in-the-Pulpit.

Magnolia blossom

Magnolia tree with maples and the moon in the background

Although we usually think of trees being their most colorful in the fall, they put on a variety of colorful displays in the spring, too. Aside from the showy blooms of flowering trees like the Dogwood or Magnolia, many other common deciduous trees bear colorful flowers in spring. Maple flowers, for example, can be green, yellow, orange, or red, and while the flowers are small, the effect of a whole tree in bloom is beautiful. Later, the flowers of the maple tree yield seeds called samaras – better known as “helicopters” or “whirlybirds” for the way they are shaped to spin as they fall, which helps to carry them great distances on the wind for dispersal. These seeds are an important food source for a variety of wildlife.

Maple tree in bloom

The birds are singing! (Carolina Wren)

You’ve probably noticed that the birds are a lot more vocal as the days grow longer. The increased sunlight triggers hormones in birds that induce them to sing, especially the males, but the females of many species sing also. Vocalizations fall into two general categories, songs and calls. Songs are used to attract mates, declare territory, and bond with family members. The shorter calls are used to convey information about food sources, warn of danger, and help family members stay in touch as they forage. The Northern Mockingbird, named for its ability to mimic the songs of other birds, has one of the most expansive repertoires, copying songs from other species and incorporating them into thousands of variations. Most people are surprised to learn that Georgia’s state bird, the Brown Thrasher, has even more songs than the mockingbird! In fact, it has the largest repertoire of all North American birds. Early spring is one of the best times to watch birds – before the canopy hides them from view and before they have young mouths to feed and protect.

Northern Mockingbirds are expert mimics with hundreds, if not thousands, of variations in their songs (even when standing on one foot as this bird is, ha ha).

Finally, I know that spring is truly here when the wildlife center where I volunteer starts receiving a steady inflow of displaced and orphaned baby squirrels and other young wild animals. Already we are caring for close to twenty tiny squirrels, and that number will double, or triple as the season progresses. For me, making and warming formula, feeding bottles, and washing an endless stream of dishes and dirty laundry have become as closely associated with spring as any other of the tell-tale signs. So please, hold off on your tree pruning, keep your cats indoors, and when possible, place any young mammals or birds you find on the ground back in the nest. Our hands are full already!

Baby squirrels require numerous feedings each day. This one is about two weeks old.

To learn more about rehabilitating baby squirrels and see some adorable photos, see my earlier post Nutty for Squirrels, mefurr.wordpress.com/2013/09/26/nutty-for-squirrels/.  For information about what to do if you find an injured or orphaned animal, check out AWARE’s website at www.awarewildife.org.

To learn about the birds in your neighborhood, including audio files of their songs and calls, one of my favorite resources is www.allaboutbirds.org, a website of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

A great resource for information on wildflowers and trees, as well as many different types of animals is www.enature.com/fieldguides/. This site allows you to type in your zip code to find out more about the plants and animals in your neighborhood.

Nutty for Squirrels

Do you have a nut for me?

Squirrels tend to drive some people nuts, but I’m nutty about them. Excuse the bad pun, but as a wildlife rehabilitator, I often get teased by friends who complain about these “furry rodents” that raid bird feeders and gardens and occasionally cause even more trouble for homeowners. I paid very little attention to squirrels myself until I started volunteering (at AWARE Wildlife Center) to help care for animals who have been injured or orphaned. Highly adapted to human environments, squirrels often get in harm’s way. Perhaps the saddest cases are animals who have been kidnapped and kept for a while (because they would make “cute pets”) and are later surrendered to us when the animal develops health problems or becomes too much to handle. Sometimes, a whole nest of squirrels arrives after their home is destroyed by tree pruning, while other times people bring us youngsters that have fallen from the nest and gotten left behind or have been caught by a pet. (Cat bites, especially, can be fatal to wildlife). Once in a while, we get a squirrel that has been dropped by a hawk, and one time a squirrel actually was brought in with its attacker after the squirrel’s “posse” attacked the hawk on the ground). Whenever possible, we advise people to attempt to re-nest babies — if not in the original nest, then in a homemade nest placed as close to the original nest as possible. You might be surprised to learn that baby squirrels can squall quite loudly when they are hurt or need attention, so their mother will find them. When the re-nesting fails, the squirrels usually end up in our care.

AWARE takes in hundreds of baby squirrels every year.

Raising a baby squirrel is pretty involved. Like all baby mammals, squirrels have special nutrition requirements, and they need to be bottle-fed in a way that prevents them from aspirating (taking fluid into their lungs). When they are very young, they require feedings every 2-4 hours throughout the day, much like a human baby! After feedings, they must be stimulated to go to the bathroom, which their mother would do in the wild by licking them (and we do with a warm, wet Q-tip!). Because infant mammals can’t thermo-regulate, they also need to be kept warm until they are fully furred. I’ll spare you too many details, but needless to say, the task of rehabilitating any mammal requires commitment, patience, and a willingness to do unpleasant, dirty jobs. The hardest part of raising any animal, though, is not letting oneself get too attached. In order to live the best life, wild animals need to stay wild.

It’s hard not to feel compassion for such a helpless creature.

Having raised tiny, furless squirrels until the time of their release, I have a different perspective on these animals than most people. It’s hard not to feel genuine compassion for a small, helpless creature fighting for life, and as you begin to care for individual animals, you begin to care for the species as a whole. Curious and intelligent, squirrels constantly amuse and delight me with their antics and cute expressions. They’re remarkable acrobats, too! Sleepy, snuggly, and tame during their first months of life, they soon become the busy, chattering, frenetic animals we see out our window, playing their vital part in the ecosystem by spreading seeds and providing food for other animals. If we pay attention, though, we may catch one stretched out in repose on a warm summer’s day or one tightly balled up in its tail against the winter’s chill.

Taking a break…

Watching squirrels I have raised from infancy step out into the big, wild world a few months later to live out their lives is always thrilling and joyful. Some of “my” babies remember me and continue to visit my porch from time to time. If I have treats to offer, they’ll come right up to say hello, but if no nuts are forthcoming, they continue on their way caring nothing for me, as it should be. I’m glad just to see them scrambling through the trees, eating my acorns, and being squirrels. If they steal a tomato and raid my bird feeder from time to time, so be it. These things are small compared to the delight they bring.

First taste of freedom…