SWRR - Rescue Stories

Animal Rescue Stories From Our Volunteers

A Sad and Cautionary Tale of a Grey Kit Fox Rescue

This tale concerns the Grey Kit Fox pictured above which was about 4 weeks old at the time of this incident.

The adult humans that found this fox decided it was OK for their 8 year old daughter to play with it. As can be
seen in the photo, the fox is very cute and cuddly and thus the normal danger signals were not apparent to the
family. Later, the family brought the fox in to the Shasta Wildlife Rescue facility.

Foxes are considered a high risk mammal because they can be a carrier of rabies. SWRR personnel are required
to report the animal contact to the Shasta County Public Health Dept., with the additional information that the
fox had scratched and licked the child. The priority is for the child's health and safety.

Unfortunately, the fox had to be destroyed in order for it to be tested for the rabies virus. This healthy,
beautiful little fox was put down because the parents didn't understand the risk they were putting their child in
by allowing it to play with the "cute little baby fox". If the fox tested positive, the child would be subjected to a
painful series of vaccinations.

The fox tested negative for rabies. Had the fox not been handled, it could have lived to be set free again in the
wild once it was able. Please, please, everyone, if you find an animal, handle it as little as possible and get it to
a wildlife rehabilitation center as soon as possible!

Please take a moment to review the information on our Find A Critter? web page for more information on
rescuing wildlife and on rabies issues. Our Links web page can refer you to other websites for additional
information.

Duckling Rescue

Shasta Wildlife received a call that a mama duck was dangerously leading her babies across the I-5 northbound
on ramp off of Cypress Ave. We were told traffic was brought to a halt as cars honked their horns and waited
for the duck family to cross.

A volunteer rescuer immediately went to the location and tried to find the ducks. We searched the oleanders on
the side of the on ramp for quite some time with no luck of finding them.

We were about to give up when animal control arrived. They had received the same report. With the help of the
two animal control officers, we finally found the duck family.

We retrieved the 6 baby ducks, which were about a day or two old, but the mother flew away. We waited to
see if the mother would come back. We thought if we could have caught the mother, we could have relocated
the family to a better location and keep them all together. She did not return. SWRR took the babies in, and
they were cared for until they were released in a safe location.

Typically mother ducks will find nice nesting spots, hatch their eggs and will begin to walk leading their ducklings,
until they find water, which could mean crossing dangerous streets and in this case, a freeway on ramp.

Happy Ending for Baby Killdeer

The day before the 2007 April Baby Shower, my Monday morning crew and I were decorating and doing some
last minute cleanup at the Center. While we were doing our thing, someone brought in a baby killdeer only a
couple of days old. I asked where they got it from and they said they picked it up there in the park. They didn't
see any adults around so I picked it up. We went to the spot where they found it and I looked and walked all
around and couldn't see any adult killdeer. So we took care of him while we finished decorating and I was
planning on taking him home with me for home care. They get the same set up as the baby quail except they
also get live blood worms and I was planning on getting some at a local pet shop in Redding. By the time I left
the building, the baby had been away from its family for about 3-4 hours.

Before I left the park, I got my binoculars out and drove really slowly and stopped and scanned the open fields
looking for adult killdeer. I did eventually find 2 down the hill from where they found the baby and figured this
was Mom and Dad. So I went out into the field and put the baby on the ground. Funny thing is when it was at
the center and in the car, it was peeping all the time. When I was walking outside and it could hear the adults, it
stopped calling. Then when I put it down, it stayed crouching down instead of running around in a panic like it
had been doing the whole time it was in our care. I had to look for it once and thought I'd lost it even though I
knew about where I had put it. Then I went to where my car was sitting in the sun (it was over 80 degrees), sat
and watched.

Pretty soon it was walking and making it's way towards one of the adults and the adult was watching out for it.
Eventually the other adult called the OK signal and two more babies that were hiding came out. They were the
same age! Then the one with the baby eventually walked it over to the other ones and they all went about the
business of feeding and the little one even went under Mom to be warmed up. After sitting out there for an
hour sweating my head off, looking through the binoculars, making sure no people came to that area where
they were, I left feeling wonderful that I was able to reunite the baby with its family.

Lesson learned: parental instincts are very strong in the animal world if we humans would only give them a
chance.

River Otter Pup and Kids

A couple of years ago a distressed father of a young boy called the Center to say that his son and a friend
brought home some baby otters. One of the mammal team volunteers went immediately to the home and found
out why these two young boys had the pups. Apparently they were playing by a small creek close to home and
found a hole under an overturned rowboat. Upon investigating the hole, they found the baby otters and took
them home with
them.

The volunteer asked the boys to take her back to where they found the nest and the boys showed her where it
was. Upon arriving, she saw that the top of the “hole” was caved in, apparently from the children stepping on
top of it. The volunteer proceeded to build it back up as well as she could and deposited the babies as far back
in the hole as she could reach. After a stern lecture to the children not to touch baby wildlife, they all parted
company.

Across the creek was a home where an older gentleman would watch the adult otters coming and going. He
stated that he would watch out for them and call her with the news whether or not the adults stayed with the
young or abandoned them.

The following morning our volunteer couldn’t wait for the phone call that would give the results of her efforts so
early that morning she went very carefully back to the nest to see what happened. It seemed that the parents
rebuilt the entrance to the nest and the gentleman across the creek told her that they had been seen going
back and forth from the nest so our volunteer deducted that the parents were continuing to care for their
babies.

Another happy ending for everyone!

Mama Squirrel Reclaims Babies

One summer the Center received a call from some people that were trimming their trees only to discover that a
squirrel nest was in the tree. Too late, the branch was already cut down and in the nest were 5 very young baby
squirrels.

A volunteer took the babies home to home care and discovered that one of the babies had a broken leg from
the fall. She set the leg and put it in a little cast and proceeded to care for the babies that night.

The following morning, the family that cut the tree down called to say that the mother squirrel was circling the
tree where the nest was and the family was hoping that something could be done to reunite the mother with
her babies. It is a known fact that mother tree squirrels usually have two nests, one where she raises her
babies (the nursery) and an alternate nest in case something happens to the nursery nest or danger occurs at
the nursery nest, say for example a predator discovering the babies. If something happens to the nursery nest
then she’ll move the babies to the alternate nest.

Knowing that fact, the volunteer brought the babies back to the house, put all five babies at the base of the
tree and waited inside the house to see what would happen. Well, mama squirrel showed up and proceeded to
take the babies one by one to her alternate nest. She did, however, leave the baby with the bandaged broken
leg behind and that one was successfully raised by the volunteer and released back into the wild.

So even though the babies were handled by humans and gone all night from their mother, she still took them
back to care for and raise them.

Mama squirrel knows best!!!

Grey Squirrel Road Rescue

On my way to do a shift at the SWRR center recently, a grey squirrel ran out on the road in front of me on
West Anderson Blvd. As I moved to the other lane to avoid hitting the squirrel, I heard a big thug and looked in
my rear view mirror. The poor squirrel was on its side and the tail was spinning around. I then turned around on
the road as quickly as I could to check it out. Meanwhile, a big truck passed over the squirrel but its tires did
not run over it thanks to the driver's evasive driving action. The squirrel was still lying on its side as I pulled
right up to it.

I shut my engine off while on the road with the squirrel in front of my van as I had no place to pull over. I got
my pet carrier out just as a very nice citizen approached behind me and just waited for me. This nice citizen
could have easily gone around me while I had the pet carrier next to the squirrel trying to get her.

When I approached the squirrel she was breathing heavily and still lying on her side. I scooted her in the pet
carrier and rushed off to SWRR to get her help as I put my thumbs up to the caring citizen behind me. I kept
thinking what this poor squirrel went thru in a moment’s time.

This squirrel got knocked out by running into a part of my van. Then a semi truck drove over her while she was
helpless and choking on a bloody nose while lying on her side. Then some human shoved her into a carrier and
stuck her in a van with all kinds of strange noise and sensations. Then after that, a human stuck a gloved hand
into the cage to grab her and check her out at the SWRR center. That was when the squirrel decided she had
enough and darted out of the cage into our medical room. Marianne got a hold of her and as a sign of
appreciation, the squirrel gave Marianne quite a bite right through thick welder's gloves! At this time it was
discovered that she was a nursing mother.

So we released her right away back to her babies, exactly where my van struck her.
My heart melted as I watched her run past about 40 trees in a 50 foot stretch of property and right up a
particular tree. This squirrel knew exactly what tree she called home! All of this took place in 90 minutes time
and involved the kindness of four people independently.

I guess fate saved a mama squirrel and all her babies that day. The babies got their mama back by feeding time
and I’m thinking this is a Happily Ever After story!

Bald Eagle Rescue and Release to the Channel Islands

This juvenile Bald Eagle was rehabilitated at our center and then flown by a private plane to the Channel Islands
to repopulate the area with Bald Eagles. Six other young ones were flown in from Alaska so this 7th one will
bring in a new gene pool. For more info see: Bald Eagle Restoration on the Northern Channel Islands - (pdf file,
2.1 mB)

Red Shoulder Hawk Rescue

When SWRR received this Red Shoulder Hawk, he looked in very poor shape. He more than likely had eaten
from a poisoned food source. He had to be wrapped in a towel and tube-fed by Judy, one of our volunteers.
Four days later he had improved greatly as can be seen in the center photo. He was later released by another
volunteer, Eloise to join his fellow hawks in the wild.

Rescue of a Nest of Titmice

I had picked up a nest of Titmice at the end of Bowman Road in Cottonwood on the first day of our 2011
season. Yesterday we put them in a cardboard box and I drove them home to be released. On the whole trip
back they were dead silent until I got 2 miles from their destination. All of a sudden, in chorus, they started to
sing the rest of the way. I actually got goosebumps on my arm because somehow I knew that these little souls
knew they were going home. I knocked on the door of the people that rescued them in their yard and told them
that I was returning the Titmice. We all watched in the front yard as I opened the box. All of them flew up
beautifully into a big oak tree. All of us stood in amazement how they were calling each other one or two at a
time. IN ENGLISH, they might be saying "ARE YOU THERE?" and return reply "YES, I am here". The woman of
the house gave me a hug.

That was the most awesome experience yet since joining SWRR and becoming a volunteer. 2 weeks ago I
looked up Titmouse and learned that they are born and die in the same place. Now I am curious about each and
every species of bird that we handle and their natural history.

Going Home, Little Osprey

by Marianne D. - The fledgling osprey was found in Elk Creek, by a nest that was up on the telephone pole. I did
an exam on him from beak to talons, with Janet S. covering his head to keep his stress level down and Susan
M. was kind enough to wipe the dude down with mite spray to get rid of his creepy parasites. One fun trick that
Janet and Susan had never seen before was that I wrapped the ospreys talons with vet wrap then put his feet
in little leather "bootie" type pouches, further protection from those big talons! There were no injuries found
and the bird seemed in perfect health, except for being a fledgling and being taken rescued when he should
have been left alone. The bird was a good eater. It was neat to watch him stand on his fish and eat! We knew it
was time for him to go when I went in to check on him and all was fine until I reached down to splash the water
his fish was in. He didn't like that at all and actually flew at me and tried to attack me, which is also what he did
the next morning when his food was brought to him. Time for release!

by Janet B. - Today I got the privilege of releasing the Osprey in the Willows area. It was the highlight of my
week. As my husband and I were going down the road, he would make some chirping sounds every once in a
while, which I liked because then I felt I knew it was okay for the moment. He was stressed but okay. I knew it
was cramped and probably a bit warm in the crate. When we got to the location, it was very evident were the
nest was that he came from. It was directly overhead. My husband and I pulled over and set up for the release.
When I opened the top of the crate he had his head down and seemed to have his shoulders hunched over (it
reminded me of my children when they were young - like I'm in trouble now). I then turned the crate on its side
so he could walk out. He walked out, turned, looked at me and then looked at the open area. I felt I could see
his body language change at that moment saying he was very grateful for his freedom. He took off and flew to a
nearby tree, rested a few seconds, then took off again and came around and landed in a tree by the stream. He
was resting there when hubby and I left. We went to the reservoir, had a bottle of water and drove back to the
nest area. He was up on the nest with either his Mom or Dad. We couldn't tell which one but we knew they were
one of the adults. It was a very moving experience.

Coyote Rescue

by Marianne D. - Above are share photos of the coyote pups I rehabbed from June until their release in
November, 2011. In the first photo you will see the pups as they looked when I first got them. They are in my
coyote pen behind what they used as their den. Notice the blackberry branch hanging on the fencing. They
actually ate the berries off the vine! The last picture was taken a week or so before release. Speaking of the
release, Nicole Carion from the CA Dept. of Fish & Game came to help me crate the coyotes. We thought of
videotaping the capturing but decided if it went badly, we would just as soon not have a forever reminder! As a
precaution, we did have a vet on site with a tranquilizer dart, ready if needed. Well, it could not have gone
better. Their I was, 4 weeks post op with my feet in extra bandages, with my orthopedic special shoes on,
garden rake in hand, and Nicole and I had both those coyotes crated and in the back of the transport vehicle in
UNDER 8 MINUTES!!!!! From my house, they were driven by a volunteer from Fish & Game back up to Siskiyou
County and released near where they were found. Their ability to survive now is up to them. I am proud to say
that I still only touched one of them one time. I prepared them for release by them having to find their food,
which one day was hung 6 feet up on the chain link fencing and the next day having to find it buried in dirt and
leaves. They also learned how to hunt maimed (don't ask) and live feeder food. I followed the weather reports
and I feel they were released at exactly the right time.

I want to thank everyone that responded to my pleas for extra food for those 2 big male coyotes. You
responded with donations of turkeys, fish, vegetables, and money so I could purchase their favorite- aged cube
steaks. I want to thank Shasta Wildlife for allowing me to raise and release these coyotes despite the cost. The
estimated cost to rehab a single coyote to release age is $4,500. Because of the donations from Shasta Wildlife
volunteers and all the road kill deer my daughter butchered, I estimate the cost to raise these 2 pups at
approximately $600 for both. To give you an idea of the amount of food they can eat, one night for just the
night meal, they were given 50 mice and 8 quail and they ate 50 mice and 6 quail. Remember, that was just the
evening meal-at dawn they were given a smaller meal of venison and veggies. Talk about eating machines!

SWRR Rescue Stories in the News

Redding Record Searchlight
Bird's-eye view: Visitors to Churn Creek post office spot young bald eagle
Eagle healing after shooting
Eaglet, lone parent are healthy
Fawn rescued by student after being found along Anderson roadway
Pelican port: Ocean bird gives Redding Jet Center crew chuckles
Pelican update
Thirsty, cold duck pays couple a visit

Other News
Bald Eagle Rescue
Caltrans News - February, 2008

Bald Eagle Rescue Letter of Appreciation
Caltrans District 2 Newsletter (pdf file, 1.3mB)

PG&E Helps Rescue Barn Owl Trapped in Kite String Between Trees
Anderson Valley Post - February, 2008
PGE Brochure (pdf file, 405 kB)

Additional Photos of the Barn Owl Rescue:

Daryl Chase rides the bucket

The bird is safe

A Barn Owl up close

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