Fox Pays a Visit
By Marilyn DuHamel The local fox used to be brazen – a true vixen. Would match my longing for a glimpse with startling appearances that left me breathless. Since those magical times, fox encounters have become more elusive. No in-person sightings, but my motion...
Morning Brunch
By Marilyn DuHamel We all have our morning routines. My day begins with opening the blinds, curious if it’s cloudy, blue skies or morning mist outside. I put on my flip-flops and scoop a big cup of birdseed from the bin by my sliding glass door. Since no humans can...
Ask Monique: Hummingbird Orphans? Or not?
Dear Monique — We have a tiny hummingbird's nest in our backyard with two babies that hatched a few weeks ago. We haven't seen the mother for at least two days and are afraid she might have died. Should we bring the nest to Native Animal Rescue? — Concerned Dear...
Small Wild
By Marilyn DuHamel I am surrounded by many wild creatures, mostly small, mostly young. This is why I volunteer for Native Animal Rescue where I get to tend these injured or orphaned animals until they can be released back into their natural habitat. Warblers, finches,...
Ghost
By Marilyn DuHamel There’s a ghost in my house who only comes out at night – that’s when I can catch a glimpse of his silvery form. For now, this ghost lives in a cage. I’ve only touched him once – when I transferred him at Native Animal Rescue (NAR) into a large...
Ask Monique: Fox in the Neighborhood
Dear Monique — My stepdaughter, Heidi, lives in a rural area, and a fox has taken up residence in her backyard. Every day it poops around the yard and sleeps on the picnic table. Heidi has two adult cats that the fox doesn't bother, but she'd like to know if there's...
It’s Fawning Season. Think Before You Act!
Please be aware that spring is the prime birthing season for a wide variety of wildlife, including deer. Finding a fawn (baby deer) alone in the woods or a meadow is fairly common. Many people assume that young wildlife found alone are abandoned, helpless, and need...
Rat Poison is Killing Birds of Prey, and People are Finally Paying Attention
November 14, 2018 By William Freedberg, Mass Audubon Most rat poisons kill more than rats—they also pose a fatal threat to birds of prey. This topic recently made the news after a Bald Eagle on Cape Cod died of what appears to be rodenticide poisoning. The tragic...
Coyotes are all over SF to stay, even if they sometimes kill pets
July 19, 2017 By Peter Fimrite, San Francisco Chronicle The fatal coyote attack on a small dog at the front door of a San Francisco home has prompted a raging debate on social media and in public forums about allowing wild predators to remain in the city. The...
San Francisco: Still Wild at Heart – a film by Melissa Peabody
Proceeds will benefit Native Animal Rescue, the Santa Cruz County non-profit dedicated to the protection, rescue, rehabilitation, and release of injured, sick, and orphaned native wildlife. San Francisco: Still Wild at Heart, a film by Melissa Peabody, and featuring...
Native Animal Rescue’s Really Big Year
Most of Santa Cruz knows about Native Animal Rescue for its work rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing injured, sick and orphaned wild animals back to the wild. But did you know that Native Animal Rescue also works to: —increase the understanding of and respect for...
The Importance of Wildlife Rescue Partners
Wildlife rescue organizations work together in order to provide the best available care to injured, sick and orphaned wildlife. One of Native Animal Rescue's vital partners is International Bird Rescue. International Bird Rescue cares for sick, injured, abused, and...
The Case for Indoor Cats
By The Wildlife Center of Virginia Help wildlife, cats, and the environment by keeping cats indoors! While most of us love our kitties, free-roaming outdoor cats are a major threat to wildlife. These non-native predators kill...