Raccoon 'Massacre'
Is Wildlife Rehab Issue

By Jake Stump
MARTINSBURG, WV--Patricia Hoffman-Butler still tears up when she recalls the October day when state wildlife agents raided her Martinsburg home.

They wanted the Raccoons.

Hoffman-Butler, 47, housed about 60 injured and possibly orphaned Raccoons in cages and a barn throughout her property. She brought them home over the spring and summer months last year to nurse them and eventually release them back into the wild. (Raccoon)

But, according to the state Division of Natural Resources, she was breaking the law. The DNR had contacted Hoffman-Butler in the previous weeks, asking her not to release the Raccoons. She said the agency then left her hanging and just showed up unannounced at her house while she was 100 miles away at her Washington, DC art gallery job

Agents alerted her of the situation by calling her at work, and she pleaded with them to wait until she got home. After a two-hour drive, she found most of her Raccoons dead, euthanized by lethal injection.

"It was a massacre," said Hoffman-Butler.

She had told the DNR she wanted to release the Raccoons into their natural environment, but that was against the agency's wishes.

"We absolutely did not want them turned back into the wild because of disease concerns," said Paul Johansen, assistant chief of DNR's wildlife resources section. "We operated under the proper protocols established by the veterinary community."

Johansen said the DNR became aware of the makeshift Raccoon shelter after state police, investigating an unrelated call in the neighborhood regarding fired shots, stumbled upon Hoffman-Butler's property.

"The officer noticed lots of Raccoons living in very unclean conditions and lots of odor," Johansen said. "There were a lot of feces and urine. It didn't look like an appropriate situation at all, so he contacted our law enforcement officer in the county."

Hoffman-Butler rebuffs claims that the Raccoons were unhealthy. She fed them specialty dog food, mussels, crayfish, apples, broccoli, carrots and all sorts of nuts. She even roasted four chickens for them every other day.

"These animals were better cared for than my husband, seriously," Hoffman-Butler said. "He could vow to that one."

She usually started her day at 4 a.m. to feed and clean up after the Raccoons, most of which were kept in pens outside. A few of the younger or weaker Raccoons were quarantined inside the home. --Charleston Daily Mail

EDITOR’S NOTE: In most states you must be a licensed or certified wildlife rehabilitator to treat and confine wildlife before releasing them. To locate a wildlife rehabilitator near you, click here.

Build Wildlife Viewing Stand For 40

EVERY MORNING Jimmy Russell arrives at Agricenter International in Memphis, TN about a half-hour ahead of his crew.

With a cup of black coffee in his truck's cup holder, Russell picks up his binoculars. Adjusting the focus, he spies a six- or eight-point buck and several does along the edge of woods not far from where he's building a wildlife viewing stand.

"I was surprised to see deer at all, as much of a city as you've got around it," said Russell, 40 of Gautier, MS. "They weren't scared of nothing."

And, residents around there will be seeing many more critters in the near future because of this wildlife viewing stand they started to build just before Christmas. It's an effort that Agricenter and Ducks Unlimited are putting together, along with assistance from Lowe's Hardware and Buck and Bass Sports Centre.

Lela Garlington, writing in Commercialappeal.com, says the covered viewing stand is handicapped accessible and is located where the fields are flooded each year to attract waterfowl like Mallard Ducks and Canada Geese. Although people who brought their own binoculars used the stand in January, John Charles Wilson, president of Agricenter, said it may be March before the landscaping, signage and mounted binoculars and telescopes are added.

"This is a part of the 25th anniversary celebration we are holding for the creation of the Agricenter Commission," he said. With about 800 sq. ft. of decking, the viewing stand will be another component to the Agricenter's educational efforts. It will hold up to 40 people.

Once everything is completed, Wilson expects the project to cost between $40,000 and $50,000.

On a blustery and warm winter afternoon, few critters could be seen from the stand. That likely will change in the coming months. "The colder it gets to the north of us, the more the ducks and geese move to the South," said conservation director Scott Yaich with Ducks Unlimited.

Depending on the weather, Yaich predicted the peak bird-watching time will be in mid-January when thousands of waterfowl settle on the flooded fields. By having such wildlife stands 15 to 20 ft. off the ground, he said, "It basically gives people a better view."

The viewing stand is a wonderful addition to the community. Wouldn’t it be nice if you had a structure like this near where you live? I wished I did.

* * * *

Letter To the Editor
In the Feb 27 issue of the weekly e-zine the author of “Checking the Mailbag On A Winter’s Day” stated that the goldfinches are beginning to molt. This is not true; the change from drab winter colors to their bright spring and summer colors is a process of feather wear. The old feather tips slough off. (This is according to wild bird specialist, Dr. Al Geis) Also, the writer comments about the illegality of disturbing bird nests and discounts such actions by doubting that many federal wildlife agents are visiting classrooms to search for contraband. Shame on him for encouraging illegal activity. Pennsylvania state law also prohibits the disturbance of bird nests and local officers are encouraged to visit and give programs to as many school classes as possible; all grades. Prior to such taking of nests for any purpose, including education, the proper agency should be contacted. Teaching willful violations is foolhardy and this author should be informed of his folly.

Tim C. Flanigan
Nature Exposure
Bedford, PA

* * * * *

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'Naked' Skunk Found
Under Oil City Porch

By Sheila Boughner-Blair
OIL CITY, PA--The critter, estimated to be a year old, is missing its hair, but shows no signs of lesions or disease.

When local wildlife removal expert Eric McCool peered into a trap Wednesday, he encountered a strange sight--a hairless skunk. McCool, who has provided wildlife removal services for 20 years from Ohio to Florida, said he has "never seen anything like it." (Naked skunk in trap)

The unusual specimen was living under a home on North Street in Oil City. On first glance, the creature enclosed in a small box trap resembled a ferret. Its bare skin contained numerous folds, and the telltale black and white markings (that would have enlivened its coiffure if it had one) were faintly visible on the skin, like a faded tattoo.

"He looks perfectly healthy," McCool said. "There are no signs of lesions or disease." He was surprised that the mammal has lasted through the winter without its normal coat. "He's surviving. How he's surviving, I'm not sure," he said.

McCool said he will relocate the strange captive. He estimated the skunk's age at about 1 year. McCool said the skunk had made no attempt to spray him after its capture, and during its visit to the newspaper parking lot, it was the model of polite polecat behavior. (Of course, it was in the box trap with little room to lift its tail.) –The Derrick & News-Herald

American Wildlife Blog



JOIN THE HUNDREDS of fellow nature lovers in signing up for the American Wildlife Blog. The beauty of the blog is that you receive articles as soon as they are posted by the editorial contributors and can respond by clicking on “Comments” at the end of each article. And, the new resource of information is searchable, so you can find what you need. Here’s a brief summary of recent articles:

Fall Is the Best Time To Fell Dead Trees
Former Pennsylvania Conservation Officer Tim Flanigan says he has responded to numerous incidents of destroyed wildlife nests and killed or orphaned young of nearly every type of wildlife, mammals and birds that nest in tree cavities. He tells the sad tale of a Barred Owl family. It could have been averted by waiting until Fall to cut the tree.

What Is Your Favorite Bird?
It is hard to imagine that there is one person on earth that does not have a favorite bird, says naturalist Jack Lewnes. Perhaps it's the bird that you've seen only once. Or, maybe it's the bird that is the most frequent visitor to your feeder. Read about Jack’s favorites.

Oak Snag Is A Hit With Wildlife In Winter
As a result of casual gardening, this winter Barbara R. Jones of Tabernacle, NJ says she learned a valuable lesson about the efficiency of nature. She spent a lot of time in her home office recently, and between visits by the muses, she has been staring out the window. What she discovered is that her whippet of a snag is a big hit with her wild neighbors. Find out which species.

Don’t Be Bashful!
If you haven’t already signed up to receive the WindStar American Wildlife Blog, do it now. Otherwise, you will be missing out on many interesting and helpful ways you can attract wildlife to your property. Details are in this issue’s Editor’s Notes.

I Destroyed Wildlife Habitat Yesterday!
Find out why Cathy Gilleland of Finksburg, MD is clearing her 17-acre wildlife habitat of the pesky autumn olive and multiflora rose. She likes to consider whether or not she has supplied native substitutes for what she’s removing, and whether those replacements are going to develop soon enough to provide equivalent food and cover.

Tell us your favorite wildlife stories or comment on the articles posted by our editorial contributors, or answer or ask a question. This is a great place to pass on those tips you have learned over the years about attracting wildlife to your property, photographing nature or just watching wildlife.

Go to WindStar’s American Wildlife Blog and click on “Comments” at the end of an article to make your voice heard.

Majestic Beauty

Bill Garber of Richmond, IN was concerned that he hadn’t seen many birds at his bird feeders recently. After a week he spied this majestic Cooper’s Hawk in a nearby tree. Mystery solved.

If you have a photo you think might be of interest to other naturalists and that you would like to see considered for Photo of the Week, send it in a jpg to wildlife@windstar.org and in the subject line type “Photo of the Week.

Nocturnal Song

BIRD SONG is normally associated with daytime birds, with only a small handful of notable exceptions. Apart from owls, our other nocturnal songsters, are mostly all migratory birds with a short and well defined song period during the spring and summer months. All birds, whether diurnal or nocturnal, are governed by the daily rhythm of light and dark. Onset of song in the morning, the dawn chorus, is triggered by a combination of the birds internal clock and the first rays of light. The dawn chorus is normally started by the American Robin and American Redstart with sparrows and many finches being the last to join in. A similar order, but in reverse, follows the sunset. It is thought that dawn chorus happens because birds wake up before there is enough light for the to feed and so they focus on singing instead. Because even low light intensities can trigger song in some birds, and because they continue singing until the last rays of light have faded in the evening, it is easy to see how the singing period could easily be extended into the night. There are other triggers, besides light, that can bring about night-time song in robins and some other birds. If a bird is suddenly awakened by a sudden noise like thunder, fireworks, earthquake etc, even a sudden shaking of its roosting tree, it may burst into song.

NOW IS THE TIME TO
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To A Higher Level!

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It features 14 of the nation's top ecologists, photojournalists, horticulturists, naturalists, and wildlife professionals in WindStar's eNetInstructor training that synchronizes video, audio, text, hundreds of photographs and resource information to deliver a "virtual training seminar" over the Internet whenever you want. We already have individuals certified in: NY, MN, CO, AZ, NJ, VA, KY, MD, GA, TX, CA, FL, TN, AL, IA, SC, NE, OK, MA, OH, KY, MO, WI, MI, NH, OR, CT and Saskatchewan.

(Eastern Tiger Swallowtail by Leisa's Images)

"The purpose of conservation:
the greatest good to the greatest
number of people for the
longest time." -- Gifford Pinchot.

(Havasupai Mooni Falls, Grand Canyon, Arizona by Roma Stock)

Grapes Or Raisins
Can Kill Your Dog

By Scott Shalaway
IT WAS A SIMPLE question, but to Daisy, my family's yellow Lab, it's the highlight of her day.

"Wanna go for a walk?"

She loves to roam the fields and woods as much as I do. I like to think it's my companionship she loves, but she always begins by taking off on an olfactory adventure. Her nose checks every deer trail, groundhog burrow and cottontail form. But after about 20 minutes, she settles in and stays close by my side. That's when I think she enjoys my company as much as I enjoy hers. (Yellow Lab pup by dogstuff.com)

Daisy's a member of the family, and that's how we treat her. We talk to her, eat dinner with her and at bedtime we tuck her in. And I'm sure countless other dog owners treat their pets the same way. We really do develop a strong bond with our dogs.

When I was a boy, my Aunt Plum had a pure white English Setter named Jay. She had no children, but she had Jay. He drank bottled spring water chilled in the refrigerator, often ate freshly grilled hamburgers and every night got a brick of vanilla ice cream before bedtime.

We often go beyond simply bonding with our dogs; we spoil them. It's why we buy them dog biscuits and other tasty treats. And it's so easy to feed them people food. But people food can be dangerous, and that's today's message.

One of Daisy's favorite treats--actually she's never met a treat that wasn't a favorite--are grapes. They've always been a popular snack in our house, so it was natural for Emma and Nora to occasionally throw a grape or two to Daisy. I did, too. But, no more. I just discovered that grapes and raisins can kill dogs. The news shocked me, so I googled, "Can dogs eat grapes?"

I quickly learned the answer is "no." The ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) advises pet owners to simply stop giving dogs grapes and raisins. Symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea and, in severe cases, acute renal (kidney) failure. Some dogs die.

In 1989, APCC established a computerized database to study relationships between medical symptoms and toxic substance exposure in dogs. Cases accumulated and eventually the danger from grapes and raisins became clear.

It takes more than a few grapes to induce a serious reaction, so if your dog grabs one or two grapes off the floor, it's no problem. But if your dog eats a bunch of grapes or a whole box of raisins, call your veterinarian or APCC (888-426-4435).

Curiously, to date there is no explanation for the toxicity of grapes and raisins. It's unrelated to type of grape and source of grape, and tests for pesticides, heavy metals and fungi have all been negative.

Furthermore, the toxicity seems limited to dogs. So I'll pass along the advice I got from Daisy's veterinarian, Dr. Phillip Puskarich -- "There's no reason to take unnecessary risks. I say avoid grapes and raisins at all costs."

My search for information about grape toxicity to dogs led me to some other common foods that can be harmful to dogs. Chocolate contains a chemical called theobromine, which can cause problems for the heart and pancreas. Cocoa mulch contains the same chemical, so beware of this aromatic product as spring arrives. Fatty foods such as turkey skin are difficult to digest and can cause pancreatitis. Macadamia nuts can lead to bladder stones. Onions, particularly raw onions, can trigger anemia. Bones splinter and can perforate the intestinal wall and cause infections.

Finally, the most recently discovered dangerous dog foods are products sweetened with xylitol, an artificial sweetener. It's a common ingredient in sugarless gums and candies. If a dog eats a whole package of such sugarless foods, it can suffer a sudden drop in blood sugar resulting in depression, loss of coordination and seizures. In that event, seek veterinary treatment immediately.

We all love our dogs, but let's not love them to death. –Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Nuts, Bars Keep Birds Happy

THERE’S no end to the creative ways people find to feed their feathered friends. In Fredericton, New Brunswick, Duncan C. discovered that chickadees and nuthatches love pine nuts. “These nuts, often used in ethnic cooking, are a special treat for the birds, most likely because they’re high in fat,” Duncan says.“I discovered this by accident. I’d purchased some sunflower seeds and walnut pieces, and I also bought some pine nuts, thinking they looked like the grubs that insect-eating birds love to eat. When I offered the nuts to the birds at my window feeder, they devoured the pine nuts first. Now I regularly purchase pine nuts for a winter treat. They’re a little more expensive, but well worth the increased bird activity in my backyard.” (Crow eating by Wayne's Animations)

MEANWHILE, in Marietta, GA, Gwen H. found an outdated box of fruit-filled breakfast bars in her kitchen cabinet and wondered if her feathered friends would be interested in a treat. “I placed a few of the bars in my suet feeder. Within a short time, I had attracted chickadees, nuthatches, titmice and Downy Woodpeckers. Even ground-feeding birds, such as Mourning Doves and Brown Thrashers, stopped by to pick up fallen crumbs. A few days later, I treated them to a strudel bar I had over- browned in the toaster. It was also a hit. Those backyard birds sure have a sweet tooth, or rather a sweet bill!” –Birds & Blooms

================================

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NEWS SOURCES

This week's news contributors are:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, http://www.fws.gov
Environmental News Service, http://www.ens.lycos.com
Associated Press, http://www.ap.com;
Daily Grist, http://www.gristmagazine.com
Leisa's Images, http://www.leisasbackyardhabitat.com
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, http://www.post-gazette.com
American Wildlife Blog, WindStar Wildlife Institute, http://www.windstar.org
Charleston Daily Mail, http://www.dailymail.com
Decatur Herald & Review, http://www.herald-review.com
The Derrick & News-Herald,, http://www.audubon.org
American Wildlife Blog, WindStar Wildlife Institute, http://www.windstar.org
Delaware State News, http://www.newszap.com
Birds & Blooms Newsletter, http://www.birdsandblooms.com

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