With the warmer weather comes new additions to families everywhere in nature. Our friends at the California Wildlife Center wanted to remind everyone that with this season of newborns, it's up to all of us to ensure that they survive these crucial growing periods and live long healthy lives.
Here are a few ways to watch out for our wild animal friends:
1. Be on the lookout for nests.
When trimming trees or shrubs, be careful to check for any bird or squirrel nests. If you do find one, try to hold off on doing your yard work untul the babies leave. However, this isn't always possible to do, so if you must proceed, gently relocate the nest to an area nearby. That way Mom and Dad can find their little loved ones again, your yard chores are finished...and everybody wins!
2. Babies can be put back into their nests.
One of the biggest misconceptions about wildlife is the idea that if a baby bird or squirrel comes into contact with a human, the Mom and Dad will reject the little tyke. This is ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE. If you do come across a baby that has fallen from its nesting place; by all means, pick it up and place it back into the nest as soon as possible. You will not doom the poor little thing to abandonment by its family. You will, in fact, save its life.
3. Fledging vs. Falling
So let's say you do find a small baby bird on the ground, under a tree or shrub someplace. Be cautious and investigate its condition. You may have discovered a baby bird in its FLEDGE period. This is the one to three week span during which baby birds learn how to fly. During this time, its perfectly normal for baby birds to live on the ground instead of in the nest. If you think you may have found a fledging baby, just leave it be. Give a look around to see if Mom and Dad are in the vicinity. Chances are its a healthy little bird and it's doing just fine. You can always check to see how its doing if you're not sure by just a visual examination. If you can touch the bird and it feels warm, it's probably okay. If you can manage to gently open its mouth and see that its pink and shiny inside, the little one is healthy.
4. Sick or Injured Animals
If you happen across a sick or injured baby bird, squirrel, opossum, or bunny; the most important thing to do is keep it in a warm, dark and quiet place. If the animal is cold to the touch, has dull eyes or a white and dry mouth, the animal is definitely in need of some attention. Contact the California Wildlife Center as soon as possible and let them know about your find. You can reach them at 818.591.9453 or at californiawildlifecenter.org. Do not feed the animal and most importantly, with bunnies...quiet is paramount. Even the sound of someone's voice at normal speaking volume can be enough to panic a bunny to the point of no return.
5. A few other tips
Keep cats indoors. Baby animals are just too easy for them to prey upon and most kitties will pounce without even intending to do harm. Also put decals or curtains on paneless windows, so baby birds will know not to collide with the glass.
Spring is in the air. Let's make sure everyone can enjoy this wonderful time of the year safe and happy.
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