WORDS FOR WILDLIFE ARTICLE #13 - Rescued Animal Updates

Two of six 5 week old Timber wolf cubs at Witter Wildlife Refuge

Photo by Author

Words For Wildlife
by State licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator, James Orr

RESCUED ANIMAL UPDATES

The Arkansas Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Association handles over 1000 injured and orphaned animals per year. The organization provides permanent homes for animals that cannot be released back to the wild. This week I thought I’d update readers as to the status of a few of the animals you have read about in recent months.

The Rabbit “Bunny Love article” was released successfully. He was rescued as a baby before his eyes had even opened.

The Red-tailed Hawk “Raptor Rap article” was relocated into a flight pen in Conway to begin rebuilding wing muscles. His broken wing had healed so he was placed in a medium sized “community cage” to get aquatinted with other hawks. After a few days of adjusting to his new surroundings and roomies he was released into huge flight cage with long runs and high perches where he could resume hunting type flight exercises. It takes several months of flight rehabilitation before he will be ready to be released. Raptors not only need to be able to fly prior to release but must regain all their flight related finesse to survive.

Red Shouldered Hawk “Stupid Mistakes article” that pierced my finger underwent surgery. The hawk had been shot (A Federal offense) and two wing bones were broken in the same wing. Dr, Davis installed a pin in the larger bone, but the smaller one was missing over an inch of bone from the bullet damage and could not be rebuilt. Unfortunately the Hawk did not survive long after surgery. Birds have a very small amount of blood in their systems compared to other animals. They have a much harder time recovering from blood loss than animals with a greater blood volume. Had that Hawk survived he would not have been able to fly again.

The Buck “Bum Leg Buck article” is still roaming the woods in the Witter area. He limps and his rear leg is slightly deformed from a year long infection and broken leg but he is able to run and jump.

All four raccoons “Raccoon story article” were released successfully. I know Sweet Pea is still around because I found one of my garden hoses pulled high up into a tree. You might recall Sweet Pea was the raccoon that loved to squirt everything and everyone with the water hose during pond cleanings. Apparently she came back to steal my hose and try to take it with her.

The Brown Squirrel ‘Squirrel Dad article” was released successfully. He was raised from an infant having lost his mother in a dog attack. Besides the squirrel I wrote about I have released half a dozen other squirrels and one chipmunk this past year. Two other squirrels died from their injuries and could not be rehabilitated.

The Opossums “Opossum Etiquette article” where raised from babies after being rescued from the carcass of their mother who was killed by a car. Bradley lived to be two years old and died of natural causes, Baby was released. In the wild opossums generally do not live more than a year or two. They do not winter well and you can often recognize an older possum from frost bite scars on the ears. I released four other rescued oppossums in the past year.

All eight adult wolves “No Wolves in the Living room article” are alive and well residing in a large outdoor compound with caves, tunnels and water features. The youngest two “Bear and feather” are now one year old and spend much of their time with my dogs. They are Bilingual speaking Dog and wolf languages (Wolves rarely bark). Feather the female house wolf lives inside and is often seen riding around town with me in my wildlife rescue vehicle.

Although wolves and dogs are very closely related there are still significant differences. Wolves have more endurance, intelligence and strength. A full grown German Shepherd has jaw crushing strength of approximately 750 pounds per square inch. A wolf the same size has over 1500 pounds crushing strength and can break through the large leg bone of a Moose in as little as 6 bites.

Wolf Cubs “Stork Visits Refuge article” All six wolf cubs have survived and are now five weeks old. They opened their eyes a week or so ago and are starting to explore around the den. They left the den for the first time a few days ago. The cubs are starting to explore around the cave entrance a few hours at a time but stay inside most of the time. The mother is extremely protective when they are out of the cave and allows none of the other wolves near them except the Female and Male Alpha. If the others get anywhere near the cubs they are rewarded with a pretty nasty nip in the butt. Poor Bear, the curious one year old male wolf has several bald spots on his hips from wandering too close to the babies.

As the cubs get older they will start to mingle with the pack and the mother should relent. It is not uncommon for other pack members to help with feeding and baby-sitting chores. In the wild females other than the mother sometimes start producing milk to assist in the nursing of a large litter. Adult Wolves of the pack chew the food for the babies, then regurgitate it for the mother to feed the young.

Wolves as Pets
Wolves are very social animals and need the influence and support of the pack to grow up well adjusted. They generally do not do well in kennels or on leashes. They can chew through chain link fencing, jump a six foot fence and tunnel with ease. As pets they require much more attention “social interaction’ than dogs and their juvenile period “terrible twos” is more like four years. I do not recommend them as pets unless they have a pack to interact with. A pack cannot run loose as it may start hunting the neighbors livestock.

High bred wolves, a cross between a wolf and a dog can be better suited as pets but in many cases where the cross breeding backfires and brings out the worst of each species rather than the best. These animals can be dangerous and unmanageable.

It is against the law in Arkansas to use any wild animal for breeding purposes without the proper license and authorization from applicable State and Federal wildlife agencies.

VISITING THE WOLVES
It cost several thousand dollars a year to operate The Witter Wildlife Refuge and to provide voluntary wildlife rescue and rehabilitation services to the community.

A visit with the wolves (by appointment only) is offered to anyone making a donation. Game and Fish Commission Regulations do not allow wild animals that are being rehabilitated to be exhibited to the public but the wolves are permanent “rescued” residents of the refuge so they are exempted. Other handicapped animals certified as “non-release able” may be used in educational presentations with an exhibitors license.

DONATIONS NEEDED If you would like to help any donation amount it is greatly appreciated. Donations should be made out to Witter Wildlife Refuge and can be sent to P.O. Box 1118, Huntsville AR 72740.

See web page under "HOW YOU CAN HELP" for specific ways you can help us help wildlife