Rescue Report Spring 2006

Newsletter of the Wildlife Rescue League
Spring 2006, Vol. 24, No 1
IDENTIFYING ANIMALS BY THE TRACKS THEY MAKE
by Paula L. Rothman, Staff Writer
Trying to identify animal
tracks is a lot like detective
work because wild animals
instinctively want to
avoid being seen. Reading
tracks is not easy, and you
must take note of many
details. For example, the
number of toes on each
foot, size of the print,
the “trail” characteristics
(the arrangement and
spacing of the prints), the
arrangement and shape of
the animal’s footpads, etc.
To make matters worse,
one animal’s prints may
vary from place to place,
depending on the gait of
that animal - whether it’s
walking, running, etc.,
- and may vary slightly
from animal to animal
in the same species,
depending on size, sex, or
weight. Different gaits will
result in quite different
arrangements of prints in
a set of tracks. Also, some
animals walk in such a
way that their hind prints
appear ahead of their
fore prints. Hind prints
are also smaller in many
species.
C
V
The interest in animals
and animal tracks goes
back to prehistoric times,
and many of the oldest
caves have markings of
animals and/or their
footprints. Indians
and pioneers learned to
read wildlife tracks with
remarkable skill because
in most cases their lives
depended on their hunting
ability. Wildlife biologists
also use their tracking
skills to identify habitats
in which animals live and,
importantly, to conduct
population surveys to see
which animals are plentiful
and which are eligible for
endangered status.
The habitat where
the footprints are found
can eliminate many
possibilities and can
confirm an identification
as well. It’s not a bad idea
to make a quick sketch of
the best prints because
that activity focuses your
attention on the small
details that might otherwise
be overlooked. Figuring out
which way an animal was
headed is also important. It
N
H
lets you interpret the series
of events that the tracks
represent. The presence of
wild animals can often be
determined in substrate
such as snow, sand, soft
mud and dust. Snow,
at first glance, seems a
perfect medium to identify
footprints. However, snow
deteriorates rapidly and
loses depth and structure.
Knowing when the most
recent snowfall occurred
will give you clues as to
when the tracks were made.
Footprints can often be
followed for long distances
in snow, and observations
made as to what the animal
was doing. It might have
been searching for food, or
fleeing from a predator.
The best medium to
study footprints is soft
mud or moist sand because
they both hold their shape
well. A track in the mud
may look different from
one in dust or snow, even
if the same individual
animal made them. Once
prints are found, it helps
to examine as many as
possible to determine
K
F
Q
— Continued on page 10
Rescue Report
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WWW
Spring 2006
.WILDLIFERESCUELEAGUE.ORG
1
Vice President’s Message
Rescue Report
Wildlife Rescue League, P.O. Box 704,
Falls Church, Virginia 22040
(703) 391-8625
E-mail: wrl@wildliferescueleague.org
Web: www.wildliferescueleague.org
Wildlife Hotline: (703) 440-0800
Editor
Linda Jasper
Layout
Jackie Jackson
Writer
Holly Ross Haynes
Paula L. Rothman
Contributors
Doug Brown
Pat Chamberlain
Jen Connors
Patti Jacobina
Steven Nunes
Distribution
Linda Jasper
The wildlife rescue community in our area is constantly
adapting. Many rehabilitators who were once the
mainstay of our organization have left the area, and
effectively managing the hotline continues to be a
challenge. We are always seeking new volunteers and new
ways of recruiting volunteers. In the long term, we are
looking to a large scale fundraising effort and setting up
an intake center.
As more citizens hear about the hotline, and as
development continues in our region, demand increases
for the services of our hotline and our rehabilitators.
We have a strong core structure of rehabilitators,
transporters, and hotline volunteers, and must work hard
to meet the increasing challenges posed by orphaned and
injured wildlife in our community.
The WRL Board looks forward to seeing as many
of you as possible at the next membership meeting
on March 4. We will be discussing hotline issues and
other matters, and seeking your input on ways to bring
new effectiveness to the League. We always welcome
your input and encourage you to come to the quarterly
membership meeting to share your ideas. WRL has
chair positions open and a need for hotline volunteers,
rehabilitators and transporters.
Stay tuned for more information on training classes to
be posted on the web page by our new webmaster.
STEVEN NUNES
Vice President
Support the WRL!
President
Dawn Davis
Vice President
Steven Nunes
Articles and photos published in Rescue Report are for the information
of WRL members and do not necessarily reflect the views of WRL.
All materials printed in Rescue Report are the intellectual
property of WRL and may not be used without permission.
Direct permission requests to: WRL Rescue Report, Attn: Editor, P.O.
Box 704, Falls Church, VA 22040.
Please send submissions, including scanned/digital images to
LndJasp@aol.com. Only electronic files (articles) will be accepted.
Electronic photos are preferred.
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www.cafepress.com/wrlprem
Spring 2006
i Rescue Report
Blame it on a Box Turtle and Penny Weaver!
Amō Merritt’s Reflections on Being a Rehabber
By Holly Ross Haynes, Staff Writer
Tired of feeding one raccoon at-a-time, Amo made this feeding rack
that she holds between her feet and knees. The feeding bottles screw
right-on, and the coons just love it, as it cuts down on competition
for the nipple. “I told my husband: ‘this is what happens when you
leave a woman, alone – at home – with power tools!’”
Amo is a ray of warm sunshine on a cold winter’s day -- as
eclectic and quirky as the green-tinned roof of her circa
1930’s house. “I don’t want to be in the lime light or get
any glory,” she answered, when I asked her permission to
interview her for the WRL newsletter. I explained that the
main purpose of the stories I write about rehabbers is to
let the public know such people exist, and what rehabbing
entails. There was a pause, and then she tried to throw
me a bum steer by replying “I am pretty far out here in
Rappahannock County – it’s at least a 1 ½ hour drive
for you!” “I’ve gone further,” I countered. “But I live in
Boston….,” to which I replied: “So does my brother, and
I’ve wanted to see him, and his new place, for months!”
She was cornered; I won! After a beautiful drive on Route
211 to Sperryville, then eight miles down Route 522 – just
a mile before the Culpeper County line – I found “What
Next Farm” cradled beside a creek in the Shenandoah
Mountain foothills. The sound of wind chimes and a
bright, “Purple Lady” wind sock caught my senses as I
waited at her door. My intuition was right-on, as I just
knew I would meet a kindred, whimsical spirit, in this
place!
Smiling, energetic, and immediately engaging, Amo
invited me into her charming kitchen. “We haven’t
remodeled this room yet – I call my decorating style ‘Early
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Spring 2006
Attic.’” Unique plates hang on the walls, and I detect a
common theme in some of the artwork of her favorite
mammal: the raccoon. In addition to coons, she rehabs
non-migratory birds, raptors, and small mammals.
Currently, she is the only high-risk rabies species rehabber
in the entire county; for that matter, she is the only
licensed rehabber in the county. She also serves as WRL’s
supply depot for rehabbers in the remote, adjoining
counties next to her. The job entails sorting and mailing
the various supplies that rehabbers desperately need.
“You don’t have to be crazy to be a rehabber, but it sure
helps!” she quips. Make no bones about it – this lady loves
it. She’s been a rehabber about 12 years, and is still going
strong.
“I blame my involvement as a rehabber on two things:
a box turtle and Penny Weaver!” She explains that one
day after moving into their present home, she found a
box turtle near her drive way. It had been hit by a car.
She made a few phone calls to find someone qualified to
help. The Nature Center in Weirs Cave referred her to a
rehabber named Penny Weaver. “I called her and, now that
I know Penny, I know she is a master of common sense….
she uses her energy and resources to work smarter, not
harder!” That day she had countless animals in her care
and was pretty strapped for time and energy. ‘Well, right
now I’ve got 12 birds, 14 turtles and …. There’s no way I
can stop and come to get the turtle, but if you can bring it
to me, I’ll help it.’ So I got out a map and managed to find
the little town of Richardsville and Penny’s home. It was
only an hour away…. As soon as I saw what Penny did
and how she did it, I was hooked; I knew immediately that
I wanted to rehab too.
There began an apprentice- and mentor-ship that later
led to Amo’s licensure and the life-style Amo has grown
to love. Fast friends, Amo says that Penny Weaver did
a fantastic job of building Amo’s skills and confidence
–never overloading her with too many animals or animals
with problems beyond Amo’s capability. She started
with opossums and squirrels. As to why she presently
specializes in raccoons, Amo recalls: “A rehabber by the
name of Adrian Roberts gave me my first coon to care
for, and they’ve been a favorite of mine ever since. My
husband loves them, too. I believe if it were not for them,
3
he wouldn’t want me to rehab to the extent I do. They
give back so much – their playfulness – their little hands
and the way they hold a bottle like a small child!”
Amo, of Indian Ancestry, hails from Ashtabula, near
Lake Erie, in the northeast section of Ohio. As a young
girl she had many dogs and cats. During her teen years
she came down with “Horse-Love Fever” and was thrilled
to land a job tending the horses on Bob Evan’s Farm, in
Rio Grande, Ohio. After graduating from college with a
degree in Forestry, she became a Ranger. She later met
and married her husband, then in the Marine Corps.
After his stint in the military was completed, her husband
obtained employment in Warrenton, and they moved to
Rappahannock County. Amo enjoys being her teenage
daughter’s Girl Scout Troop leader and leads an annual
summer camping trip in the mountains. “That’s what
I love to do: teaching the girls how to survive in the
wilderness.” Without question, Amo’s favorite thing is
to build a campfire. “For our anniversary we recently
bought the Cowboy Cookware cast iron apparatus, as
seen on Johnny Nix’ TV show, “Campfire Café. Luckily,
my husband and daughter share my love of camping and
cooking outdoors.”
Her busy season is from the end of February, when
babies are born, through the end of October, when the last
ones are released. Things get pretty wild, to say the least.
“I tell my family: ‘If you don’t have feathers, scales or fur,
feed yourselves’!” A typical day consists of rising early,
preparing breakfast and, once her daughter is off to school
and her husband is off to work, preparing the bottles,
nipples and formula for her critters. With a motion of her
hand – thumb pointing downward, she exclaims: “During
this time, the housework goes ‘PFFFFFTTTTTTT!”
Feeding, cage cleaning, and trips to the vet make up the
remainder of the day. “Finally, when the sun goes down,
and if no one is sick, the critters sleep and I can leave
them alone.” She then has time to relax with the family
and enjoy her many hobbies, which include: crocheting
baby blankets for one of her favorite charities, The
Lioness Project; and making bandages for people with
leprosy. She is also an incredibly skilled artist at the craft
of beading – with tiny Indian beads. “I love to work with
my hands and am accustomed to bringing my projects
with me to rehab conferences and seminars…I can listen
and work at the same time….it’s very relaxing.” During
the busy season she says it is not uncommon to get only 4
hours’ sleep a night.
Amo is reticent when it comes to sharing the many
other things she does for the sake of both animals and
humans. I learn that she volunteers her time a few days
a week to drive the elderly in her community to their
hospital and doctor appointments. Additionally, she
is a founding member of a non-profit group of seven
rehabbers in her area, called: Native Wildlife Rescue, Inc.
Toward the end of our afternoon together, the following
is a synopsis of some questions and answers Amo and I
exchanged:
Holly (H): What would you change, if you had a chance to
do your life over again?
Amo (A): I’d change very little. I’ve got a great husband,
great kid…I suppose I’d like to have been a vet or vet
tech…and oh yes: I would want to be SKINNY!
H: What would you do if you were given six million
dollars, right now?
A: I’d create a center for wildlife here in Rappahannock
County, and pay a full time vet…that way, I wouldn’t
have to drive so far to a vet!
H: What do you consider one of your most recent, greatest
accomplishments in the area of rehabbing?
A: Rescuing raptors, as they are the hardest to catch and
rehab; one time I single-handedly took apart a fireplace
flue apparatus to extract and care for a Barn Owl.
Penny Weaver (left) and Amo Merritt (right) tell Santa what rehabbers
could really use in the coming year.
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Spring 2006
i Rescue Report
H: What’s been your overall impression of working with
the public, the ones from whom you receive wildlife in
need?
A: I think the biggest need is that they become more
knowledgeable as to when to just leave wildlife alone.
So many critters are not orphaned but are simply
kidnapped. That fawn’s mother knows where it is – back
off…leave it alone, and she’ll get it, believe me. All-inall, people are very willing to do the right thing if they
are told what the right thing is. It is not hard to convince
a homeowner to let the raccoon stay in the chimney until
its babies are born. Once they are old enough, they’ll all
leave, and the homeowner can cap that chimney.
H: In addition to Penny Weaver, whose knowledge,
expertise and advice do you most admire and appreciate?
A: Oh, gosh – there are so many people who have gone
the extra mile, but to name a few: Kaylee Charleton for
putting up with all my questions; Judie Graham, for her
care of opossums; Kent Knowles, for his care of raptors;
Erika Yery for her care of raccoons…and Dr. Kyle, my
former vet. I could go on and on, like a winner at the
Academy Awards….
H: What’s the hardest thing about being a rehabber?
A: Without question, the times when an animal must be
put down.
H: What’s the best thing about being a rehabber?
A: Releasing! The opportunity to fix ‘em up and put ‘em
back out where they belong. There’s nothing like it.
WRL extends a very
special thank you to
Ms. Lotte Spitzer
who recently celebrated
her 70th birthday and
asked those attending
her birthday party to
make donations to
WRL instead of buying
gifts. Because of Ms.
Spitzer’s generosity,
WRL received a check
for $260. We need more
friends like you, Ms.
Spitzer! WRL wishes
you many more years of
health and happiness.
Thank you so very much.
H: What are your plans for the future?
A: To continue caring for wildlife and, when my
husband retires, to move to our place in beautiful, Yuma,
Arizona; it’s located in a retirement community which I
call “God’s Waiting Room!”
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5
OPOSSUM
By Pat Chamberlain,VA Wildlife Rehabilitator, II-A
Just how apprehensive should you be if you find an
opossum in your house or garage – or you find one setting
up house under your deck or in the cavity of an old,
dead tree in your yard or along a bike trail you use? It
has been my experience—working with opossums—that
the general public knows very little about them. Hence,
they are misjudged and misunderstood. Opossums are
fascinating creatures; I want to share some interesting
facts about them with you. Adult opossums are the size
of a domestic cat. Their fur appears gray to black; their
eyes are black and round. Its nose is pink and pointed
and their feet, hands, and tail are all
black. Opossums roamed the earth over
70 million years ago with dinosaurs.
Despite its appearance, the opossum
is not related to the rat (rodent).
Related to other marsupials (“pouched”
mammals) such as the kangaroos and
the koala, the opossum is the only North
American marsupial.
Like the kangaroo and koala, infant
opossums stay inside the mother’s
pouch to nurse and develop. Opossums
are born after an 11-to-13 day gestation
period. The pink, embryonic-looking
infants are so small at birth that 20 could fit into a
teaspoon. The infants continue to develop inside the
pouch until they are about 2-to-3 months old. As they
grow and the pouch becomes full, the juveniles ride on
their mother’s back for 1-to-2 months when ever they are
away from the den. They have no less than 50 teeth—
more than any other North American land mammal. Its
hairless tail is prehensile (able to grasp) and is used for
clinging to branches, balancing, and carrying nesting
materials. It is a misconception that they use their tail
to hang upside down. The opossum has the additional
advantage of opposable thumbs on its hind feet for
holding onto branches.
Solitary and nocturnal, they usually move slowly.
When frightened and unable to flee, they may fall into
an involuntary shock-like state: “playing opossum”. They
help to maintain a clean and healthy environment; in fact,
they could aptly be described as “Nature’s Little Sanitation
Engineers.” They eat all types of insects including
cockroaches, crickets, and beetles. They catch and eat rats,
6
roof rats, mice and, on occasion, snakes. They consume
dead animals of all types (carrion). Crazy about overripe fruit, they also consider snails and slugs a delicacy!
Typically, they go about their quiet routine late at night.
Few opossums live beyond the age of one year in the wild
environment; in captivity, they have been known to live
up to 10 years. Many are killed by cars, dogs, cats, owls and
other, larger wildlife. Unfortunately, they are often subject
to abuse and torture by humans.
If you find an opossum that truly needs help, put on
a pair of gloves and place it in a ventilated container with
a closeable lid. Keep it in a warm and
quiet place and find a wildlife rehabber
as soon as possible. If an opossum
has chosen your garage, attic or any
other structure of your property as
its temporary living quarters it is
understandable that you may not want
it there. Opportunists, and a little on
the lazy side, they don’t want to make
trouble or encounter any. There are
simple, non-lethal ways to encourage
them to move on and even easier ways
to discourage their vagrancy in the first
place. Be sure to pick up any outdoor
pet dishes at night; secure the lids on all trash containers,
and board up any possible entrances to your house or
other structures—including dog and cat doors.
So how apprehensive should you be if you encounter
one? Not in the least. Admittedly, opossums do carry fleas
(as do all wild animals and some domestic animals) and
the opossum may bite you if you are foolhardy enough
to try to grab one. In general, they present a far lower
health risk to humans than do dogs and cats as they are
more resistant to rabies than other mammals. Opossums
make a hissing or growling noise and show all of their
50 teeth when frightened but, in reality, they are gentle
and docile, prefer to avoid all confrontations, and wish
to be left alone. One doesn’t even know they are around
unless a territorial dog begins to bark. If you encounter
an opossum and it is not otherwise injured and in need
of help, do nothing. Just enjoy watching one of nature’s
wonderful and beneficial wildlife species! Should you
happen to take a midnight stroll, do not be surprised to
see one snacking on the snails in your yard.
Spring 2006
i Rescue Report
Giving Back the Fur
Dig that old hat or coat out of the mothballs — and return what was taken from the animals
By Jen Connors, WRL Fur and Fabric Donations Chair
Growing up in the 1960s, I remember my mother had
this one coat. It was knee-length, suede and auburn
— the same color of her hair — with large, suede-covered
buttons and a fox-fur collar, á la Jackie Kennedy. It smelled
of perfume and leather. I loved that coat. I have a photo of
Mom and me, standing by an early flowering dogwood, on
Easter Sunday — me in a pink organdy dress and her, with
her hair in a French twist and wearing the fox-collared
coat.
We all have similar reminiscences, perhaps of our
grandmother’s full-length mink or mother’s fur-lined
gloves or the white-rabbit-fur jacket a friend wore
to the Homecoming Dance — how we envied her!
These memories are as warm as the furs we remember.
Hopefully, they also are glimpses of a by-gone era.
Historically, animal fur has been used or worn for
primarily two reasons: protection or fashion. Long ago,
it was a necessity — think of early settlers or Native
Americans attempting to stay warm during the cruel
winter months. In the last couple of centuries, fur coats
and accessories became fashionable for both men and
women. In 2006, however, wearing fur serves no purpose.
There is no credible reason why we must wear animal fur
to make a fashion statement or to stay warm. Superior
manmade materials are available to guard against the
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Spring 2006
elements, and many clothing designers employ realistic
faux fur, for those who simply cannot do without.
The Wildlife Rescue League (WRL) is attempting to
give back to the animals what was taken from them in
the name of popular trends. Fur coats, stoles, hats, wraps,
gloves, even blankets and rugs — all can be recycled and
put to good use. Wildlife rehabbers, such as long-time
WRL benefactor Erika Yery, advocate recycling fur for use
in rehabilitation efforts. Recycled fur is primarily useful
when caring for mammals, such as foxes and raccoons. Fur
can be fashioned into a “surrogate mommy” for nursing
infants, for example. Animal babies respond well to the
feeling of natural fur when being bottle fed. The goal with
orphaned babies is to raise them in captivity until they
are ready for release back into the wild. Fur makes the
transition from losing their animal parents to entering
human care easier. The familiarity of fur can mean a
swifter and more comfortable rehabilitation for an injured
or orphaned animal, reducing the stress of human contact
when being rehabbed.
Consider donating your fur items to WRL and giving
back to the animals. All donations to WRL are taxdeductible. Contact Jen Connors at (703) 250-6346 or
the WRL administrative line at (703) 391-8625 to make a
donation or for more information.
7
What Does it Take to be a Hotline Volunteer?
By Pat Chamberlian, WRL Board Member-at-Large, Licensed Wildlife Rehabber, and Hotline Volunteer
Another baby season has started off with a bang! Baby squirrels were
reported as early as the second week of January in Northern Virginia,
and Virginia Beach rehabbers had baby squirrels the third week of
January. Baby season requires tremendous team effort among those of
us involved in the care of wildlife – from hotline volunteers taking calls
from the public, to the wildlife transporters scurrying up and down
the highways, to the rehabbers who begin caring for the wildlife, to
the veterinarians who accommodate yet another critter into their busy
schedule.
Each team is as important as the other, but I want to share with
our readers some of the many challenges and situations our wonderful
hotline volunteers endure. If you think being a hotline volunteer it is
the cushiest part of wildlife rescue efforts, you are mistaken. Because
we are short-handed and need more, our volunteers work at least
two three-hour shifts per month – often giving more of their time
to fill vacant shifts. It is not uncommon during baby season for a
volunteer to take as many as thirty-five to fifty calls during a three-hour
shift. What’s more, each caller expects to have his/her call returned
immediately and wants all the right answers.
WRL hotline volunteers are trained to handle wildlife emergencies.
They have the answers to a lot of the questions, but it is impossible for
one to have all the answers, all the time – especially when the subject
is wildlife. Hotline volunteers can help decide if an animal needs help, or if it should be left alone – as is often the case
with fledgling birds. Many times volunteers instruct callers how to return baby birds to the nest and how to re-nest
infant cottontails. Thankfully, a great number of wildlife is helped by our trusty hotline volunteers. Hotline volunteers,
however, frequently don’t get the satisfaction of knowing the outcome of their work.
Our hotline volunteers often encounter callers who are in the middle of a very traumatic experience – perhaps
having just rescued an injured animal. Some are, understandably, out-of-breath, and some become impolite and
impatient for “the right thing to be done, right away!” Oft times callers are very excited, hard to understand, and
leave incomplete messages, such as forgetting to include a return phone number. One hotline volunteer recalls a time
when she couldn’t understand the caller’s message due to the fact that the person was calling from a cell phone while
simultaneously chasing an injured turkey vulture through a field! Another volunteer recalls a phone message wherein
the caller gave blow-by-blow details of cornering what he thought was a “very large animal” in the dark. A few moments
later, after the caller had a flashlight in hand, he reported that it was a flying squirrel!
No matter how traumatic the situation, no matter how stressed or excited the caller, no matter how rude the caller
may become, and no matter how many calls come in during a shift – the hotline volunteer must stay calm and in control
of the situation. The details are recorded, the caller is helped, and the hotline volunteer proceeds to take care of the next
call.
Hotline volunteers are a great bunch of people who are dependable, compassionate, understanding and always
ready to go above-and-beyond the call of duty when it comes to helping wildlife. After the shift is complete, it is not
uncommon for some volunteers to transport wildlife from a shelter, vet or member of the public to a rehabber’s home.
Heartfelt thanks to all of you for doing such a wonderful job!
If you would like to find out more about volunteering for the WRL Hotline, please call the WRL Administrative Line
at (703) 391-8625 or email at volcoord@wildliferescueleague.org.
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Spring 2006
i Rescue Report
2005 Hotline Statistics
by Doug Brown, Hotline Data Manager
The number of logged WRL hotline calls* in 2005 was much higher than 2004. In 2004, we logged 1,915 calls, and in
2005, 2,654 (734 more). In 2005, WRL received 906 calls about injured animals (34% of all calls) and 730 for orphaned
animals (28%). The remaining calls were classified as “other” (20%), many of which were requests for information,
nuisance, attacked, and killed.
Songbirds accounted for most of the calls (1,225), but mammals were not far behind (1,008). WRL received 171 calls
about waterfowl, 79 about reptiles, 65 about raptors, and 45 about corvines (jays and crows).
Resolutions for these calls were: 1,381 referred to rehabbers; hotline volunteers gave advice on 750 calls; on 177
occasions, hotline volunteers had to leave a message because the caller was not available; 19 calls were referred to
veterinarians, and 32 to shelters. For full details please review the charts.
AnimalCode Number
SituationCode Number
Songbird
1225
Injured
906
Referred to Rehabber
Mammal
1008
Orphaned
730
Gave Advice
750
Waterfowl
171
Other
524
Other
224
Left Message
177
ResolutionCode
Number
1381
Reptile
79
Nuisance
372
Raptor
65
Unknown
67
Watch and Call Back
35
Other
48
Attacked
42
Referred to Shelter
32
Corvine
45
Died or Killed
13
Died
31
Unknown
13
Total
Referred to Vet
19
Died in Transit
5
Total
2654
2654
Total
2654
*NOTE: The number of calls received by the WRL hotline and the number of logged calls vary significantly because many hotline volunteers
do not submit data sheets to the data manager. The total number of calls handled by the hotline in 2005 was circa 10,000.
HELP WRL SAVE MONEY
The Rescue Report editorial staff is offering all WRL members the option to receive Rescue Report via
e-mail rather than the printed version. By choosing to receive an e-newsletter, you will help WRL cut
postage and printing costs – much needed funds that can be used to help the animals – and you will
receive your newsletter quicker. Please consider participating; all you need to do it sent an email to
LndJasp@aol.com and webmaster@wildliferescueleague.org.
Thank you.
Rescue Report
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Spring 2006
9
—Identifying Animals....Continued from page 1
trees. They have strong, hooked
claws that allow them to scramble
up trees to avoid predators or to
get fruit. Gray foxes are nocturnal
or crepuscular and den during the
day in hollow trees, stumps or old
woodchuck burrows. The paws of
red foxes are fur covered, which may
obscure their tracks in snow or mud.
A fox track is very dog-like, but there
are differences that a practiced eye
can determine.
which are “typical.” Some animals
have very distinctive tracks, and
other animals have lots of close
relatives with very similar tracks.
Raccoons (Procyon lotor), for
example, have very characteristic
long-toed fore prints that are
easily identified. The hind prints
of a raccoon resemble miniature
human footprints. Raccoons are
extremely adaptable and continue
to thrive despite the encroachment
of civilization on their range.
Woodlands near water are their
preferred habitat although they may
also be found in farmlands, suburban
or urban areas.
Foxes (red - Vulpes vulpes, and
gray - Urocyon cinereoargenteus)
have tracks that are almost always a
neat line of alternating left and right
side paw prints as the animal trots
along at a steady pace, placing its hind
paws right into the print left by the
front paws. This is a pretty typical
arrangement of many animals - hind
feet placed where the respective front
feet landed. Gray foxes are unique
among canids in their ability to climb
10
Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)
have distinctive hand-like hind tracks
while fore tracks have more widely
spaced toe pads. They are found in
a variety of environments ranging
from relatively arid to very moist.
Wet areas are preferred, especially
streams and swamps. The opossum
has historically only been found in
North America, including Mexico,
but is extending its range into Central
America.
With all deer (whitetail—
Odocoileus virginianus), the shape of
the print varies somewhat with the
type of ground on which the animal
lives. On soft soil, the toes are likely
to be relatively more pointed than the
toes on hard, rocky ground where the
hoofs can be more worn and thereby
have blunt tips. Whitetail deer are
able to survive in a great variety of
terrestrial habitats, from heavy woods
of northern Maine to deep saw grass
and hammock swamps of Florida.
They also inhabit farmlands, brushy
areas and desolate areas of the west
such as cactus and thorn bush deserts
of southern Texas and Mexico.
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For some animals, the
arrangement of prints is more telling
than the shape of an individual
print. Rabbits and squirrels are good
examples. Rabbit tracks are usually
one of the first kinds of tracks that
people come to recognize, and this
is partly because they have such a
distinct pattern. The two long marks
of the hind feet, placed well ahead of
the rounded prints left by the front
paws, are the unmistakable sign of
the cottontail. They tend to keep
this pattern whatever speed they are
traveling; it just gets stretched out
the faster they move. Squirrels also
mainly travel by hopping with their
hind feet ahead of front feet, but
they place their front feet side-byside rather than in-line. This is what
makes their tracks distinguishable
from rabbits.
Common skunks have hind feet
shaped like a baby’s foot with five
toes and no claws showing. The
tracks of chipmunks show hind feet
ahead of front feet; they will typically
have their right front print ahead of
the left front print, while the hind feet
are side-by side.
Track identification is not a
precise science. Like any skill, it
requires practice, patience and
experience to develop.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Identifying and Preserving Wildlife Tracks, Jon C. Boren and Byron D. Wright, Circular #561,
New Mexico State University, 2004.
Tracking and Stalking North American Wildlife (http://www.geocities.com./Yosemite/9152/wildlife.html)
eNature, America’s Wildlife Resource (http://enature.com/articles/detail.asp?storyID=654)
Critter Tracks in the Snow (http://www.naturenorth.com/winter/tracks/track2/html)
Animal Tracks - and how to know them, Virginia Wildlife Magazine, December, 1953)
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Notes from the Treasurer
Thank you to all for your contributions and memberships during 2005. As it should be, the necessary supplies for
medicating and rehabilitating wildlife and maintenance of our hotline were the major expenses we incurred. We would
like to thank especially those members that remembered us as Christmas gifts for loved ones and memorials in behalf of
departed loved ones. We appreciate it and, more importantly, the animals do too.
Please remember that we are eligible to receive annual gifts should you need to reduce your estate - the maximum
for 2005 is $12,000 - and if you decide to make WRL a beneficiary of a portion of your estate, the designated amount is
eligible for the charitable deduction, which effectively reduces the amount of your taxable estate.
Again, thank you for your support in 2005 and we look forward to a productive 2006.
Patricia Jacobina, Treasurer
Wildlife Rescue League Budget for 2006
2006 Budget
Ordinary Income/Expense
Income
401 · Membership Dues
402 · General Donations
404 · Local Govt-Fairfax County
405 · Sale of Merchandise
408 · Fund Raising-General
408 · Fund Raising-Spring Request
10,000.00
400.00
1,500.00
5,000.00
421 · Interest Income
441 · CFC Donations
Total Income
2,500.00
10,000.00
41,900.00
Expense
501 · Public Education
502 · Supply Committee
100.00
15,500.00
505 · Info Services Committee
506 · Membership Committee
509 · Rehabilitator Education
511 · Volunteer Committee
525 · Hotline Committee
538 · Administrative Expense
545 · Storage Expense
560 · Fundraising Committee
Total Expense
Net Income/(Loss)
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5,000.00
7,500.00
100.00
4,000.00
2,000.00
1,000.00
8,000.00
5,500.00
3,000.00
2,500.00
41,700.00
200.00
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News from the January 21 WRL Board Meeting
At its first meeting of the year, the WRL Board of Directors approved a balanced budget for FY 2006 and considered numerous
proposals from current hotline volunteers about how to improve hotline operations. In order to increase the number of
hotline volunteers, the Board recommended that WRL hold more training classes, specifically in March or April, July and
January. The Board approved a recommendation that hotline shifts be shortened during peak season and that the hours
of operation also be revised. Hotline volunteers will be asked to increase the number of shifts they currently cover each
month unless more volunteers join our ranks. The Board also agreed to update the hotline script to include more detailed
guidance on how to care for injured or orphaned wildlife while awaiting response from a hotline volunteer.
Effective March 1, 2006, the new hotline hours and shifts are as follows:
March 1 - March 31: Hotline hours 8:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., 2-hour shifts, 5 shifts per day
April 1- September 30: Hotline hours 8:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m., 2-hour shifts, 6 shifts per day
October 1 - October 31: Hotline hours 8:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., 2-hour shifts, 5 shifts per day
November 1 - February 28: Hotline hours 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., 4-hour shifts, 2 shifts per day
The WRL Board greatly values the enormous contributions all volunteers make as rehabilitators, hotline volunteers,
transporters, and committee chairs. More volunteers are needed. If you are interested in learning more about how you
can join in our efforts to help wildlife, please contact Jessica Arwine at 202-277-5554 or coonztale@aol.com.
Wildlife Education
“Call of the Wild” 11th Annual Conference
November 11-12, 2006, Staunton, VA
National Rehabilitators Association’s Annual Symposium
March 7-11, Costa Mesa, CA
Carolina Raptor Center’s Raptor Rehabilitation Seminar
March 18-19, Charlotte, NC
For more information email
mathiasengelmann@carolinaraptorcenter.org
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“YES!”
“I want to be a WRL Member and help save Virginia’s native wildlife.”
Please check the animal you wish to sponsor:
Box Turtle
Groundhog
Eastern Bluebird
Cottontail
Membership benefits include:
Rescue Report
Volunteer opportunities
Meetings and workshops
Much more!
Call (703) 391-8625; e-mail wrl@wildliferescueleague.org or mail this form along with
your check to: Wildlife Rescue League, P.O. 704, Falls Church, VA 22040 or sign up online at
http://www.wildliferescuelegue.org/paypal.html
Name: _____________________________________________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________________________________________
City: _____________________________________________ State: _________ Zip:_______________
Phone: ___________________________E-mail: ___________________________________________
Individual (1-yr) – $25
Family (1-yr) – $35
Organization (1-yr) – $35
Rehabber – $0*
Individual (2-yr) – $40
Family (2-yr) – $60
Organization (2-yr) – $60
Rehabber Family – $0*
Donor Member – $50 or more
I also have enclosed an additional donation in the amount of:
$ ________________
I do not wish to join, but I have enclosed a donation in the amount of:
$ ________________
Please do not use this form to renew current membership. ** With proof of current permit.
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Mark Your Calendar
WRL Membership Meeting
Saturday, March 4, 2006, 11AM
Dolley Madison Library,
1244 Oak Ridge Ave, McLean, VA.
•Guest Speaker: Connie Sales, a wildlife
rehabilitator and member of Wildlife Responses, Inc
•Topic: The Rehabilitation of Hummingbirds
•Those attending her entire presentation will receive
continuing education credit.
WRL Membership Meeting: Saturday, June 3,
2006, 11AM, Mason District Governmental
Center, 6507Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA.
WRL Membership Meeting:
Saturday, September 9, 2006, 11AM
Hidden Oaks Nature Center,
7701 Royce St, Annandale, VA
WRL Holiday Party: Saturday, December 2,
2006, 11AM, Mason District Governmental
Center, 6507 Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA
About WRL
The Wildlife Rescue League is a non-profit
organization providing care for sick, injured and
orphaned wildlife in order to return them to the
wild. Our licensed rehabilitators in Virginia and Maryland work with animal shelters, humane societies,
wildlife groups, nature centers and veterinary hospitals
to provide care to creatures in need.
WRL operates a wildlife hotline in the Northern
Virginia and surrounding areas to assist the public
in obtaining information and assistance in locating a
wildlife rehabilitator.
WRL is committed to educating the public about
the natural history of native wildlife, co-existing with
it and preventing the need for wildlife rehabilitation.
We provide brochures, educational materials and educational programs to suit individual needs.
WRL welcomes all who support the preservation of wildlife as volunteers and/or members. For
more information about WRL, volunteer opportunities, or to arrange for a program, e-mail us at
wrl@wildliferescueleague.org, call (703) 391-8625, or
visit www.wildliferescueleague.org.
Wildlife Rescue League
P.O. Box 704
Falls Church, VA 22040
Nonprofit Org
U.S. Postage Paid
Merrifield, VA
Permit #2461
Address Service Requested
This earth-friendly publication is printed on recycled paper using soy ink.
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Spring 2006
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