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tales from the night lineWhen a person encounters an animal in distress, it is usually an intense experience for both the person and the animal. Animals and humans tend to interact more often during the day when people are active, but calls come in at night as well. Nighttime calls often come with a heightened sense of urgency, and the need for calm, experienced assistance is critical. As a result, WildCare began to offer our 24-hour Living with Wildlife Hotline telephone service several years ago. Kelle Kacmarcik and Winnie Kelly are two of our incredibly dedicated nighttime phone staff who may speak with callers. Here they share some stories with us. winnie’s stories I think our calls fall into general categories — heartwarming stories, completely crazy stories, calls that are funny and weird and the connecting-the-dots calls, where we put various people together to rescue an animal in particular trouble. Here are some examples of each: funny weirdness The very upset lady who called in a panic, late at night on St. Patrick’s Day: “My husband says there’s an injured duck here. No, I don’t know where it is, he knows. No, you can’t have my name and phone number … why are you wasting my time like this?! Just come help!” She hung up without giving us an address. Her phone number was restricted, so we couldn’t call back. We never heard back from her — hopefully it was an imaginary injured duck. The concerned person who called several times over the course of one night to let me know, blow-by-blow, what the raccoons were up to in a tree outside her apartment window in San Francisco. Although I pointed out that raccoons were native to San Francisco, and relatively common, she had never seen raccoons climb before, and it took four calls to convince her that they weren’t in danger of falling, and that she didn’t need to call the Fire Department to arrange a raccoon rescue. Or the gentleman who called me from Walnut Creek around 10pm one night — he had picked up an injured, unconscious deer that had been hit by a car in Berkeley, put it into his back seat, and driven it to Lindsay Wildlife Museum without calling first to see if they were open. Lindsay was closed, and what should he do? Should he bring it to me? As soon as I realized that he had a large, adult deer in the back of his sedan, I cut him short and asked him to immediately get out of the car. The only reason an adult deer would put up quietly with being in a car with a human would be if it was gravely injured and/or unconscious. In this situation, the man was at serious risk of the massive animal waking up. Once the driver was safely out of the car, I asked him to find a safe place to wait for assistance while I called 911. The local sheriff’s department and animal control arrived on the scene and had to euthanize the severely injured deer. Fortunately for both the rescuer and the deer, the animal never woke up. connect-the-dots A 6pm call from Texas (where it was 8pm) came from a very nice guy on a hiking trail, who had found a little baby owl on the ground, completely fuzzy, looking dazed. As I'm on the phone with him, the gentleman looks up the tree and can see Mom owl up there, but the tree is about 30 feet tall. It’s way out in the middle of nowhere, and what is he going to do? Yes, he has a hat, and he’s wearing a loose sweater. While he confines the baby owlet in the hat, checks its body temperature, and covers it with his sweater, I am on a second line to the local wildlife center closest to him, about two hours away. They’re closed, but there’s a message sending after-hours emergencies to the local animal control office. Meanwhile, the owlet seems very cold, but alert. I ask the gentleman to start heading back to his vehicle and call me again. Then I'm back on the line to the local animal control officer, who knows a wildlife rehabilitation volunteer who lives out in that direction. He’ll give her a call and ask her to call us. By the time the gentleman gets back to his car, the wildlife rehabilitator has called, given us instructions for the man to bring the owl to her. She tells me that she’s trying to talk one of the local “tree guys” into replacing the little guy the next morning. Mission accomplished! heartwarming In early June, I woke up sleepily to a call in the middle of the night from a police officer out patrolling the East Bay Regional Parks District hills above Berkeley. He had just found a cold, starving, half-dead fox kit in the middle of a roadway, and wanted to see if we could help. Unfortunately, the East Bay has no after-hours wildlife care, but to assist local law enforcement, I asked the officer to bring him to me to see if I could get him through the night. About 30 minutes later, a police SUV pulled up, and a very large, tall officer got out of the car. He held out his cupped hands, in the center of which a tiny, 6-week-old fox kit was curled, only half-conscious. “I know he probably won’t make it,” he growled, “but I couldn’t just leave him there. I’m fine with that, if that’s what happens... if he doesn’t make it.” Despite his gruff demeanor, he had done a great job of warming the kit in the car, and he watched intently, obviously very concerned as I gave the fox basic triage care. The kit was extremely thin and very dehydrated, and had probably been orphaned and alone for several days. The fox kit did indeed “make it”— first to WildCare’s hospital, as soon as it opened the next morning, and then to a new set of brothers and sisters, for long-term rehab. The police officer continued to call frequently for reports on “his" fox kit’s progress. Several months later, I was happy to be able to call and invite him to everyone’s favorite part of wildlife rehabilitation — watching the fox kit, with his newfound "siblings," as they were released into dense woodland to live happy, wild lives. kelle's stories I feel honored to be in this line of work. Because there really isn’t a training manual for “how to handle any and all things that might possibly happen to a wild animal in Anywhere, USA,” I’m still learning as I go. But it’s always interesting, and even the challenging calls are educational opportunities. Some of my most memorable calls come from people who are afraid to touch an injured animal. In some cases, such as adult deer and hawks, their fear is justified, but many people are even afraid of songbirds because they’re afraid they’re going to hurt the animal even more. I’m happy when I can talk them through the safe handling of injured animals. I’m also really glad I can tell them which ones are NOT safe to try to handle, and whom to call for help with potentially dangerous ones like skunks, raccoons and deer. One caller returned home from work to find a hummingbird struggling in her backyard. When she explained the symptoms and the bird's behavior— wings outstretched, open mouth, labored breathing — I told her that it didn’t sound good and I was pretty sure the bird was dying. While she put the tiny bird in a quiet place, on soft padding that had no loops that could entangle the bird's feet, I looked up a wildlife rehabilitation facility near where she lived, but within just a couple of minutes, sure enough, the bird died. She was crying but grateful for the help, and for someone who also had compassion for the bird and was able to share the experience with her. It was incredibly bittersweet. I quickly wrapped up the call and encouraged her to keep her cat indoors. She was very grateful and promised to be at the center’s door when they opened. more funny weirdness One caller was convinced that there were animals living in his van with him and that they followed him into the occasional hotel room he was able to rent. Although this sounded like a prank call, it wasn't — the gentleman was very serious about the animals he perceived, and worried about them. I listened to his concerns and reassured him that wild animals are best left alone and that the ones he was perceiving (and all wildlife) can undoubtedly take care of themselves. It became obvious very quickly that the giggling kids who called late on a Saturday night were making a prank call. This was the first time I'd gotten a true prank call while answering the phones, and because it’s an emergency line, I didn’t want to give them too much of my time, and I also didn’t want them to keep calling back. So I played along and said, it sounds like you need some help right away, give me your address and I’ll call an officer to come out right now. That shut the prank down right away, and the kids hung up, giggling. if you have a wildlife emergency WildCare is one of the only organizations in the country that offers in-person support for wildlife emergencies 24 hours a day. For this reason (as you've read), we get calls from across the United States and even from around the world! If a call is from outside the San Francisco Bay Area, our operators must direct rescuers to the closest wildlife rehabilitation resources, if such a resource exists. To find the rehab facility closest to you, visit WildCare's list of wildlife rehabilitators nationwide or try wildliferehabinfo.org. This incredible resource ensures that help and experienced advice for wildlife emergencies is available 24/7. Your support of WildCare's programs makes this possible! Please consider a generous donation today! |
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your year-end gift to wildlife — donate today!One of the saddest wildlife stories of 2011 came to WildCare in January. A tiny Mexican Free-tailed Bat had been found tangled in a sticky trap intended to capture insects. At WildCare she was very gently and carefully removed from the trap. Her wrist was bruised and swollen from her struggle to free herself. Her fur was carefully cleaned with a product used to dissolve the adhesives, followed by treatment to remove the cleaning products. Treatment on such a small creature is a delicate and highly stressful process. She was sent to foster care with a WildCare staff member, who administered pain medications, and trained her to eat the mealworms that are standard hospital fare for insectivores. Once her wrist had healed, and her fur was back to the condition it would insulate her, she was moved into a six-foot enclosure to practice flying. In February the recovered bat was transferred to an outdoor aviary where she went into hibernation with several other bats. She was released in April. wildcare members save lives Bats in North America are threatened with extinction by a new fungal infection called White-nose Syndrome (WNS). This bat did not have WNS, but saving the life of even one animal reminds us that we can make a difference. It gives us hope that we can do something for the many species of wild animals affected by our actions. Every year WildCare gives thousands of injured and orphaned wild animals a second chance at life. We educate thousands of people about how their actions affect wildlife and the world we share. We can do this work only because of our members’ gifts. WildCare is able to offer a complete cycle of humane programs and services, including:
If you are already a member of WildCare, thank you for your continued support for wildlife. Your past support has given the gift of a second chance to many wild animals, and in these difficult economic times, wildlife needs you now more than ever. Please consider making a generous year-end gift. While nature and the environment are our focus, it is people like you who make our work possible. If you are not a member, please consider supporting WildCare in 2012 by becoming one. To learn more about membership in WildCare, click here. On behalf of our wildlife patients, we thank you! |
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sturgeon, green and whiteFor those of us who don’t dive, fish or sail, the animals and plants that live underwater exist in an alien territory. We can enjoy looking at ripples or waves on the surface of their world, but our only real contact with what lives below may be what is available at the supermarket. That’s too bad. With all the interest in vampires and zombies right now, maybe it’s time to get acquainted with some sea monsters. Many of the stories told about monsters in lakes, rivers and bays can be attributed to sightings of sturgeon; they are animals of the water world worth getting to know. When Stafford Lake reservoir in Novato, California was partially drained for dam repairs in 1985, the legendary “monster” long said to have haunted the waters was revealed to be a 170-pound White Sturgeon. The fish was about 65 years old and seven feet long. Sturgeon is the common name used for some 26 species of fish in the family Acipenseridae. Sturgeons are capable of living over 100 years. The largest individuals, such as the critically endangered Beluga, can be over 18 feet in length, and weigh more than 4,400 pounds. Two species inhabit the San Francisco Bay and its estuaries, and range along the West Coast of North America — the White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) and Green Sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris). the family history Today all sturgeon species are experiencing declines in population. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), more than 85% of sturgeon species are classified as at risk for extinction. Under the Endangered Species Act, our Green Sturgeon is listed as Threatened. The American Fisheries Society classifies White Sturgeon in California as dependent on conservation. The California Department of Fish and Game (CDF&G) asks people who fish to be aware of special regulations designed to protect the long-term health of both species by protecting the very young fish and the most fecund larger females. natural history The sturgeon is primarily a benthic (bottom) dweller and feeder. Its mouth is located on the underside of its head, and it uses its taste buds (located on the outside of its mouth) and barbels (feelers) to search for small crustaceans, various species of clam, crab and shrimp on the seabed. Sturgeon feed by suction, so while scavenging, they will also ingest harmful things like raw sewage, dead fish, paper mill waste and plants covered in pesticides. Spawning occurs between February and May, but females do not spawn every year. Reproduction is episodic; strong year “classes” occur when flows in the rivers are exceptionally high. It can take anywhere from eight to twenty years for the fish to reach breeding maturity, so eight to ten years after wet years, populations will be higher, and after drought years, populations will fall. Sea lions are known to enjoy sturgeon, but today there are other hazards. Marty Gingras, sturgeon biologist with the California Department of Fish & Game, writes, “Our data shows that anglers harvest 4-8% of the White Sturgeon 46-66-inches long in California, and that a combination of other factors kills another 10% each year. Those other factors probably include old age, disease, poaching, predation and boat-strike.” the difference between white and green White Sturgeon are the largest freshwater-inhabiting fish in North America, and are generally found in estuaries along the Pacific coast. Spawning populations, however, have only been found in large rivers from the Sacramento-San Juaquin system north. Most California White Sturgeon are found in the San Francisco Bay estuaries. Olive-green-colored Green Sturgeon, on the other hand, live mostly in the ocean, only occasionally returning to brackish and freshwater habitats to spawn. Their fertilization and hatching rates are lower than those of the White Sturgeon, but their young are larger and have a higher survival rate. Both species are affected by bioaccumulation of toxic metal compounds because they exist at the top of aquatic food chains, and are long-lived. Researchers discovered that Green Sturgeon are much more sensitive to dietary selenium than are White Sturgeon and this heightened sensitivity to toxins may be a factor in the decline of the species. hazards of being a sturgeon Overfishing took the first toll on sturgeon populations. Commercial fishing began in the 1880, and peaked in 1892, when 2,500 metric tons of sturgeon were harvested. By the beginning of the twentieth century, the seemingly endless supply was severely depleted. Restrictions were established in the 1940s, and management continues to be an ongoing effort. Wild White Sturgeon are fished both commercially and for sport; various states’ laws regulate the catch that can be kept. In California, no commercial fishing for White Sturgeon is allowed. Sturgeon sport fishing has been closed in much of the Sacramento River since 2010 because adult Green Sturgeon – unlike White Sturgeon – over-summer in upper reaches after spawning and were too easy to catch. In parts of Oregon and Washington, both commercial and sport fisheries for White Sturgeon are allowed but Green Sturgeon can’t be kept. In California, size and season restrictions (and, of course, licenses) regulate limits for White Sturgeon, and no Green Sturgeon are permitted to be kept. Habitat destruction delivers another blow to these fish. Agricultural and housing development near rivers and estuaries, and dams that close off spawning grounds and divert fresh water, inhibit replacement of population (click for article). Even flood control structures can cause problems. After heavy rains last spring, sturgeon and salmon were trapped behind weirs when the water receded, and they had to be rescued by CDF&G scientists. Pollution is another recent contributor to the decrease in sturgeon populations. The effects of toxic substances on sturgeon have not been heavily researched, but toxins like dioxin, PCB, mercury, agricultural pesticides and even human prescription drugs contaminate the rivers and estuaries, and are commonly and unfortunately found in fish populations. Marty Gingras adds, “CalEPA’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment published safe-eating guidelines for wild fish. Those guidelines suggest rather restricted consumption of white sturgeon.” the supermarket thing Sturgeon scutes and skull plates have been found in Native American middens in the San Francisco Bay, Delta and slough areas, indicating they were an important source of Native American nutrition here. Native American fishing was not responsible for the species’ decline, but in some areas, tribal groups such as the Kootenai Indian tribe of Idaho are working to help restore populations. Sturgeon are probably best known for their nearly-ripe eggs, processed in brine and called caviar. But now the Beluga Sturgeon (Huso huso) is threatened with extinction because of poaching, overfishing, pollution and shrinking habitat. White Sturgeon have successfully been managed in sturgeon aquaculture farms. Serious aquaculture projects started about 15 years ago in France, Italy and California. Presently there are 40 farm projects in about 20 countries and California caviar is said to rival the best Beluga. Currently the Monterey Bay Aquarium SeafoodWatch lists imported wild-caught caviar and sturgeon as fish to avoid, with U.S.-farmed caviar and sturgeon as good alternatives. |
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the california bay laurelThe California Bay Laurel (Umbellularia californica) is a hardy California evergreen, its fragrance a familiar companion to the holidays. It grows at a variety of sites – in the cool, humid maritime climate of dense coastal forests and the mediterranean climate of California hardwood forests and chaparral. Similar to the European bay leaf (Laurus nobilis), its fragrance is unmistakable. A member of the Laurel family (Lauraceae), California Bay Laurel is related to Grecian laurel, mountain laurel, sassafras, cinnamon and avocado. It has also been called Myrtlewood, Pepperwood, Spicebush, Cinnamon Bush, Peppernut Tree and Headache Tree. As its many names indicate, it has a long history of uses by people – and wildlife as well! wildlife uses California Bay Laurel leaves and twigs are high in protein. Black-tailed deer are especially fond of the new shoots, which are more tender and have a milder flavor than the mature hardened foliage. The protein content is also higher in the spring when the new leaves come in. Protein content may reach 25 percent in May, but can come down to 11 percent in January. The fruit, similar to a tiny avocado, is eaten by birds, rodents and wild pigs. The fruit is said to have a stimulant effect, like caffeine. Tree squirrels love it, which may partly explain some of the often-frenetic autumnal squirrel activity. Depending on its location, the California Bay Laurel may grow to 80 feet tall or remain a shrub if its site is poor. Its foliage provides cover for deer, wild pig, black bear and various small mammals. It also provides nesting, hiding and protective cover for game birds and songbirds. The chemicals in its leaves may help the animals control parasites. Native Americans certainly put it to good use as an insect repellent. native american uses The Coast Miwok people come from the areas of Novato, Marshall, Tomales, San Rafael, Petaluma and Bodega. They called the bay tree sow´-las. The Southern Pomo people from the Sebastopol area called it bahsa. It had so many uses that it was highly valued, used ceremonially and considered sacred. All parts of the plant, but especially the leaves, contain an aromatic camphor-like volatile oil that has cooling, irritant, insecticidal and germicidal qualities. The leaves contain about 1.3% essential oils, the most abundant of which (about 45%) is cineole, also called eucalyptol. Another 12% are terpenes, followed by trace amounts of several others. The Native Americans used the leaves to control biting insects such as fleas and lice, sometimes placing the leaves as a fragrant carpet in their lodges, or scattering leaves and branches around their dwellings. Both the flesh and the inner kernel of the olive-sized fruit (called pepper or bay nuts) were used as food. The fruit was dried in the sun until the thick outer covering loosened and split. At this stage, the thick fleshy end of the husk was eaten raw. The kernel was roasted until dark brown and crisp, then ground into a meal and made into little flat cakes. These were dried in the sun and stored for winter use. The kernels, either roasted whole or in the form of meal cakes, were eaten with greens, with buck-eye meal, with acorn meal and mush and with seaweed. Leaves were used in cooking for flavor. The wood was made into bows and the shoots into arrows. bay trees and sudden oak death The water mold Phytophthora ramorum is an organism known to infect more than 30 species of plant, including, significantly, the California Bay Laurel. This disease also attacks some of our most valued plants, such as rhododendrons, camellias, viburnums and pieris. Such plants can be a source of an inoculum for the disease, with pathogen-producing spores that can be transmitted by wind and rainwater. It is not a deadly disease for most of the plants it infects, but it is a killer of several species of oak trees. Wetter winters, as a result of global climate change, may be particularly bad for oaks, because this disease likes cool, wet conditions. Removing bay trees is probably not the answer, however. Other hosts of the disease include common natives such as Tanbark Oak, Big-leaf Maple, California Buckeye, California Coffeeberry, California Honeysuckle and Coast Redwood. If other foliar hosts are present, removing the trees may not prevent the infection of Coast Live Oaks and other species. modern uses Dry California Bay wood has a color range from blonde (like maple) to brown (like walnut). It is used for cabinets, furniture, interior trim, paneling, veneer, gunstocks and turned woodenware. Burls, marketed as myrtlewood, are used for making novelty items and wood carvings. The wood is very hard and fine, and is also made into bowls, spoons, and other small items sold as “myrtlewood.” Myrtlewood is considered a world-class tonewood for guitars, and is sought after by luthiers and woodworkers around the world. The tree is available at commercial nurseries and is used in ornamental landscaping. It serves a variety of habitat restoration purposes such as riparian and wildlife habitat reclamation projects, flood control and stream channel restoration. California Bay leaves are still used as a food seasoning. According to Paleotechnics, the flavor of our California Bay is similar to the European Bay, and can be generally used as a substitute in flavoring olives, tomato sauces and soups. However, chefs will want to keep in mind that the California Bay leaves can be much stronger! make a california wreath The fresh fragrance of bay is one of signs of the holidays in California, and it is easy to bring indoors. Bay leaf wreaths stay fresh a long time and are easy to make. Pick up some bunches of bay from your local farmer’s market or pick some yourself if it is available, and make your own bay leaf wreath. You’ll need a floral wreath base and floral wire from a craft store or florist. To make a wreath: Trim each stem of the bay cuttings to six inches long. Bunch about five or six cuttings together and secure them with floral wire around the stems. Make approximately ten bunches this way. Place one of your bay bunches on your wreath base and secure it with floral wire, following the direction of the ring. Clip each of your bay bunches to the clips on the base, overlapping the previous bunch’s stems as you go. Finish the wreath with Toyon berries or Redwood cones. |
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behind the scenes at wildcareMany of the rescuers who bring injured or orphaned animals to WildCare ask to see what goes on behind the front desk. For our patients' safety and welfare, our license from the California Department of Fish and Game does not permit visitors into the Wildlife Hospital. But trained volunteers work behind the scenes and hands-on with our wildlife patients every time they come in for their four-hour shifts. Once a volunteer has completed the training series, the real fun begins! New volunteers start their hospital shifts in approximately the second week of March, just in time for WildCare's "Baby Season." We admit around 80% of our patients in the months between March and October, and most of those patients are orphaned babies needing care. Each volunteer commits to one four-hour volunteer shift per week from the beginning of the Training Series to approximately mid-November. Of course many volunteers continue volunteering throughout the winter, but the eight-month commitment is the minimum we require. the birdroom WildCare's Wildlife Hospital is informally divided into two sections, the Birdroom and the Clinic. The Birdroom is where all the songbirds are housed, and during the summer it can be incredibly busy. Each tiny orphaned baby songbird needs to be fed every 45 minutes from dawn to dusk, and our volunteers do most of that feeding. A Birdroom shift is always a whirlwind of tiny mouths cheeping and peeping to be fed, and a four-hour shift can really fly by (pun intended.) Birdroom volunteers concentrate on feeding the songbirds because they need to be fed so frequently, but during their shifts the volunteers are also responsible for cleaning the birds' cages, washing and sanitizing dishes, making songbird mash (a nutritious combination of ground-up bugs, vitamins and other ingredients) and many other tasks, all necessary for the healthy development of these tiny babies. the clinic Since songbirds go into the Birdroom, the wildlife patients that aren't songbirds are admitted to the Clinic. These patients include water birds (like pelicans, cormorants and egrets), raptors (hawks and owls), mammals, reptiles and amphibians. Although many of our patients need medical care to heal injuries and resolve illnesses, often the best treatment for a wild patient is good old-fashioned care and feeding. Clinic volunteers must make sure all the patients have clean cages and bedding, fresh water and an appropriate diet. That sounds simple, but for such a wide array of species, it can be a real challenge! Clinic volunteers do a lot of dishes, and sanitize them to make sure diseases don't spread. The animals' laundry is handled the same way. Cage-cleaning, mopping and sweeping are also part of the job. Since many of our patients are carnivores, food preparation in the wildlife kitchen can be a novel experience — for instance an opportunistic omnivore like an opossum's dinner can include fish, a frozen mouse, some vegetables and a bit of fruit, all mixed together with fruit-flavored yogurt. Yummy! Learning to handle the patients, prepare and administer medications, and help the medical staff is also included in a shift, and of course every volunteer is encouraged to participate in releasing our wildlife patients when they're ready to go. Watching a now-healthy patient run or fly back to its wild home is the best part of volunteering at WildCare. nature guides and special projects Of course a a hospital shift or the Nature Guide program may be too much of a commitment for some schedules. Only trained and committed volunteers are allowed to work in the Wildlife Hospital, but we also need volunteers to help us with data entry, events and other projects. Contact Jessica Grace, our Volunteer Coordinator for more information at 415-453-1000 x21 or volunteer@wildcarebayarea.org. sign up today! Orientations to become a Wildlife Hospital Volunteer will be held on January 28 and 29, 2012 from 1:00pm - 5:00pm. Click to register for one of these upcoming orientations! These will be the ONLY orientations for 2012, and your only opportunity to become a WildCare Wildlife Hospital Volunteer this year. Questions? Please contact Jessica Grace, Volunteer Coordinator at 415-453-1000 x21 or volunteer@wildcarebayarea.org. |
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great gift ideas for december
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