 Zeppelin at about 6 weeks Wild Things FINALLY got its license to rehabilitate Rabies Vector Species (in NY: raccoons, skunks & bats) just in the nick of time for this year's baby season. Wild Things is the only facility in about a two hour radius that has an RVS license. However, as many people don't seem to realise, Wild Things only has one employee (who is not paid): me! I do the very best I possibly can to accomodate all the calls that I receive for these animals, but I also have to consider the animal's well-being as well. It's no good for anyone if I have 40 raccoons. For the first few months they have to be fed several times a day, they cry a lot of the time and make a big mess! And it doesn't help that raccoons seem to be the only thing that I am allergic to! My eyes and face swell up, dry up and itch like crazy! But boy are those little raccoons adorable! And get into so much mischief, like little Zeppelin here, who was it by a car at 4 weeks old and miraculously survived. He loves his yogurt as you can see!     Smiling Wobbles So it's been a busy several months getting these little cuties back on their feet and into the woods. Most came in as abandoned orphans, but some had injuries as well. In total Wild Things had about 20 raccoons, 10 skunks and a handful of bats. None appeared to have rabies, though many were emaciated and loaded with maggots. Little Wobbles (right) was starved and had maggots coming out of her eyes. After she was all cleaned up she developed palsy like symptoms. It was unclear why, possibly a few dead maggots were still in her head and getting infected. A month of antibiotics put her right: one of WTS' big successes this summer!  Wobbles grown up an ready to go into the woods!  Little skunk. NB: I should be wearing gloves! But more on all the little coonies soon. And the skunks and bats! In the meantime, take a look at: http://www.musicofnature.org/home/the_sound_of_contentment/ One of my great volunteers' husbands made this recording. Did you know that raccoons purr? They do, so take a listen! Add Comment  Meet The Bandit!! This was a picture taken of her last April. She came every night and by July was bringing her babies, 4 of them. Too adorable!!! Well, after a winter hiatus, SHE'S BACK!!! This is so exciting and makes me realise that leaving winter isn't all bad. At first I thought it might be Raindrop, one of her babies from last year, but after looking though photos, I think its her. There are many great tales about her which I'm sure I'll share in time.  Besides The Bandit and despite the odd flurry, there are lots of signs that spring is nigh. There were about 100 Robins at the bottom of my driveway in a neighbours yard yesterday. Quite a sight! So they are back too. And there have been geese flying overhead non-stop. The vets at Cornell just had to amputate an irreparable broken wing on a Snow Goose this week who was injured on her long trip back north. They found her a good home to go to once she has healed. There were quite a lot of geese flying over WTS tonight and you could make out by the light of the moon. It's a clear night which is probably quite good for navigation during their migration back north. Something quite wonderful and reassuring hearing them fly overhead. Despite all of humanity's corruption of wild things there are some things we can't touch; that we don't even understand. For more on geese migration take a look at: http://www.wbu.com/chipperwoods/photos/geese.htm  From left to right: Raindrop, BigMan & Ivy, Bandit's 2007 brood. NB: this was not taken with a zoom lens! |  CategoriesAll |
