Taking in wounded or sick wild animals – and rehabilitating them – is a labor of love for the dedicated volunteers in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.

“Volunteers give it their heart and soul,” said Kathy St. John of Boulder Creek, a volunteer with Native Animal Rescue of Santa Cruz County. Handling jobs like feeding baby mammals, which must sometimes be done every two hours, require people to be available around the clock. “Our volunteers are often sleep-deprived,” St. John said. (Click here to read entire article.)

Since 1999, I’ve rehabilitated native wild mammals including hundreds of skunks. When I received a call about a rescued baby skunk in early August of this year, I thought this was just a typical call. Although California is home to both the Striped Skunk and the Spotted Skunk, I had only rehabbed the striped species. Much to my surprise, this baby skunk was that elusive Spotted Skunk that I thought I would never have the opportunity to work with.

Upon intake, this tiny female weighed 210 grams (7.4 oz). After observation, I realized she was close to eight weeks. Three weeks into her stay she was doing well and weighed 350 grams (12.3 oz). It was time to transfer her to a large outdoor enclosure until her release.

Considering the rarity of Spotted Skunks, it was critical that she be released back in the area where she was found, a journey that would require a difficult 10 mile hike to Sykes Hot Springs in Big Sur.

I assembled a release team: my husband, his daughter and her friend, and our nine year old son. In late September, they began hiking early in the day with backpacks and a carrier containing one small 380 gram (13.4 oz) wiggly spotted skunk. That evening, exhausted, they reached Sykes, opened the carrier and set her free to live life as a wild animal.

By Monique Smith Lee

In the late spring of 2009, a raccoon had her litter under a riser in our garage. This wasn’t the first time, and it’s always cool to hear the babes’ little noises and to know that life is renewing right under our noses. This time though, when the kits were about five weeks old, their mother didn’t return. We found raccoon fur on our property and suspected a bobcat or coyote got her.

The kits needed help but first we had to reach them. I was limited by a broken arm, but after some banging and prying, I got the side off the riser. I was then able to get the three of them out fairly easily.

I contacted NAR for help. Molly was almost in tears when she told me that all the foster parents were overbooked since it was a very busy year for orphaned raccoons. After some discussion, I agreed to do the fostering. Molly gave me raccoon formula, instructions and the phone number of Vikki, an experienced raccoon rehabber.

We had the kits in a cardboard box with some old t-shirts for bedding. My wife Betty and I figured out how to feed them, but we needed some training. I phoned Vikki to come over. Vikki was wonderful. She checked the creatures over. They were healthy – two boys and a girl. Funny, but we hadn’t even wondered about that. She gave them wormer and vaccinations and gave us confidence and training.

At first we bottle-fed them every four hours. In a few weeks, it was down to twice per day. Now they were ready to go outside into our makeshift aviary. A few months later, when they were ready, we released them back into the wild.

Since then, we have successfully raised and released four sets of raccoons. It’s been a rewarding adventure that started out of necessity and now continues out of love for these very smart creatures.

By Frank Luft

Every day a herd of bucks passes through my property in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Because it’s important for rehabbed fawns to be released where wild deer visit regularly, NAR asked me to take on fawn rehabilitation. Once I learned more about fawns, I looked forward to caring for these vulnerable little creatures.

Building the large fawn enclosure was a challenge because it had to be built on a slope, and the few flat areas on the property were already occupied by raccoon enclosures. Following the advice of fawn expert Dina Hawkins we created a supportive environment for the fawns.

In late May, NAR transported the first two fawns to my property, and they immediately settled in. A few weeks later the youngest fawn joined the other two. All three fawns happened to be female. After reading a manual on fawn rehabilitation, I nervously awaited the many maladies that befall fawns in captivity. But fortunately, other than a couple of cases of diarrhea, only the youngest fawn had some minor problems which were successfully treated.

Over time, the fawns grew bigger, stronger and more agile. They frolicked around the enclosure and bolted if they heard or saw something that spooked them. Every time the bucks passed by, the fawns became attentive and excited and darted around. As they grew, the fawns ate more and more natural foods like acorns, wild fruit and a variety of branches and had fewer bottle feedings. By September they were totally weaned, and by the first week of October their spots had completely disappeared. They were now ready to be released.

On a warm, sunny morning, we opened both gates and within minutes, the youngest fawn was out exploring the area around the enclosure and browsing on lots of new foliage. Her two companions took a little more time, but they too were out and about within a half hour. The first few days all three fawns stuck together near the enclosure, but with each passing day they explored more territory. On the first night of their release the fawns encountered their first buck – a young one with tiny antlers.  He must have thought that he won the jackpot to have found a harem while the other bucks were away.

In early November, we spied an older white-faced buck with a huge rack watching over the three fawns. A few mornings later, my husband saw all three fawns contentedly grazing among five bucks. Much to our delight, the fawns appear most mornings and evenings enjoying their new freedom in a safe and peaceful place that welcomes them.  

By Kathy S.

SANTA CRUZ — The bird lady of 17th Avenue ducks under Tibetan prayer flags and into a makeshift lab that was partly built, she says, by a Caltrans worker sentenced to community service for illegally washing away seven swallow nests.

Inside are dozens of birds being nursed back to health by 84-year-old Molly Richardson, with the help of twin granddaughters wielding syringes of fish meal. But in the past week, Richardson has seen a new development — about 40 young pelicans have come to her in various states of distress.

“We’re getting ones that are weak. They’re underweight,” Richardson said.  read the full article in the Santa Cruz Sentinel

Mountain lions (Felis concolor) are the largest native North American cat except for the slightly larger Jaguar. The mountain lion is called by more names than any other mammal – cougar, puma panther, catamount or simply – lion. Adult mountain lions are more than seven feet long with a 32 inch tail. Their color is tawny with black tipped tail and ears. The males are generally larger than females weighing 130 to 150 pounds. The females weight ranges 65 to 90 pounds. Their height at the shoulder is 25 – 30 inches.

Mountain lions breed any time of year, spring being the peak season.  Females usually breed every two to three years. Births are most common in July.  The typical litter size is two or three one-pound kittens, or cubs. They are covered with blackish-brown spots and have dark rings around their tails. These markings will fade as they grow. The cubs are weaned at six weeks of age and will then weight eight times their birth weight.

About half of California is prime mountain lion country. They live in many different parts of California, from deserts to the coast range, remote mountains, canyons, or hilly areas with good cover. They are more at home in brushy areas than in open prairies.  They are most abundant in areas where deer are plentiful as most often deer is the lion’s staple diet. However, they can survive preying on small animals as well. Those animals may include wild hogs, rabbits, skunks ,rodents and other small mammals, birds, and even fish. Mountain lions are solitary hunters and usually hunt at night. They prefer to ambush their prey from behind. Once a mountain lion has killed it’s prey, usually by swiftly and cleanly breaking the neck,  it will gorge on the carcass until it can eat no more, then covers the remainder with leaves and dirt. The lion will now fast for a few days, digesting and resting.  After fasting, the lion may come back to uncover its kill and feed over the course of a few days.

A mountain lion spends most of its time alone and can live about 12 years in the wild and up to 25 years in captivity. Their natural enemies include other large predators such as bears and, at one time in California, wolves. Unfortunately, mountain lions also fall victim to accidents, disease and their chief enemy is people with whom they compete for food and territory.

We live in mountain lion country. Typically, mountain lions are calm, elusive and quiet. Their generally secretive and solitary nature is what makes it possible for humans to live in mountain lion country. They typically avoid people, but like any wild animal, mountain lions can be dangerous.  Mountain lion attacks on humans are extremely rare. However, with the increasing human population expanding into mountain lion habitat conflicts may occur. They will attack in self defense and to protect their cubs. Even so, the potential for being injured or killed by a mountain lion is very low compared to many other natural hazards. For example, a person is one thousand times more likely to be struck by lightning than being attacked by a mountain lion.

Mountain lions are an important predator at the top of the food chain, focusing on deer and elk thereby helping to keep these populations healthy and habitat from being overgrazed. They are essential to the lands in California. Without them, prey animals like deer will increase, resulting in a change of the vegetation. That would possibly have a detrimental effect on the land. Without mountain lions, the ecosystem would change forever.

Understanding the role of mountain lions and how to coexist with them will greatly reduce public fears and persecution of this important predator.

With a better understanding of mountain lions and their habitat, we can coexist with these magnificent animals.  If you live in mountain lion habitat, the following is what you can do to reduce the chances of encountering a mountain lion near your home:

• Don’t Feed Wildlife: It is illegal in California to do so and by feeding deer, raccoons  and other wild animals, it will attract mountain lions, which prey upon them.
• Trim brush to reduce hiding places for mountain lions: Make it difficult for mountain lions to approach your yard unseen.
• Install lighting: Motion sensitive lighting around the house or simple outdoor lighting around the perimeter of your house and walkways, keeping it well lit at night.
• Keep pets secure when mountain lions are most active-dawn,dusk, and night:Roaming pets are easy prey for mountain lions.
• Provide secure shelter for livestock: Sheep, goats, and other vulnerable animals.
• Bring pet food inside: This will avoid attracting other wild animals, a mountain lion’s potential prey.
• Don’t leave small children or pets outside unattended between dusk and dawn.
• Deer proof your landscaping.

What should you do if you meet a mountain lion?

For information about our native wildlife call Native Animal Rescue at: 462-0726 or visit www.nativeanimalrescue.org

Vikki Simons-Krupp

Native Animal Rescue

Wildlife Rehabilitator/Board member

Bats are mammals, just like humans, which mean that all bats are warm-blooded, have fur, bear live young, and feed their babies milk. There are over 1,100 different species of bats in the world making up almost a quarter of all mammal species. They live on every continent except Antarctica. All bats can see, but some use a special sonar system called echolocation. These bats make high frequency calls either out of their mouths or noses and then listen for echoes to bounce from the objects in front of them. They are able to form pictures in their brains by listening to reflected sounds just like we form pictures in our brains by interpreting reflected light with our eyes. In this way, bats are able to safely move around at night, avoiding predators and obstacles, locating their food and catching insects in total darkness. Nearly 70% of all the bats in the world eat insects and many of them use echolocation in order to find food and move around in the dark. Many small insectivorous bats can eat more than 1,000 mosquito-sized insects in one hour. These bats are able to eat so much because they have high metabolisms and expend lots of energy in flight. Because of their need to eat so much, bats are extremely important in controlling the mosquito population.

Bats are also critical for seed dispersal and pollination in tropical regions. Fruit eating bats living in tropical climates have very good eyesight and sense of smell for finding ripe fruit to eat. Because they eat fruit, they play an active role in seed dispersal for new plant growth.

Nectar eating bats which typically have long noses and tongues for harvesting nectar from flowers, as well as special enzymes for digesting the high protein pollen that accumulates on their faces are vital for flower pollination.

Carnivorous bats have sharp claws and teeth for catching small vertebrates such as fish, frogs, birds, or rodents. The vampire bats, which live in Central and South America, eat only blood.

Not all bats spend their days roosting in caves. Some roost in trees, abandoned mines, buildings and bridges. The list goes on and on. The variety of bat roosts reflects the amazing diversity of bat species. Bats are highly opportunistic and have adapted to their environments in creative ways in order to take advantage of the many shelters available to them.

Why are bats in trouble?

More than 50% of America’s 47 bat species are in severe decline or already listed as endangered. Losses are occurring at alarming rates worldwide. Bats are exceptionally vulnerable to extinction. Many bat species live in large colonies making them easy to destroy. A single act of vandalism can kill millions.

Many bat populations are threatened due to loss of their specific roosting habitats. In Texas and around the world, bats are natural enemies of night-flying insects. The 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats from Bracken Cave, Texas, eat approximately 200 tons of insects nightly. If we lose our bat species, we increase the demand for chemical pesticides, damaging whole ecosystems of other animal and plant species, and harming human economies.

The oldest bat caught in the wild was a banded myotis bat which was 39 years old at the time of recapture. To put this in perspective, a bat living longer than 30 years is equivalent to a human living longer than 100 years. Bats, for their size, are the world’s longest-lived mammals. Yet unlike other mammals of their size, bats have very low reproductive rates. Females of most species produce just one pup per year.

Maternity season for bats in the US can range from the end of April to the beginning of September. Eviction of bats, or any activity that directly affects their roosting area, should occur only prior to or after the maternity season, when young will not be trapped inside, creating additional problems.

For details on humane exclusion of a colony of bats, or how to prevent bats from moving in, please visit Bat Conservation International online at www.batcon.org.

What is the truth about bats and rabies?

Like most mammals, bats can contract rabies; however less than one-half of one percent of bats ever get the disease, and those that do normally bite only in self-defense and pose little threat to people who do not handle them. This is the number one reason to adhere to the “look but don’t touch” rule!

According to Bat Conservation International, during the past 50 years, only 48 U.S. residents are believed to have contracted rabies from bats, making it one of the rarest diseases in America. (In comparison, during 2001 alone – the last available statistics – 368 people contracted typhoid fever, 1,544 people contracted malaria and 15,989 people contracted tuberculosis!) The fear of rabies is far disproportionate to the actual risk. To put the risk in perspective: 20 Americans die every year from dog attacks.

If you find an injured bat on the ground, do not touch it! Gently scoop it into a box with a glove or cloth making sure there is no human to bat contact and call Native Animal Rescue immediately. Be certain the box will close and has air holes for the bat to breathe. For more information about our native wildlife, call Native Animal Rescue at 831-462-0726 or visit our website at www.NativeAnimalRescue.org.

Written by: Monique Smith-Lee

The coyote is a member of the dog family and is native to California. They are one of the three different types of wild candids (dogs) found in North America. The coyote resembles a small German shepherd dog with the exception of the long snout and bushy, black tipped tail. Its high pitched, yodel-like yapping can frequently be heard at night and the sound can travel up to 3 miles or more.

Their name comes from the Aztec word for species, coyotl. The coyote was called “song dog” by American Indians and the scientific name Canis latrans means “barking Dog.”

The males are typically heavier than females . Females bear an average of five to ten pups annually. They mate in February and pups are usually born in April or May. At 10 weeks of age the pups are old enough to join in on hunts. At about 7 to 8 months of age, the pups are then ready to leave their parents.

Coyotes can be active day or night, and sightings at dawn or dusk are common. They remain active all year round and do not hibernate.

Coyotes are highly territorial, and actively keep non-family members outside their territory. Coyotes have exceptional senses of smell, vision and hearing. They usually hunt alone or in pairs. They have been known to take turns in chasing and catching prey.

Observing coyotes and other wildlife is one of the many benefits of living near their habitat. However, when well meaning people feed coyotes they can become unaturally bold. Due to the rapid loss of their natural habitat by development, many coyotes have been forced to cohabit with humans. We humans need to learn to coexist with this native species.

Humans are the coyote’s chief enemy. It has been estimated that 30 to 50 percent of all adult coyotes die each year from human-related causes.

Coyotes help to keep the balance of nature in order. Education is the solution to our coexistence.

Coyotes contribute many beneficial aspects to our ecosystem as they are helpful to farmers, ranchers, gardeners and home owners. Coyotes kill destructive, vegetation eating rodents as they are 80% of a coyotes diet. Natural rodent control is always preferable to man made poisons and inhumane traps. Coyotes also eat insects and have saved many farms from insect invasions.

Coyotes almost certainly do humans more good than harm, however, they are opportunistic feeders. They will feed on whatever is most readily available and easy to obtain. Their primary foods are fruits, berries, rodents and insects. They will scavenge on animal remains as well as garbage and pet foods left outdoors. In suburban areas they have been known to prey on unprotected pets. Everything a coyote does is related to a potential meal. Here are a few suggestions to make your property less attractive to coyotes. Practice these guidelines and encourage your neighbors to do the same:

• DON’T FEED COYOTES: FEEDING COYOTES WILL MAKE THEM BECOME DEPENDENT AND LESS WARY OF HUMANS. KEEP WILD THINGS WILD!
• DO NOT APPROACH OR TRY TO PET A COYOTE: THIS MAY PROVOKE THEM.
• FEED PETS INDOORS: OUTDOOR FEEDING ATTRACTS MANY WILD ANIMALS!
• SECURE YOUR GARBAGE: COYOTES, LIKE DOGS & RACCOONS WILL KNOCK OVER TRASH CANS OR TEAR OPEN TRASH BAGS.
• CLOSE OFF CRAWL SPACES UNDER PORCHES AND SHEDS: COYOTES USE SUCH AREAS FOR RESTING AND RAISING YOUNG.
• SECURE YOUR PETS: COYOTES VIEW PETS AS POTENTIAL FOOD ITEMS. PETS SHOULD NOT BE LEFT OUTDOORS UNATTENDED
• RABBIT HUTCHES SHOULD HAVE A SOLID BOTTOM. CHICKEN COOPS SHOULD BE CONSTRUCTED WITH THE WIRE BURIED AT LEAST ONE-FOOT UNDERGROUND AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE COOP. DO NOT USE CHICKEN WIRE, A STRONGER GAUGE WIRE IS A NECESSITY IN PROTECTING YOUR SMALL ANIMALS.
• PICK FRUIT OFF TREES AS SOON AS IT RIPENS AND KEEP ROTTED FRUIT OFF THE GROUND.
• TRIM AND CLEAR NEAR GROUND LEVEL ANY SHRUBBERY THAT PROVIDES COVER FOR COYOTES OR PREY.
• ACTIVELY DISCOURAGE COYOTES WITH LOUD NOISES, FLASHING LIGHTS, RECORDED HUMAN VOICES SUCH AS A RADIO TALK SHOW, SCATTERED MOTH BALLS AND AMONIA-SOAKED RAGS.
• COYOTES ARE ATTRACTED TO AND CAN MATE WITH UNSPAYED OR UNNEUTERED DOGS. SPAY AND NEUTER YOUR DOGS.
• TRAPPING AND RELOCATING COYOTES IS INHUMANE AND ILLEGAL AND NOT A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE.
• EDUCATE YOUR NEIGHBORS: PASS THIS INFORMATION ALONG SINCE YOUR EFFORTS WILL BE FUTILE IF NEIGHBORS ARE PROVIDING FOOD AND SHELTER FOR COYOTES.

If you do not mind sharing your space with coyotes, enjoy observing them with binoculars when they visit. They are intelligent, adaptable creatures with many interesting habits. Perhaps at some point in time, we can all learn to live in harmony with coyotes and other creatures that, like us, just want to find a safe place to raise their young.

For information on coyotes , call Native Animal Rescue at: 462-0726 or visit www.nativeanimalrescue.org.

WRITTEN BY: Vikki Simons-Krupp

Native Animal Rescue

Wildlife Rehabilitator/Board Member

Native Animal Rescue (NAR), Santa Cruz County’s only licensed wildlife intake rehabilitation facility, receives many calls from the public with questions, concerns and situations regarding raccoons. Many mother raccoons are trapped, relocated or killed each year by people who consider them to be a nuisance. Baby raccoons or “kits” are then needlessly orphaned from their mother. Some of the luckier orphans are brought to N.A.R. for rehabilitation, while others are left to die a slow inhumane death..

Springtime and summer, NAR’s busiest time of year is here. Mother raccoons are now looking for a safe place to give birth to and house their young.

What can you do if there are baby raccoons present in your attic or under your porch ?

Wait as long as possible before you attempt eviction. Be patient. Mother raccoons generally move their babies on their own when they are about 8 weeks of age. Be very careful not to separate parents from their offspring;  doing so may result in unnecessary property damage as the raccoons frantically try to reunite with their offspring.  Close off all but one entrance or exit to the den.  Wait until all raccoons have left before sealing up the final entrance.

To urge a raccoon with young out of their den which may be under your house, deck or in the attic, place a small battery operated radio set to a talk station into the den as well as a light. This disturbance will help convince the raccoon to relocate her young. Many people choose to wait until the kits are old enough to follow their mother out of the den.  The kits will be around 8 weeks of age.  Seal the entrance when all the raccoons have vacated.

If you have a denning raccoon in the area, keep dogs under control by housing and feeding them indoors at night when raccoons are most active.

Live trapping is not recommended for ridding your property of raccoons. Trapping and relocating is only a temporary solution, inhumane and illegal. Relocated raccoons have to fight with already established raccoons for territory, food and shelter. Most do not survive.

If you hire a licensed trapping service in hopes of relocating the raccoon, be aware  that this will not happen. According to the California Department of Fish and Game, a trapped wild animal must be released in the area where trapped or euthanized. A licensed trapper must follow the Fish and Game regulation or they will loose their license. We have heard that some trappers methods of euthanasia can be extremely inhumane. The method in question is drowning. Drowning the helpless and frightened raccoon in the trap which they have been caught.

The following are some time tested methods you can try in order to promote harmony with our fellow creatures:

• DO NOT FEED RACCOONS:  Deliberate feeding of raccoons makes them more comfortable around humans and more likely to get into situations where they are unwanted or in danger.  IF THERE IS NO FOOD AND SHELER TO SUPPORT THEM,  MOST WILD ANIMALS WILL GO AWAY AND THRIVE OFF THE NATURAL HABITAT!
• FASTEN GARBAGE CAN LIDS.
• KEEP SHEDS AND GARAGE DOORS CLOSED.
• CUT BACK TREE LIMBS approximately 3′ from roof lines.
• HARVEST ALL RIPE FRUIT from trees, shrubs and off the ground.
• REMOVE BRUSH PILES AND TRASH ACCUMULATION
• PICK UP FAMILY PET FOOD AND WATER DISHES
• SPRINKLE YOUR LAWN OR PLANTERS WITH CAYENNE PEPPER
• PLACE AMONIA SOAKED RAGS AROUND THE YARD AND UNDER THE HOUSE.
• PLAY A RADIO
• CLOSE OFF OPENINGS WHERE ROOF LINES OVERLAP
• REPLACE AND REINFORCE DAMAGED SCREEN VENTS
• KEEP CRAWL SPACES TIGHTLY COVERED
• KEEP A SPARK ARRESTER ON THE CHIMNEY

Sharing the neighborhood with our native wildlife is a privilege, one we can enjoy. Catching sight of a family of raccoons at night enrich our lives. We can all live together in harmony.

For more information on wildlife or if you are interested in becoming a raccoon rehabilitator, please call Native Animal Rescue at: (831)462-0726

Visit our website:  www.nativeanimalrescue.org

By Vikki Simons-Krupp
Board Member-Rehabilitator – Native Animal Rescue

Spring and summer are upon us and this is the time Opossums breeding season has begun.

The Opossum is North America’s only marsupial (female has a pouch) mammal. The female carries and nurses her young until they are about 2 to 3 months old, then they are carried on her back another 1 to 2 months.  They use their prehensile tail as a fifth hand to move around with and build nests, and they have a thumb on their feet.

Opossums lived during the age of dinosaurs: Opossum fossil remains that have been found are as old as 70 million years.

Sadly, Opossums are killed by predators, man being the biggest.  Very few survive to become adults. Their average life span in the wild is only 1 year.

Opossums are solitary and nocturnal and usually slow moving. When frightened and unable to flee, they may fall into an involuntary shock-like state, commonly called “playing dead”.

When frightened, they may hiss and growl showing their 50 teeth… yet in reality, they are gentle and placid and prefer to avoid any and all confrontations.

Learning and discrimination tests rank the Opossum above dogs, more on the level of pigs.

Opossums love to eat beetles, cockroaches, snails and slugs and over-ripe fruit. They are also known to catch and eat rats and mice and consume dead animals of all types.

Opossums are Nature’s little Sanitation Engineers!!.

Opossums do not have a territory and are always on the move. Going where ever food is. Females stay in a smaller area while they care for their young.

Fortunately, opossums are hardy little animals. In general they present a far lower health risk to humans than to dogs and cats! They seem to have a naturally high level of immunity to most diseases.

OPOSSUMS ARE MORE RESISTANT TO RABIES AND DISTEMPER THAN ANY OTHER MAMMAL!! VIRAL DISEASES ARE PRACTICALLY UNHEARD OF IN OPOSSUMS.

With breeding season here,you may see a Opossums in your yard. This does not mean however, they are causing problems. They do not dig into the soil or destroy property.It is very unusual for Opossums to cause any trouble at all.

If however, one has chosen your garage, attic or other structure as it’s temporary home, there are simple and humane methods to get them to leave for more suitable spots in your neighborhood.

BEFORE you have a visitor to those structures, pick up pet food at night, keep lids on garbage cans, and close potential entrance points.

Ways to humanely get an Opossum who has already moved in to leave, are as follows:

• Place lights or a radio during the day where and when the animal is sleeping.
• Puncture several coffee cans and place ammonia soaked rags in them. Distribute the cans in several spots. DO NOT USE AROUND BABY ANIMALS.
• If gutters are being climbed, cover them with vegetable shortening up to an 18″ height. or, cover the vertical surface with an 18″ high length of sheet metal.

You can enjoy opossums as they wander through your yard, eliminating it’s pests along the way.

We can all learn to live in harmony with the gentle Opossum.

Help protect North America’s only marsupial, and the Earth’s oldest surviving mammal family.

If you find an injured or orphaned Opossum, call Native Animal Rescue for advice : 462-0726.

Visit our website at:www.nativeanimalrescue.org.

WRITTEN BY:

VIKKI SIMONS-KRUPP/ REHABILITATOR,BOARD MEMBER

NATIVE ANIMAL RESCUE