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| A Golden Eagle gets medications and fluids from WildCare hospital staff Paulette Smith-Ruiz (left) and Cindy Dicke. Photos by Alison Hermance |
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| California Myotis Bat baby dropped to the ground from her roost in the recent heat wave. Photos by Alison Hermance |
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| Bats are mammals in the order Chiroptera, more closely related to people than to most other mammals. |
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| Northern California bat species range in size from smaller than your thumb to the size of cats. Pesticides and habitat loss are their largest threats. |
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| Director of Wildlife Solutions Maggie Sergio holds one of the bat boxes WildCare is making available to people who want to help provide habitat for bats. Email maggiesergio@wildcarebayarea.org for more information, or to purchase a bat box for your property. Photo by JoLynn Taylor |
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| Bluebird eggs. Photo by Mari Litsky |
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| Bluebirds provide good pest-insect management in vineyards and don't harm the grapes. Photo by Mari Litsky |
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July at WildCare
It's mid summer, and exciting things are happening everywhere at WildCare! Here are some highlights.
A Golden Eagle
Melanie Piazza, Director of Animal Care, writes:
One of the Wildlife Hospital's more interesting recent cases had a sad ending. We admitted a Golden Eagle that had been found in a roadside ditch in Potter Valley, California by an employee of the Potter Valley Irrigation Department. The juvenile bird was first taken to Willits Wildlife Rehabilitation, and they transferred him to us.
This bird was severely emaciated and dehydrated, but we could not determine the cause. He had no fractures or wounds that would account for his inability to fly and hunt, but was so extremely emaciated he was unable even to stand. Despite a poor prognosis, we began intensive treatment to rehydrate him and gave intravenous fluids and Hetastarch (a blood-replacer).
We began the standard tube-feeding regimen to treat emaciation. For the first 48 hours he seemed to be tolerating the treatments and showed hopeful signs, so Assistant Director of Animal Care, Cindy Dicke (who keeps chickens, ducks and geese at her home in Olema) planned to bring in a domestic goose the following day to give the eagle a plasma transfusion. A single interspecies transfusion between birds is possible and can sometimes save lives.
Unfortunately this beautiful bird died 72 hours after intake.
Heat Exhaustion in Bats
Animal Care Manager Livia Stone writes:
Katrina Froelich, a student at the San Dominico stables and a WildCare student volunteer found a tiny bat that had fallen from the rafters of the stable. Knowing that bats can carry rabies, Katrina was careful not to touch the bat with her bare hands.
Under some conditions we might have tried to put the baby back with her mother. We consulted Mary Jean "Corky" Quirk from NorCal Bats in Davis, California, who said reuniting can work but can be complicated. If we know that bat babies have fallen because of a heat wave, for example, a rehab center can keep them until the heat passes, when reunions will be more successful. A heatwave can cause heat exaustion in bats, and if it continues, replacing the baby is not a wise choice until the temperatures have cooled.
We kept this tiny bat in care because in her case there wasn't a clear-cut reason for her fall from the roost. The area where she was found was deemed unsafe because there were tractors, lots of traffic, and people around. We also were not exactly sure where the roost is -- that was the most important factor!
The baby bat was dehydrated and shaky, but otherwise appeared healthy. She quickly learned to lap formula off a syringe with a specially adapted tip that delivers tiny drops.
Bats are colonial and I checked around, but no local centers had bats to be her friends. Then a couple of days later we got another baby from the same roost, then another the next day -- now three total. We've determined they're Californicus (California Myotis Bats).
We think the reason we have gotten these three babies is that the roost site is poor. It is in a very public stable and it may also be overcrowded.
Bat Boxes
Director of Wildlife Solutions Maggie Sergio writes:
Habitat is hard to find for colonial bat species, and of the thirteen species of bats in Marin, eleven are colonial. A bat box has been developed that will work for all the colonial species, and it would be great if a lot more people would put them up to help replace habitat losses.
Some Northern California bats are no bigger than your thumb, while others are nearly the size of a newborn kitten. The one thing all these colonial species have in common is that they like to wedge themselves into tight, secure places and snuggle together.
Unlike other boxes that are specific to one size of colonial bat, the boxes WildCare sells are constructed to be narrower at the top of the box and wider at the opening on the bottom. This means that if the box is colonized by tiny bats, they can wedge themselves in near the top. If larger species take the box, they wedge themselves further down -- wherever they feel the fit is right.
We've based the boxes on plans developed by the California Bat Conservation Fund, and they are really simple to construct if you have some building skills. The plans are available on their website, californiabats.com. But if you'd like something ready-to-go, we sell them at WildCare (click to email Wildlife Solutions and order yours today. Unfortunately we cannot ship bat boxes; they must be picked up at WildCare.) We'll also provide instructions on where to place the box; bats are picky about how much heat they like -- lots, but not so much it cooks them!
Radical Reptiles
Nature Camp Naturalist Melisa Williams writes:
We learned about reptiles this week. I was surprised to find that most of the kids didn't know what classified an animal as a reptile, but this camper group of 13 boys (no girls at all!) sure knew what crocodiles and snakes were, and everyone had a favorite.
Danny loves Kingsnakes, and drew his living in the desert. He told me that "Kingsnakes rule!" so he gave his Kingsnake a crown and scepter!
I adored the story from Yael, who loves turtles best. He put his under a rainbow because rainbows are really nice, and gave the turtle shell lots of different colors, too. He gave the turtle a pond and explained that the happy face in the pond meant that it was an especially clean place, with blue water and no pollution.
Owen was dismayed to realize, after he'd finished his drawing of a Yellow-spotted Salamander, that the spots were supposed to be yellow and the salamander black, instead of the other way around. To try to clear things up, he decided to add some explanatory text, an arrow to the offending graphic, and then, just for good measure, so we'd be sure to understand, put lots of yellow and red spots everywhere. I think it's clear now, don't you?
I've posted the drawings in the hallway at WildCare so visitors can see what we've been doing.
More Bluebirds!
Hungry Owl Project volunteer Mari Litsky writes:
Bluebirds and vineyard pest management? I was curious about this when Alex Godbe, director of WildCare's Hungry Owl Project, asked me to find out more about whether encouraging birds to nest in vineyards was harmful to crops. Apparently this concern was voiced by a vintner when she was talking to him about the use of owl and bluebird boxes in his vineyard. Online I found out about Julie Jedlicka, who is doing her PhD research on bluebirds in vineyards. I learned from her that this concern is unfounded, since the bluebird's diet consists mainly of insects and some berries in the winter.
An August 16 article in the St. Helena Star talked about one vineyard in St. Helena that uses sustainable pest management. This vineyard reported the growth in bluebird population at Spring Mountain Vineyard over the past year has been consistent with the decline of Blue-green Sharpshooters (a pest insect.) I decided to visit and talked to Ron Rosenbrand, the vineyard manager. He showed me around the beautiful, hilly 800-acre estate where 500 bluebird boxes have been installed. We saw quite a few pairs of bluebirds flitting around happily among the vines; some were already nesting and laying eggs. I learned a lot about vineyard pests and how one man's vision of making his vineyard organic has rewarded not only the vineyard but the bluebirds as well! |
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| Photo by Ron Rosenbrand |
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| Western Bluebird. Photo by Tom Grey |
Hungry Owl Project Vineyard Pest Management Event
No, we don't mean the pests who have enjoyed one too many tasting samples at the winery!
WildCare's Hungry Owl Project invites you to join us for a fun and informative afternoon at the Spring Mountain Vineyard in St. Helena, where they will offer hors d'oeuvres, estate grown wine, and other beverages along with a chance to learn how to encourage natural predators to manage rodents and insect pests.
This event will raise funds to support the Hungry Owl Project's efforts to encourage agricultural producers to use ecologically sound alternatives to pesticides and rodenticides. Barn owl and bluebird boxes can be ordered from the Hungry Owl Project at the event.
Reservations are $30 per person.
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In May, hundreds of cormorants, like this juvenile brought to WildCare, were found in various stages of starvation. The epidemic is thought to be the result of reduced numbers of sardines and anchovies upon which the birds prey. Photo by JoLynn Taylor |
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An aerial perspective shows the South Farallon Islands surrounded by the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. Photo by Jan Roletto |
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Double-crested Cormorant (left) and Brandt's Cormorant. Photo by Tom Grey |
Brandt’s Cormorants at the Farallones—A Recent Report
by Juan-Carlos Solis
A report was recently released from the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary with some interesting information on Brandt’s Cormorant breeding populations on the Farallon islands of the coast of San Francisco.
Brandt’s Cormorants were one of the species found dead in large numbers on Bay Area beaches last May in a still mostly unexplained die-off (click for more information on this mortality event.) Scientists are still not sure what caused the large numbers of these birds (Western Grebes were also affected) to die and wash up on Bay Area beaches, but emaciation seemed to be the most consistent conclusion derived from necropsies. Data from the Farallon Islands shows additional problems for these birds.
Brandt's Cormorants are not even bothering to breed this season. The report written by Point Reyes Bird Observatory Biologist Pete Warzybok says, "As in 2008, Brandt's Cormorants have been virtually absent from breeding areas all spring. There was a brief pulse of nest building and courtship activity in the middle of May, but by the end of the month almost all birds had abandoned once again. Small numbers continue to hang out at the colonies in the evenings. There are currently no nests with eggs in any of the regularly followed colonies." The report was written more than a month ago and reports say that as of mid-July there are a few birds breeding, but nowhere near normal numbers. The report also says that Pelagic Cormorants, who also breed at the Farallones, built nests but showed no apparent breeding activity. By the end of May, there was just one nest with chicks and a handful of nests with probable eggs.
On the other hand, it looks like a good year for some other birds like Cassin's Auklets, with chicks hatching early in May and continuing to hatch throughout the season, despite the fact that a pair of ravens has discovered how to dig up auklet burrows and prey on the adults. On the Farallones, there is also a growing colony of California Gulls, and Peregrine Falcons that consumed nearly an entire flock of doves. Wildlife sightings near the islands have been great and on June 27th an Oceanic Society boat tour observed Gray Whales, two female Humpback Whales with calves, and several seabirds including Tufted Puffins, and a dozen Black-Footed Albatrosses.
On a clear day, the Farallon Islands can be seen off the west coast of San Francisco and Marin. They are the prime breeding place for many of the seabirds that live in the area. Tours can be arranged with Oceanic Society Expeditions to visit the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. |
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WildCare's Pitcairn Wildlife Emergency Response triage vehicle made its public debut on June 3 at Blackie's Pasture in Tiburon. Photos by Emily Baumbach |
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| WildCare Board President Susan Rusche (center) and Executive Director, Karen Wilson (right) announce the launch of WildCare's premier Bay Area wildlife disaster emergency service, made possible by generous donations from the Pitcairn Foundation, The San Francisco Foundation and a third anonymous foundation. |
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John and Maria Pitcairn cut the ribbon to celebrate the launch of the vehicle that represents WildCare's new ability to respond to wildlife disasters. |
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The Pitcairn Wildlife Emergency Response vehicle made its first official tour at the Fairfax Festival Parade. Photo by David Taylor |
WildCare Emergency Response
WildCare was the primary triage center for more than 20% of the rescued oiled wildlife during the Cosco Busan oil spill in November 2007. We were proud of our ability to rise to the challenges presented by that terrible disaster, but the scope of that emergency demonstrated the need for us to be able to do more.
Disaster Preparedness
WildCare is a member of the Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN), part of the California State Oiled Wildlife Response (OSPR) based at the University of California at Davis. In the aftermath of the Cosco Busan spill, every agency involved rushed to examine their systems and to improve them. New state regulations were put in place to prevent recurrences of oil spills, training programs were implemented for volunteers and more oversight of Bay traffic was put in place.
While these measures may reduce the possibility and impact of another oil spill in the Bay Area, they will probably not prevent the next disaster. And wildlife can be affected by all kinds of disasters including wildfire, flood, chemical or sewage spill, or disease outbreak.
WildCare's Response
This June, with the unveiling of our new mobile veterinary unit, the Pitcairn Wildlife Emergency Response triage vehicle, WildCare officially launched the premier Bay Area wildlife disaster emergency service, a service that has been in the planning since 2007.
Thanks to the John and Maria Pitcairn Foundation, the San Francisco Foundation and a third anonymous foundation, WildCare will be able to reach wild animals in distress wherever they fall, providing on-site emergency medical services in whatever major wildlife disasters strike -- flood, fire, and, of course, oil spill.
The vehicle is the first of its kind in the Bay Area, a veterinary hospital on wheels, fully equipped to bring help to injured wildlife at the scene of a disaster.
"While we are extremely proud of our work to help save the wildlife affected by this disaster, we wanted to develop the capacity to do even more," said Karen Wilson, WildCare's Executive Director. "Having a fully equipped mobile medical hospital enables us to treat injured wild animals at a disaster site, potentially saving countless lives by eliminating the stress and often life-threatening time required to transport these animals for treatment."
Look for the Pitcairn Wildlife Emergency Response vehicle on the road -- you can't miss it! Former WildCare Living with Wildlife Photography Contest winners Trish Carney and Greg Wilson supplied the vibrant photos that make this vehicle a work of art, guaranteed to turn heads as it saves lives. |
WildCare on Parade!
It's an emergency vehicle just like a fire truck or an ambulance, and we wanted to show it off! What better way to get noticed than to march in a parade? We had a great time at the Fairfax Festival and Ecofest!
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Volunteer as a WildCareTerwilliger Nature Guide
WildCare's Terwilliger Nature Guides take groups of school children on fun, exploratory hikes full of learning and adventure.
This volunteer opportunity can help you make a difference in the lives of children, battling Nature Deficit Disorder and opening young minds to the joys of the outdoors.
Join us for a fun and informative orientation!
Terwilliger Nature Guide Orientation
Saturday, August 15, 2009
11am - 12:30pm.
Click to register today! | |
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Seaweed: So Much More Than Sushi
photos by and thanks to Courtnay Janiak, "The Seaweed Lady"
If you're lucky enough to have some free time for a walk on the beach this summer, you may enjoy trying to identify some the of many seaweeds that thrive in the harsh environment of the intertidal zones. Seaweeds are not weeds! If you like sushi, you know that many could more aptly be termed sea vegetables.
Northern California is a rich source for these nutritious algae, with more than 600 known species of marine plants. Don't pick them without a license, though! Harvesting is an art that depends upon knowledge of the individual species. Some species take decades to grow, and you'll need a permit from the California Department of Fish & Game to harvest them yourself. There are a number of suppliers of dried delicacies that harvest on the coasts of Point Reyes, Sonoma and Mendocino. If culinary use is of interest, look for resources at the end of this article.
Marine Algae
Unlike the seagrasses which are intertidal flowering plants, the marine algae are primitive photosynthesizing plants that lack true leaves, stems or roots. They can range in size from microscopic free-floating, single-celled phytoplankton to 150 ft.-tall giant kelps. Algae reproduces by spores, gametes (male and female cells) or cloning through fragmentation. Most possess a holdfast (rootlike structure), a blade (leaflike structure), and many have a stipe (stemlike structure) that connects the holdfast to the blade.
The weight of algae is supported by water, so what you see washed up on the beach doesn't give much of a hint of how it looks when alive and boyant. Some marine algae also have gas-filled bladders called pneumatocysts that float the blades close to the water's surface to maximize access to sunlight for photosynthesis. The three categories (phyla) of marine algae are mainly characterized by the dominant pigment coloring the plants; however, their color is not a reliable indicator for classification. For instance, many algae in the red algae category contain overlying green pigments that make them look brown. Still, the categories can be helpful.
Green Algae (Phylum Chlorophyta)
This phylum contains more than 7,000 species. The green color results from the photosynthetic pigments in chlorophyll. Green algae contain these pigments in the same proportions as green land plants. The intertidal zone contains many kinds of green algae.
Sea Lettuce is a bright green algae, extremely thin (only two cell layers thick) and translucent. Gutweed or Tubeweed have flattened green tubes and commonly inhabit the high intertidal zone of coasts and estuaries. Dead Man's Fingers is dark green with fingerlike blades. It is found from the middle intertidal to the subtidal zones.
Brown Algae (Phylum Heterokontophyta)
The color of brown algae results from the dominance of the xanthophyll pigment over the chlorophyll and other pigments. The largest brown algae species are called kelp.
Many brown algae species contain alginic acid within their cell walls; this gel-like acid absorbs waters and keeps the algae from drying out during low tides. Algin is commercially harvested and used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, waterproofing and fireproofing fabrics, paper and textile production, dentistry and to thicken and emulsify food products such as ice cream, drinks, soups, jellies and salad dressings.
Some commonly found brown algae species include Sea Potato, a light brown algae that forms small, hollow sacs, and Common Rockweed and Gulfweed (Sargassum muticum). This Sargassum species is golden to dark brown with abundant tiny air bladders along the long, narrow blades. Gulfweed has been introduced to many areas. It is invasive and can outcompete native algae species.
Sea palm (Postelsia palmaeformis) is a large greenish brown alga that resembles a miniature palm tree and grows to up to 2 feet tall. The Sea Palm competes with mussels for anchorage in areas of heavy surf exposure --colonizing bare rock patches where mussels have been dislodged. In Northern California the blades are harvested and consumed raw or dried for use in soups and salads. Oar Weed (Laminaria spp.) is a golden brown algae characterized by a single, large, unribbed blade that is sometimes split into longitudinal strips. This kelp may reach 16 feet in height. Smaller species grow in the low intertidal and subtidal zones. In the past, humans burned down Oar Weed to make soda ash used for making soap and glass. Oar Weed is currently harvested and cultivated for algin, fertilizer and food.
Feather Boa Kelp (Egregia menziesii). The dark to golden brown fronds of Feather Boa Kelp can grow up to 33 feet long. The stipe branches and bears numerous small blades and floats along the edges. In the upper portion of the plant, the stipes are flattened and edged with small blades and no floats.
Giant Kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) is the largest species of kelp, attaining lengths up to 150 feet. Giant Kelp forms dense, underwater forests just offshore, and thrives at up to 100-foot depths. In ideal conditions, Giant Kelp fronds can grow as much as two feet per day. Although primarily subtidal, Giant Kelp frequently washes upon shore -- often still harboring invertebrate inhabitants. The commercial harvest is managed by the California Department of Fish and Game, and is used for its algin and also used as food for livestock and farmed abalone.
Red Algae (Phylum Rhodophyta)
The pigments phycoerythrin and phycocyanin produce the red color of the more than 5,200 species of algae in this group. Three main types of gelatinous substances are obtained from red seaweeds with different properties and uses: agar, carrageenan and funaran. Sorbitol, a sugar alcohol that occurs in some red algae, is used as a diabetic sugar substitute.
Nori (Porphyra) is probably the red algae most commonly recognized by sushi lovers. Its purple to blackish blades are just a single cell-layer thick, and contain an abundant amount of vitamins and beneficial proteins.
Coralline algae is among the types in this group. As the name suggests, coralline algae can resemble coral. It contains calcium carbonate deposits within the plants' cell walls, giving these algae a crusty, coral-like texture. Coralline algae growth may be branching or encrusting depending on the species. Many kinds of encrusting coralline algae contribute to the structure of some coral reefs.
Common names of other red algae include Wire Weed, Bottle Brush, Sea Sacs, Iridescent Weed, and Cup and Saucer Seaweed. On the Cup and Saucer Seaweed, the cup grows from the stipe each year, while the perennial stipe and holdfast may be decades old. As with many seaweeds picking can cause long-term damage to this species.
Seaweed Stewardship
Sea vegetables contain more minerals than any other kinds of food, not only all the minerals available in ocean water, but also many of the trace elements lacking in many areas of the world. If pollution is present, however, there is evidence that harmful elements can also be concentrated as well. Fuel oil, pulp mills and distilleries have ruined seaweed harvests in many countries. Once, due to a combination of problems, including sewage pollution, sea urchin farming, and the near extermination of sea otters that eat sea urchins, the kelp industry of California was brought near extinction. When inter-relationships were restored the kelp beds gradually recovered.
Resources
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- AlgaeBase - educational and scientific information on algae across the world. This site strives to keep the most current algal taxonomy.
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- Seaweed.ie - an extremely informational site about seaweed diversity and uses. Michael Guiry is the seaweed guru responsible for developing AlgaeBase.
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Field guides also provide great information about habitat, growth and range. We recommend three, all available on Amazon (click from WildCare's website and we'll receive a share of the proceeds as a donation!) The first two also include a selection of recipes.
- Seaweeds of the Pacific Coast: Common Marine Algae from Alaska to Baha California by Jennifer and Jeff Mondragon (very talented nature photographers)
- Pacific Seaweeds: A Guide to Common Seaweeds of the West Coast by Louis Druehl
- The Beachcomber's Guide to Seashore Life of California by J.Duane Sept
- Edible and Useful Plants of California by Charlotte Bringle Clark
- Sea Vegetables, Harvesting Guide and Cookbook by Evelyn McConnaughey
- Sea Vegetable Celebration: Recipes Using Ocean Vegetables by Shep Erhart and Leslie Cerier
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At a very young age, raccoons use their instincts to climb. Enrichment provides the opportunity for these orphaned mammals to build strength and balance. Photos by JoLynn Taylor |
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Raccoons learn from each other by watching, listening and feeling things with their clever little hands. Their hands have ten times more nerve endings than ours do!) |
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For raccoons, foraging involves exploring nooks and crannies for hidden insects, grubs, earthworms, mice and lizards, prey they kill by rolling with their hands. |
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Eggs and sweet fruits are favorite foods; the raccoons' ability to climb makes them the primary predators of crows' eggs; their love of water makes them dedicated collectors of mallard and goose eggs. |
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| Sweets and rats are favorite foods, too. Rats can be found around garbage cans containing pizza or rib bones, and if pizza is available, that's even easier than catching a rat! |
Growing Up Raccoon
by JoLynn Taylor, WildCare Raccoon Team Lead
Last year WildCare admitted nearly 70 orphaned baby raccoons into foster care; this year, so far (and hoping not to tempt fate here) only fifteen. That gives a little more time to enjoy seeing them grow up, and July is prime time for young raccoons to learn the ropes.
Raccoons are a challenge to rehabilitate exactly because they are so dependent on learning. We have to walk a very thin line to provide the opportunity for them to explore, engage their brains and solve problems without them becoming dependent or comfortable with humans. Unlike kittens or puppies that go into foster care for the purpose of learning to love people, raccoon caregivers must provide ways for them to learn the skills they'll need and come out still wild and appropriately fearful of people. It can feel like having a split personality, but we know we will have to release our foster raccoons as wild animals into a world full of people, and we can't afford to release animals that will become pests.
Spying On Bandits
Those of us who work with this intelligent species have figured out ways to spy on them as they develop without them seeing us. In foster care we usually position our raccoon cages outside in locations where the animals can be seen without seeing us. This allows us to be sure they are healthy without handling them. One enterprising team member installed a closed-circuit camera to monitor their nocturnal behavior as they became older and more wary. The youngsters hunting for their nightly meals are like little kids at Christmas-- full of enthusiasm and ready for surprises!
Educating Raccoons
Many of the behavioral enrichment techniques that we use with WildCare's educational Wildlife Ambassadors are also used for the rehabilitation of species that depend upon learning. Raccoons learn almost everything from their mothers. If we don't teach them to forage while they are in rehabilitation, they would expect to find food in dishes when we released them. Not a great idea. Luckily, they can learn from each other, too.
Appropriate Foods
Raccoons are classified as carnivores, but are actually opportunistic omnivores. A large part of educational enrichment is hiding appropriate foods. Centipedes and insects are favorite foods of the youngsters, and starting about this time of year, baby raccoons will be out with their mothers, looking for well-watered lawns full of earthworms and grubs. Sweet fruits are another weakness (especially persimmons), and they seem to know the exact evening the fruits ripen.
When they get older, raccoons love larger invertebrates like crayfish. They seem to know how to eat these by rolling them to death, but young raccoons are always surprised when they first meet food that fights back! Raccoons in the wild thrive where there are open trash receptacles, because rats and mice are another favorite food. However, if rats are around, so is pizza, probably, and everyone likes easy, fast food.
About Those Lawns
The three primary things that attract raccoons (and other wildlife) into and around our homes are food, water and shelter. Many of the calls WildCare's hotline volunteers answer involve wildlife that is trying to take advantage of the buffet we unintentionally offer for raccoons and other opportunistic foragers.
When we roll out new sod, for example, or start to water winter-dry grass with high hopes of establishing a beautiful lawn, we create an environment in which grubs and earthworms flourish. WildCare, like most environmental experts, doesn't recommend lush lawns for Northern California's summer-dry climate, but skunks, raccoons, opossums and other carnivores love them. Many people have experienced the frustration of waking up and seeing that their lawn has been rolled back by the natural activity of raccoons looking for food. If your lawn gets torn up, WildCare can help.
Introducing our Wildlife Solutions Save My Lawn Program! |
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| Raccoons can tear up lawns searching for grubs and other insects. WildCare's Wildlife Solutions can help! Photo from pestcontrolrx.com |
Wildlife Solutions Save My Lawn Program
Wildlife Solutions can help protect your lawn with our new Save My Lawn service. SML is a service provided by WildCare that protects lawns from raccoon and other mammal damage. When new sod is first delivered or after your lawn is freshly mowed, our Certified WildCare Specialists will install a wire mesh barrier over the sod and secure it with bio-degradable stakes. This creates a permanent barrier that the grass grows through.
The lawn can still be mowed and enjoyed as before (and it's still comfortable for bare feet!), but the raccoons will soon discover they cannot roll back your lawn and will leave your backyard no doubt shaking their heads in disgust. You on the other hand, will have prevented a wildlife conflict!
Call or email Wildlife Solutions for more information on the Save My Lawn Program at 415-453-1000 x23 or wildlifesolutions@wildcarebayarea.org. |
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Summer Reading
If you're lucky enough to have a little time to read this summer, we'd like to share some books that we think you'll enjoy. These are not dry natural histories, but rather, entertaining reading that uses natural history to enlighten us about ourselves and our relationships to wildlife and nature. If you buy them from amazon.com through WildCare's website, we will receive a portion of the proceeds as a donation-- at no cost to you! Do good and read well!
Becoming a Tiger
How Baby Animals Learn to Live in the Wild
by Susan McCarthy
July is the right time to start this book, while many baby animals in your neighborhood are getting their first lessons in life. Although all animals come into the world with certain innate behaviors, such as sneezing, most life skills do need to be learned, says McCarthy. She divides the book into broad categories, such as finding food, avoiding predators and communicating. Hundreds of examples from scientific journals, books and wildlife rehabilitators who care for orphaned animals show how animals learn. McCarthy writes clearly and her penchant for humor makes the book an easy read.
Buy it now on amazon.com.
Whitefoot
A Story from the Center of the World
by Wendell Berry, with illustrations by Davis Te Selle
This little treasure, classified as juvenile fiction, is really for all ages, and worth buying for the illustrations alone. Davis Te Selle holds an M.F.A. in printmaking from the San Francisco Art Institute, and his exquisite drawings illlustrate the adventure of a little white-footed mouse. The natural history of Peromyscus leucopus, also known as the Deer Mouse, is artfully woven into this charming story. Published by Counterpoint Press in Berkeley, this is a prime opportunity to support our local economy. A great gift for young people, too.
Buy it now on Amazon.com.
Birds of North America
American Museum of Natural History
edited by Museum Curator Emeritus of Ornithology, Francois Vuilleumier
This newly-published book represents the latest word on avian species from Mourning Dove to Bald Eagle. With a complete photographic guide to every species, it illustrates the grace and precision of each bird in stunning intimacy, and presents facts in a logical, organized way that makes for easy reference.
Scientific objectivity combines with a deep respect for the subjects, and honors the poetry of birds, with the thorough examination of facts about food, habitat and survival that also assures their dignity.
Although it's not an overt work of environmental advocacy, it may inspire readers to work for better stewardship, to assure that birds of this continent will always have a place in the sun.
Buy it now on Amazon.com.
Babylon's Ark
The Incredible Wartime Rescue of the Baghdad Zoo
by Lawrence Anthone with Graham Spence
When the Iraq war began, conservationist Lawrence Anthony could think of only one thing: the fate of the Baghdad Zoo, caught in the crossfire at the heart of the city. Working with members of the zoo staff and a few compassionate U.S. soldiers, he defended the zoo, bartered for food on war-torn streets, and scoured bombed palaces for desperately-needed supplies.
This first-person narrative is the tale of the selfless courage and humanity of a few men and women living dangerously for all the right reasons, an inspiring and uplifting true-life adventure about individuals on both sides of a war working together for the sake of magnificent wildlife caught in the battle zone.
This is a wartime story with a joyful ending!
Buy it now on Amazon.com. |
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Great Gift Ideas for July
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WildCare logo-wear makes a great gift! Choose from a great selection of caps, tees and sweatshirts on our Shop page, or visit WildCare and choose from an even bigger selection! |
When you give a WildCare gift membership, your gift recipient will receive all the benefits of WildCare membership as well as the knowledge that, as WildCare members, they help create a healthy and sustainable habitat for humans and animals alike.
What a perfect gift! |
Or choose another beautiful wild animal to adopt for that someone special! Your gift recipient will receive an art-quality photo of your chosen animal, a personalized certificate of adoption and a page of informative natural history. | | |
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