Wildwoods Rehabilitation Posts

Wildwoods temporarily unable to accept animals

Wildwoods, a nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation organization in Duluth, announced it is temporarily unable to accept sick or injured animals due to permitting issues with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Big changes at Wildwoods rehab facility

Left: New Wildwoods Executive Director Jessica LaBumbard. Right: Outgoing Director Farzad Farr.

Wildwoods, the Duluth-area wildlife rehabber, recently posted its early-season stats: 1,260 animals have been helped by the organization this year, through Aug. 1. Migration season, a busy time for Wildwoods, is still to come.

Meanwhile, Executive Director Farzad Farr will be stepping down on Sept. 21 after 13 years with Wildwoods. He’s going back to California to be close to family. New director Jessica LaBumbard has already began.

Sweet, sorrowful story from Wildwoods

From the Wildwoods Rehabilitation Facebook page:

In our lives as rehabbers, we witness many happy moments, but also many tragedies and moments of heartbreak. This story is one of the sad ones.

When friends of Wildwoods saw these very young, very tiny grey fox kits wandering around outside their den without their mom, they knew something was amiss. Something had happened to Mom; she was gone.

Videos: This Week in Duluth Snowy Owl Rescues

Richard Hoeg spotted a snowy owl on Duluth Harbor ice this morning and at first didn’t think it was out of the ordinary. Returning a few hours later, he noticed the owl had only moved a few feet and didn’t flush when a pair of dogs were checking it out. So with the help of a fish net, wood and duct tape, he pulled the owl in and passed it along to Wildwoods Rehabilitation. Hoeg tells the full story on his 365 Days of Birds blog.

Bonnie the wild bobcat trapped at the DECC

Bobcat at the DECC

From Duluth Police Chief Gordon Ramsay’s Facebook page:

When I heard about a man in a mental health crisis looking for a bobcat in downtown skywalks and in the convention center I knew it wasn’t true. Then I saw these pictures. You can’t make this stuff up … nobody knows how this wild animal made it into the convention center. It was trapped by the DNR and Wildwoods inside the convention center.

“The Price of Admission for Living in the Northland”?

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Wildwoods shared this story about wildlife and domestic pets:

On Friday, Wildwoods sent three fox kits down to our friend Connie, who specializes in raising and releasing orphaned foxes. Their stories illustrate the range of problems we may cause for our wild neighbors — through carelessness, through intolerance, and through misplaced “love.”

Douglas County fawn emergency created and averted; raccoon adventures

Wildwoods received a call today from some individuals who had stumbled upon two brand new fawns, still wet from birth! They were concerned that the babies may have been abandoned.

Wildwoods: Deer and Eagles

From Wildwoods: a heartwarming, yet bittersweet story about people who saw animals in trouble and decided to do something about it. Then, a depressing story, so sad.

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Bird on the loose

bird on a ledgeAnyone in Superior missing a pet?  My wife got this pic this morning. The bird is currently in the care of Wildwoods.

Ruffed grouse release 2/5/15

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Several days ago, one of our great local conservation officers brought in a ruffed grouse with a head injury to Wildwoods. The grouse has made a full recovery, so today, Sarah and Trudy released her back into the wild. The grouse exploded from the transport kennel and quickly disappeared into the woods.

Raccoon Release

Wildwoods Rehabilitation has been raising nine orphaned raccoon since July, and our babies (now huge, rollicking, unruly teenagers) are ready to head off on their own and find a spot to hibernate for the winter. We took them far off into the woods, to a secret release site. Here are some picture as they begin to explore their new world. Good luck, little wash bears, and stay safe!

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Wildlife News

Some updates from Wildwoods Rehabilitation:

There are three window-strike bird victims in residence — a northern flicker, a juvenile cedar waxwing, and a flycatcher. The flicker came in with a spinal bruise, and was unable to use his legs for several days. Fortunately, he’s made a full recovery after rest and anti-swelling meds, and is ready for release. In the meantime, he’s been pigging out on the mealworms, and has plumped out, just in time for migration, when he’ll need the energy!

Grounded Eagle on Rice Lake Road

This afternoon I was driving back from the dump when I saw a car with its flashers on on Rice Lake Road. I slowed to … basically to rubberneck, but, you know, to see if everything was OK. They were looking at this bald eagle that was staggering along the narrow green space between the highway and the wetland that it passes through.

Beaver Relocation in Downtown Duluth

This beaver was in the downtown Duluth area, near the on-ramp for the adjacent freeway. Farzad from Wildwoods captures it. It is later released outside of town by a creek. Video courtesy of Duluth PD Officer Jayme Carlson.

Critter Update

Critter updates:

The young grey foxes, though scared and sad without mom, take comfort from each other’s presence, and ate well last night. We cleaned out their kennel this morning (lots of poop–yay!), and moved them to a new kennel. Two are very docile, but one is a real spitfire. He thinks we’re planning to kill him, and he will not “go gentle into that good night.” More power to ya, buddy; way to go!

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