Friday, November 4, 2016

Playtime in North Idaho Racoon rehabilitation yard


Make sure you call the professionals - not the internet


 
 Each year wild animals are kidnapped from their natural environment. This is a nation wide epidemic.  You can stop the spread of this heart jerk reaction.
   You look out your window into your yard or perhaps you are out on a nice stroll. You see a young animal on the ground and your heart leaps!  First thought is ’look a wild animal’ . To many the next thought is ‘the animal must be orphaned’ and the well meaning individual picks the animal up.
   Your next thought should be: AHWF. Make sure you are AWARE of your surroundings, HESITATE before approaching a wild animal, WATCH for signs of distress before picking up, FOLLOW through with contacting the professionals if indeed there is a need to remove this animal from their natural home.




   Wildlife rehabilitation is challenging at best and exceptionally frustrating when patients come in to care days or weeks after they have been ‘rescued’.       
   The saddest part of rehabilitation is when an animal must be euthanized. The state of Idaho requires all native wild animals be released or euthanized. The wild animal must not be kept in confinement—it is not fair to the wild animal.  
   When an animal has been wounded and full recovery is not possible the decision is easier. The animal is suffering so an end to the pain is the most humane decision.  
   When an animal had every chance to be returned to the wild but must be put to sleep because of ignorance on the part of the well meaning rescuer it is very painful.
   A wise man once said ‘you are forever responsible for what you choose to tame’. When you choose to keep that wild animal and attempt to provide long term rehabilitative care you are not helping the animal. You are not thinking about the animal. You are doing a disservice to that helpless wild creature.
  
 


Wildlife rehabilitation facilities are run by dedicated people with years of training & experience. They did not just read an article on the internet.  Without proper nutrition and housing the animal will not meet the full potential and will not be able to be successful if released back into the wild.
   Survival of the fittest is not just a slogan or nonchalant saying in the rugged Idaho wild lands.

Wild Patients in Need!

This post was supposed to be made in July but as you will read we did not have the chance to get to the computer as we were exceptionally busy with animal care! 
Every year in the early spring, the founder sends out internship applications to nearby universities and colleges. She is looking for the best candidate to fill the position of wildlife intern for the busy spring & summer months. She also gets on the phone and makes calls to a network of supporters. She is asking for help.
Without a crystal ball there is no way of knowing what quantities or what types of wild animals will be needing the services of American Heritage Wildlife Foundation. There is also never a guarantee that the funding will come in to allow this small nonprofit to continue the vital mission of keeping the Inland Northwest WILD. 
What is certain is that an average of 50 cases will need daily care. At least 250 phone calls will be responded to by dedicated and trained volunteers. Somewhere between 2,500 and 3.000 volunteer hours will be recorded.
You read that correctly. Last month we recorded 520 hours of volunteer labor. Can you help too?
To date we have assisted two groups of raccoon, two batches of pine squirrels, one fox squirrel , one young brewers blackbird, one downy woodpecker, one young killdeer, several robins of varying ages, Violet & Green Swallows and one Tree Swallow (requiring feeding every 15 minutes for 16 hours each day—usually for two weeks), several different Deer Mice babies, one Little Brown Bat pup, Mallard ducks, Canada Geese, one Mountain Chickadee, Nestling Northern Flickers, and one adult Flicker, one Starling, Quail hatchlings, two young Ravens, a few American Crows, a young Alligator Lizard, a Northern Painted Turtle, and these two hatchlings —days old  (perhaps gold crowned kinglets?) just in a few hours ago. We will do our best to provide proper care but there is no substitute for the natural mother.    
Fortunately we did have a great summer intern this year to help provide care for the injured and orphaned wild animals in need. 
  
Meet the candidate chosen to be the 2016 Wildlife Care Intern. Sarah Lendzioszek will be graduating in December with a degree in Conservation Biology and Ecology from Montana State University.  She has hopes of working with animals further in the future and is thankful for this learning opportunity. She has had the experience of interning in Yellowstone last summer doing wolf behavior research with a top wolf researcher. Additionally she has experience of vocalization studies through an independent study at the University with several species such as coyotes, wolves, and feral cats. As is the case with so many ’animal people’ she also has various other experiences conducting research and working with animals.  
   The founder recently asked her to describe in a few words what it meant to be working in the field wildlife rehabilitation. Her initial response was a large sigh— “oh wow...in only a few words? I would say rewarding and hard work, also a steep learning curve”.
   She will complete her term with us in August. We wish her the best as she completes one more semester to graduate early and with honors.
Because one or two cannot do it all we send out this plea...
A willing spirit cannot embody physical requirements. There is limit to the amount of stress and strain one body can take.  After all there are only 24 hours in one day. 
   One person can only perform one task at a time. One mouth can be fed, one dish washed, one phone call responded to, one diet prepared, one enclosure cleaned, one animal medicated, one animal examined, one item purchased, one journal article read, one lecture given, one event planned, one thank you letter written, one meeting agenda planned, one project worked on...get the point? To operate AHWF at a successful level we need more than one. We need you.