NATIVE ANIMAL RESCUE is here to help at

1855 17TH AVE,  SANTA CRUZ,  CA
TEL: 831/462-0726

IF YOU FIND A NON-FEATHERED BABY BIRD and it is uninjured and seems healthy, try to put it back in its nest.  The parents will not reject their baby just because you’ve touched it.  If it is injured, please keep it warm and bring it to Native Animal Rescue as described below.

IF YOU SEE A FEATHERED, NON-FLYING YOUNG BIRD ON THE GROUND, observe it from a distance.  You may discover a wary parent nearby.  Many species of birds give their babies “ground training” before they can fly.  If a bird parent is seen and there are no cats around, leave the young bird alone.  Otherwise bring it to Native Animal Rescue following the instructions below.

FINDING A BABY HUMMINGBIRD ON THE THE GROUND is always an emergency.  They die quickly from the cold, heat or starvation.  Don’t attempt to feed them.  Be incredibly gentle.  Pick up any debris, nesting material or other substance it’s sitting on because their delicate toes automatically lock when perched and are sometimes accidentally torn off when they’re picked up.  Bring bird to Native Animal Rescue following the instructions below.

HOW TO BRING A BABY BIRD TO NATIVE ANIMAL RESCUE, place a warm cloth in the bottom of a paper bag or box that has air holes.  If you don’t have these things, have a friend keep the bird warm in their hands while bringing it.  Keeping a baby bird warm is of vital importance to insure survival.  Address is 1855 17th Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA

ONLY RESCUE BABY MAMMALS WHEN YOU ARE SURE the mother is not coming back or you know it’s injured or in danger.  Mothers of many species such as deer, rabbits, squirrels and wood rats leave their babies for several hours to forage before returning to nurse them.  If you’re sure the baby needs rescuing, provide warmth and take it immediately to Native Animal Rescue at 1855 17th Ave., Santa Cruz, CA  If you are not certain the baby needs rescuing, call Native Animal Rescue for advice at (831) 462-0726.

IF YOU FIND A BAT on the ground, DO NOT HANDLE IT WITH YOUR BARE HANDS!    Use gloves, a towel or something else to gently lift it and place it on a warm cloth in the bottom of a paper bag or box that has air holes.   Bring it to Native Animal Rescue at 1855 17th Ave., Santa Cruz CA

MANY MAMMALS NEST UNDER HOUSES OR IN ATTICS.  If you hear squeaking or other noises coming from these areas, check for babies.  Then call Native Animal Rescue to assist you in handling the situation.  (831) 462-0726

Click map for directions

Native Animal Rescue                 1855 17th Ave., Santa Cruz, CA 95062

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 ther emainder 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 about12 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.

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?

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.

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

You have a mother skunk and her babies living under your house or deck. What should you do to get them to move out? Skunks are normally very predictable and easily manipulated. Hereʼs how to convince them to leave:

Place a light source such as a lamp, drop light or flashlight where you suspect the skunks are staying, so their home is well lit at night. Skunks are nocturnal and donʼt like light. At the same time, play a radio as loud as is comfortable for you and place several ammonia soaked rags in the general vicinity of the suspected den. Basically, what you are doing is making the skunk’s den unappealing to the skunk and they will readily move to more a more friendly home.

If convincing your family of skunks seems too drastic a move, let the family stay until the babies are old enough to take off on their own. They won’t stay forever and will be out and about by the end of summer.

Once you are sure the skunks have moved out, cover up their entry and exit. Remember, skunks dig for food, so make sure that when you block their entry, the barrier continues approximately 6 inches below the soil. Do not trap and relocate skunks. Even though this might seem like an easy solution to your skunk “problem”, it is illegal and not a permanent deterrent to others moving in. Last year, Native Animal Rescue received 39 skunks during April, May and June. Approximately 90% of those “rescued” skunks were the result of a mother skunk being trapped and relocated, thus leaving the babies behind to fend for themselves.

Despite their smelly reputation, skunks are beneficial to people. They are opportunistic feeders with about 70% of their diet being insects, such as grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, and wasps. They eat a huge number of agricultural pests, such as army worms, potato beetles and squash bugs. One of their favorite foods is grubs, which they dig up from the soil. Ahungry skunk can save people lots of money in terms of the amount of pesticides they might use if the skunk was not at work all night. Skunks will also eat spiders, snails, earthworms, carrion, berries, nuts, roots, small rodents and garbage. An easy source of food will quickly become their favorite, so avoid leaving dog and cat food out at night, which will draw skunks and other unwanted wildlife to your home. Skunks are shy, nocturnal creatures and would rather avoid you than spray you. If you cross paths with a skunk, pay attention to their warnings: handstand, loudly stamping feet and their scratch/scoot backwards motions. If you have been warned, simply stand still and wait for the skunk to move on or very slowly back away. Skunks have poor vision and quick movements can startle them and cause them to spray.

Take advantage of skunks. Allow them to be at your service and be your nighttime cleanup crew in your yard. If you have an injured or orphaned skunk or other, please call Native Animal Rescue at 831-462-0726 and take it to 1855 17th Ave. in Santa Cruz.

For more information visit www.NativeAnimalRescue.org.

Written by: Monique Smith-Lee

Wildlife Rehabilitator Naive Animal Rescue

In the Spring and Summer, squirrels have already built their nests and are having their young. It is also a time when many of us trim trees and branches.

If at all possible, please postpone trimming trees and branches with nests in them. Wait until the babies are old enough to leave the nest on their own. An average nest of squirrel babies may consist of 2-4 young , but can even be as many as 5 -6.

When first born, the babies are hairless, we call them “pinkies” and their eyes are closed. They are totally helpless and need their mothers for warmth and nourishment. The babies won’t open their eyes for 4-5 weeks, and they are not able to regulate their body heat until about 6-7 weeks of age.

Many orphaned baby squirrels brought to Native Animal Rescue for rehabilitation are brought due to human interference.

A mother squirrel who is frightened off her nest by tree trimmers, leaves her young very vulnerable to the elements and to other predatory animals.

If you must trim trees, please check all limbs for squirrel nests before hand. If you accidentally knock a nest out of a tree, retrieve the babies and their nest and place the nest with the babies in a nearby tree limb safe from predators and out of direct sunlight.

If the nest is broken, make a replacement nest of the same shape. You can use a common household container, such as a margarine tub, strawberry basket. A word of caution:do not use cleaning product containers, they are highly toxic to young animals.. Poke holes in the bottom for drainage and line the container with natural materials like those of the original nest. Place this as close to where the original nest was located.

Many people believe that if you touch and handle a baby squirrel and the nest, the mother squirrel will not take the baby squirrels back. Not true. Don’t worry, the mother squirrel will always take her young back. So always put the nest back into a tree as close to it’s original location as possible.

If you find that a mother squirrel has moved into your attic and has given birth to babies, please refrain from evicting her and her young until AFTER her young are old enough to leave on their own. The following are some simple steps you can take to safeguard your house BEFORE squirrels take up residence in your attic.

• Never attempt to handle an adult squirrel as they are excitable creatures and handling causes intense stress. A stressed squirrel may bite or scratch.
• Be sure to seal up any openings that lead to your attic or underneath your house.
• Trim branches at least 10Ft away from your house . Squirrels use branches as their “freeway” system of travel and can jump from branches to your roof.
• Make sure your chimney opening on your roof is covered by wire mesh to prevent squirrels from entering your house through the chimney..If a squirrel falls into your chimney, secure a heavy rope from the top of the chimney and drop it down to the fireplace.This provides a perfect escape route during daylight hours.
• Place several ammonia-soaked rags in cans that are punctured with several holes in places such as attics or underneath houses and decks. Do not use this method if baby animals are present.
• If you do find a squirrel has already found its way into your attic and you KNOW there are babies, please wait until they are old enough to leave before evicting the family.

If you do not want squirrels in your yard, you can make your yard less attractive by:

• Removing as many food sources as possible. This means feeding birds in squirrel proof feeders or not at all.
• Fallen acorns and other nuts can be raked up and removed from small yards.
• Protect flower bulbs and prevent digging in gardens by placing one inch mesh chicken wire over the bed before bulbs sprout in spring.

*Remember that live-trapping and relocating is not a final solution and it is illegal.

If you find an orphaned or injured squirrel, it is of vital importance to keep the baby warm. Warmth is imperative for it’s survival. Immediately bring the baby squirrel to Native Animal Rescue where experienced rehabilitators can take over. DO NOT FEED ANY BABY SQUIRREL, AND PLEASE DO NOT GIVE ANY WILDLIFE MILK. All wildlife has special dietary needs that are unique to their species. Too often “well meaning people” find an orphaned and/or injured baby squirrel and try taking care of the baby themselves. They soon realize the baby squirrel is not doing well. The majority of those babies do not survive.

Paradoxically, these charming, bushy-tailed creatures are consistently judged “Most Popular” among our wild neighbors. It seems many of us want them around and many of us don’t – depending on what they are up to at any given moment. Either way, squirrels are one of the most successful mammals in human-altered environments and great entertainers.

For more information on squirrels or any other wild animal, please call Native Animal Rescue at 462-0726 . Visit our website a: www.nativeanimalrescue.org.

Article written by:

Jane Welsh

Squirrel Rehabilitator

Native Animal Rescue

Whenever we are feeling sorry for ourselves, because it is cold and raining, think of the hardships suffered by swallows. They are intolerant of extremes in weather-they aren’t just miserable-they die!

In order to survive, they must travel thousands of miles to find warmth and food. From our cold winter, they fly south to below the equator as far as Argentina. Then they must return North to Mexico and the USA to nest.

They arrive here in mid March to build their nest, lay eggs and raise their babies before returning to Argentina with their babies in tow for the life saving warmth. It is a life of hardships!

While here, they must find the right kind of soil, a source of water to make tiny mud beads, which they stick together with their saliva. It takes between 1200 and 2000 tiny mud beads for each nest.All this after finding a food source so they can feed and rest after their exhausting flight.

Finally they mate, then lay 4 to 5 eggs, each parent takes turns incubating,while the other feeds. When the babies hatch in 3 weeks,they again take turns keeping their young ones warm because their babies are born bare skinned with their eyes sealed shut. As soon as pin-feathers develop, both parents leave the nest to find food. Swallow parents share feeding equally. Babies must be fed every 20 minutes from dawn to dusk,for over 12 hours everyday. If one parent dies, only 2 babies survive! In 21 to 25 days, if food had been abundant,the babies are ready to leave the nest. It takes them at least 2 hours of fluttering on the ground with parental encouragement before they get airborne. The parents fly along side their young until they get it right. They return to their nest to rest and sleep there at night.

The parents continue to feed the babies until they learn to self-feed. They feed “on the fly” by scooping insects as they fly. Their manner of feeding is of great benefit to we humans. They are the perfect non-toxic pest control for flies, gnats, mosquitoes and all other insects.

Sadly, many people knock down swallow nests because of their droppings below. Other people malignantly wait until eggs hatch and then bat the nests and the babies to the ground.

Many people enjoy swallows nesting on or around their homes. They can be your favorite summer visitors. For those who do not want swallows nesting on their home or nearby structures, there are humane ways to discourage them from doing so before they build their nests. They are as follows:

• Smooth metal or slick smooth surfaces will prevent swallows from adhering their mud nests to the wall. Or purchase Bird Slide, anti-roosting and nesting solution at www.birdslide.com. Paint the area with a glossy latex paint to create a smooth texture on walls where swallow nests are unwanted..
• Another easy and cheap way to prevent Swallows from building their nests in unwanted areas is to spray the surfaces with “PAM”, the non-stick cooking spray. Mud swallows nests will not stick.
• Attach plastic netting to buildings before the birds arrive. It should be taut to reduce flapping in the wind. Mesh size should be about 3/4 in. Leave it up permanently or remove after nesting season.
• Blocking the entrance will prevent swallows from nesting inside buildings. Hang netting or strip doors of vinyl plastic or similar material across the entrance.

The swallows arrive in mid March and leave in September and they are of such great benefit while they are here, with little appreciation.

Swallows are mesmerizing to watch, from their industrious housing endeavors thru their unconditionally dedicated parenting skills.

For more information on swallows or any other wild animal, please call Native Animal Rescue, Santa Cruz county’s only legally licensed wildlife intake facility: 462-0720

Visit our website:www.nativeanimalrescue.org.

Written by:

Joan King

Swallow Rehabilitator

Native Animal Rescue

Spring is here and this is the time wild birds and mammals have their babies. The following are some tips to help you help our local wildlife.

To protect nesting birds in trees, do not trim or cut trees during the months of April through August. The domestic cat is the number one killer of songbirds as well as other small animals. The Bird Conservancy estimates that hundreds of millions of wild baby and adult birds are killed by domestic cats each year in America. Secure outdoor cat enclosures or indoor housing of domestic cats greatly reduces wildlife casualties, as well as helps to prevent risks to cats posed by allowing them to roam. If however, you can’t keep your cat(s) contained, keep their claws trimmed and use a Cat Bib on them when they’re outside to stop them from catching birds. A recent study published in the journal Biological Conservation found that fastening bibs to kitty collars can reduce the number of birds they kill by up to 72%. Much more effective than cat bells. Even our native reptiles,frogs, and mammals all fare better when felines are donned with the Cat Bib. (You can buy a cat bib online any where from $9.95 – $11.95 depending on the size of your cat at www.catgoods.com.).

If you find a non-feathered young bird out of its nest, keep the baby safe and warm and call Native Animal Rescue (NAR) for instructions.If you need to bring a baby bird to NAR, place a warmed cloth in the bottom of a paper bag or box in which you have made holes for air. If you don’t have these things, have a friend keep the bird warm in their hands while bringing it to NAR. Keeping baby birds warm is of vital importance in order to insure survival.If you see a feathered non-flying young bird on the ground, observe it from a distance. You may find a wary parent nearby. Many species of birds give their babies “ground training” before they can fly. If a bird parent is seen within an hour, and there are no cats around, leave the young bird alone. Otherwise, call NAR for further instructions.If you find a baby bird and it is uninjured and seems healthy, try to put it back in it’s nest. . The parents will not reject their baby just because you’ve touched it. Finding a baby hummingbird on the ground is always an emergency. They die quickly from cold, heat or starvation. Don’t attempt to feed them! Be incredibly gentle. Pick up any debris, nesting material or other substance it’s sitting on. Their delicate toes automatically lock when perched and are sometimes accidentally torn off when they’re picked up. If it’s well-feathered, put it on a branch and observe for a parent above. If it’s not well-feathered, put it in a bag or box as described above and call NAR immediately.Only rescue baby mammals when you are sure the mother is not coming back or you know it’s injured or in danger. Mothers of many species such as deer, rabbits, squirrels and woodrats leave their babies for several hours to forage before returning to nurse them. If you’re sure the baby needs rescuing, provide warmth and take it immediately to NAR. If you are not certain the baby needs rescuing call NAR for advice.

Many mammals nest under houses or in attics. If you hear squeaking or other noises coming from these areas, check for babies. Then call NAR to assist you in handling the situation. Never feed baby birds or baby mammals. That is the job of the experienced wildlife rehabilitators at NAR. Each bird and mammal have dietary needs unique to their species. Native Animal Rescue is licensed to rehabilitate orphaned and injured wildlife until they can be released back into the wild.

For information on baby birds and baby mammals, call NAR’s 24 hour hotline at 462-0726 or visit www.nativeanimalrescue.org

Written by: Molly Richardson

Rehabilitator/Board Member Native Animal Rescue