It's All About the Animals.

A Bit About Raptors

2012-02-01T07:55:00.000-08:00

Raptors are birds of prey that use their powerful talons, not their beaks, to capture food. Hawks, eagles, owls, osprey, and vultures are all examples of birds of prey. Although they also eat meat, birds such as penguins and gulls are not considered birds of prey because they capture their food using their beaks rather than their feet.

Although there are variations between different species of raptors, they all share some characteristics. Their vision is excellent, their beaks are sharp and hook-shaped for tearing apart meat, and their feet are exceptionally strong, ending in sharp, curved talons capable of piercing into prey and latching onto it to carry it away. Most raptors also exhibit reverse sexual dimorphism—most females are larger than males, which allows a mated pair to hunt more prey within an area because each can capture a different variety of animals.

Birds of prey are categorized based off the differences that exist betweens species. Owls differ from other raptors because they are nocturnal and do their hunting at night, unlike other birds of prey, which are diurnal. Owls also have large eyes that face forward and facial discs that help them pick up sounds.

Eagles are typically larger birds of prey. Their hunting patterns are characterized by soaring or sprinting flight. Eagles lay one to three eggs at a time, and their eggs can be distinguished by their green inner lining.

Hawks are typically a bit smaller than eagles. They use some of the same hunting techniques that eagles do—soaring and sprinting flight—as well as other techniques, including slow flight patterns and walking along the ground. Like eagles, hawks lay eggs with a green lining, but hawks can lay six or more eggs at a time.

Falcons tend to be smaller birds of prey as well. Their typical hunting flight patterns are fast and strong. Their eggs are characterized by a reddish-yellow interior lining. Falconets are some of the smallest birds of prey; they are comparable in size to songbirds. Their eggs are plain white, unlike those of larger falcons.

Vultures are comparable in size to eagles. They differ from other birds of prey in that their diet consists largely of carrion. Compared to the immense strength of the feet of other raptors of their size, vultures have weak feet with relatively dull talons. Vultures are easily recognizable by their featherless heads, which are bald to prevent remains from getting stuck in their feathers while feeding. Vultures are also characterized by their very long and wide wings, which enable them to soar great distances while searching for food.

Only one species of osprey exists worldwide. Ospreys inhabit areas near bodies of water. Their diet is made up almost entirely of fish, and they have developed special adaptations to aid them in capturing fish. For example, they can completely seal their nostrils when plunging their heads underwater, and their feet have rough pads on the bottom to enable them to get a better grip on fish.

Cave Critters

2012-01-25T11:52:00.001-08:00

Missouri has often been referred to as the Cave State because of the abundance of underground caverns in the state. The Missouri Speleological Society estimates there are more than 6,000 caves in the state. More than half the state—about 59 percent—rests above carbonite rock displaying karst features, which are formations such as sinkholes, springs, and caves created when groundwater dissolves soluble rocks.

Missouri’s wealth of caves can be attributed to the large amounts of limestone underground. Limestone is a soluble sedimentary rock composed of calcium carbonate. When slightly acidic water comes into contact with limestone over long periods of time, the limestone slowly dissolves, creating a cavity in the rock, and a cave is formed.

At a glance, caves may seem barren, but in reality, they are teeming with life. Missouri’s caves are no exception. Cave animals fall into three main categories: trogloxenes (cave users), troglophiles (cave lovers), and troglobites (cave dwellers). A fourth category, cave accidentals, encompasses any animals that mistakenly wander into a cave and then become trapped or disoriented. Cave accidentals, such as turtles, snakes, and most mammals that do not have underground dens, will starve quickly in a cave and cannot survive there.

Trogloxenes, or cave users, are animals who utilize caves but get their food from sources outside the cave. Examples include bats, bears, raccoons, frogs, and crickets. Troglophiles, or cave lovers, are equally capable of surviving and finding food inside or outside a cave. Many have developed some adaptations for cave life, but not to such an extent that they would be incapable of surviving outside the cave under proper conditions. Examples of troglophiles include cave salamanders and springfish. Troglobites, or cave dwellers, on the other hand, have completely adapted to life inside a cave and are incapable of outside survival. Their adaptations, such as blindness, an all-white appearance, and a very slow metabolic rate, make life outside a cave virtually impossible. Examples of troglobites include millipedes, spiders, cavefish, cave crayfish, and a number of invertebrates and crustacea. Many of Missouri’s cave snails and other invertebrates are found nowhere else on Earth.

For an extensive sampling of the wildlife found in Missouri caves, complete with photographs and descriptions, please visit http://www.utexas.edu/tmm/sponsored_sites/biospeleology/mocavelife/mocavelife.htm, a biospeleology site sponsored by the University of Texas at Austin and the Missouri Department of Conservation.

A Warm Winter.

2012-01-20T07:20:00.000-08:00

A Warm Winter

So far this winter, the weather across the Midwest has been remarkably mild. Temperatures have more closely resembled fall or early spring weather, and snowfall has been much lighter than average. The unseasonably warm weather can be attributed to a combination of atmospheric patterns, particularly La Niña, which has caused conditions to be excessively icy in Alaska but unusually warm in the lower 48 states.

La Niña is an atmospheric weather pattern that occurs when the sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean become cooler than normal, which affects weather patterns across the globe. La Niña conditions occur on average every three to five years and tend to last anywhere from nine months to a year, although they can last up to two years.

The combination of La Niña and other atmospheric conditions has added up to an unusually warm winter for the Midwest. The warmer temperatures and relatively minimal accumulation of snow and ice have had a number of effects on the region. Many areas have found an economic advantage to the mild winter. Little snow means less need for winter weather road maintenance. For example, according to a CBS news article, the Illinois Department of Transportation has spent only $5.4 million on salting and plowing this year, whereas by this point in the winter season for the past three years they had spent an average of $30.6 million. Less freezing and unfreezing of precipitation also means fewer potholes and less need for road repair.

Consumers have also found some advantages to the warmer winter. Most have been able to take advantage of lower utility bills because they have had less need to run heaters. Conversely, businesses that depend on winter weather have struggled some as consumers have found less need for their services. While consumers save money by not purchasing ice scrapers and snow shovels, hardware stores have noticed lower sales of these items than in years past. Those who make their living offering snow removal services have had to get by with less business than they had in previous years. Drugstore sales of cold remedies and flu shots have decreased across the country.

The unusually warm winter is not expected to have a large effect on wildlife. Some plants have flowered later than usual, but there is no effect anticipated on the spring display of flowers. Because there has been little snow to insulate the ground, frost may be able to reach a deeper penetration level than it normally does, which may destroy a few plants that would not normally succumb to winter weather.

Wildlife experts anticipate no effect on hibernation patterns. One creature whose winter habits may change due to the warmer weather, however, is the tick. Ticks are typically inactive during winter months, but they can become active again when temperatures rise above 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The lack of snow could potentially result in larger than normal tick populations, which could have negative effects on other animals affected by them, such as deer.

It will certainly be interesting to see what this psring season brings...

Consider Composting

2012-01-11T10:26:00.000-08:00

As many of us struggle with keeping our New Year’s resolutions, why not consider making a resolution that’s easy, free, and helpful to the environment? Establishing and maintaining a compost pile or bin is a simple activity the whole family can participate in that has great benefits for the environment as a whole as well as for an individual family.

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that about 27 percent of the solid waste in the United States is comprised of yard clippings and food scraps. Currently, this waste is sent to landfills. With proper composting procedures, this waste can be diverted from landfills and turned into valuable, nutrient-rich compost that enhances garden soil and improves the health and quality of the plants growing in it.

There are a number of ways to begin composting. Many composters simply begin a compost pile on a convenient patch of ground away from their houses. Others build compost bins from materials they have handy, such as plywood or recycled pallets. A variety of commercial compost bins are available for purchase as well.

Add your compost materials in layers, alternating between moist and dry items. If you begin your compost pile on the bare ground, your first layer should be a few inches of twigs or straw to help with drainage. Compost piles should be kept moist and may need to be watered occasionally, but they should not be soaking wet. Cover the pile with whatever material you have available, such as plastic sheeting or wood, to help the pile retain heat and moisture, both of which are essential to the composting process. Every few weeks the pile should be turned for aeration to speed up the process. Use a pitchfork or shovel to turn the pile and add oxygen. If you purchase a commercial bin, many can be tumbled easily by turning a crank.

In general, most kitchen scraps and yard waste are good additions to a compost pile. Items that can be composted include coffee grounds and filters, eggshells, fireplace ashes, shredded newspaper, fruits and vegetables (including peels), grass clippings, leaves, nut shells, sawdust, tea bags, wood chips, and yard trimmings.

Not all items can be placed into a compost pile. Avoid adding wood products that have been chemically treated, pet waste, meat, bones, dairy products, plants that are diseased or have been treated with chemical pesticides, fats, and grease.

Composting requires heat and works best when the inside of the pile reaches 120-150 degrees Fahrenheit, so piles are easiest to start in summer months. However, composting can be done year-round. Piles will become inactive during winter months and will activate themselves when the temperature increases.

Winter Safety Tips

2011-12-28T09:53:00.000-08:00

Winter can be a beautiful time in Missouri, with blankets of glimmering white snow and brisk but mild temperatures. Sometimes, however, winter weather can take a turn for the worse. Winter storms can be severe and at times dangerous. The best way to ensure you and your family can get through a storm easily is to prepare for one in advance.

Have an emergency plan in place, and make sure everyone in your family knows it. This should include creating an emergency kit. One of the most dangerous aspects of severe winter storms is the possibility of a power outage. Your kit should include water, nonperishable food that does not require cooking, flashlights with spare batteries, a weather radio, blankets, and first aid supplies. Having an extra supply of prescription medications around during winter months is a good idea because severe weather may make travel difficult.

Stock up on alternative fuel sources for heating in case regular fuel sources become cut off or unusable. For example, have dry, seasoned wood on hand for use in a fireplace or wood-burning stove. Take necessary safety precautions when lighting any fires, and have a fire extinguisher on hand in case of emergencies.

Your home isn’t the only place where you should take extra precautions in the winter. A winter car kit can be a life saver in case of a breakdown during very cold or icy conditions. A kit should include an ice scraper, jumper cables, a flashlight, a weather radio, extra batteries, a first aid kit, a distress flag, and sand for traction. Like a home emergency kit, you will want some nonperishable food and water. Temperatures can drop dangerously quickly in a car, especially at night, so have lots of things to help keep yourself warm, such as blankets, hats, mittens, and extra socks.

As you take precautions to keep yourself and your family safe this winter, take time to consider pets and wildlife. Make sure pets have adequate shelter. Even outside pets with well-built doghouses will need to be brought inside if the temperature drops too low or drops for multiple nights in a row. Wild animals have adapted and are able to take care of themselves and keep warm during the winter. However, they may try to take shelter in unusual places when temperatures get very low. Bang on a car’s hood before starting it during cold weather to scare away any cats or small wild animals that may have curled up under it for warmth. Also, antifreeze has a sweet taste to it, so clean up spills to prevent your pets or any wildlife from lapping up the puddles, which are poisonous and deadly.

A Bit About Trumpeter Swans.

2011-12-20T07:19:00.000-08:00

Winter is upon us, and with the return of colder weather comes the return of a local favorite: the hundreds of trumpeter swans that migrate to West Alton every winter. About ten years ago, a small flock of trumpeter swans made its way to the Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary, and the number of trumpeter swans who have chosen to make the area their winter home has increased greatly over the years. The Trumpeter Swan Society has named the flock in West Alton as the largest in the lower 48 states.

Current estimates indicate about 16,000 trumpeter swans exist in North America, but the birds were once hunted nearly to extinction in the early 1900s. In the 1930s, fewer than 70 trumpeter swans were believed to exist worldwide, most of them in Yellowstone National Park. In the 1950s, a previously undiscovered population of trumpeter swans was found in Alaska, and the population has since grown, partially due to stricter hunting regulations.

Trumpeter swans have a wingspan of eight feet, making them North America’s largest waterfowl. They are the world’s largest swans and are about twice the size of North America’s other native swan, the tundra swan. Trumpeter swans average about 24 pounds, with males typically weighing more than females.

Trumpeter swans mate for life, choosing a mate at about three years of age. Male trumpeter swans are called cobs, and females are called pens. Sometime around April, cobs begin bringing materials such as cattails to the pens to build a nest. Assembling the nest takes about two weeks, and finished nests can be up to twelve feet in diameter.

Trumpeter swans lay three to nine eggs, which are incubated by the pen for about 35 days as the cob stands guard near the nest. Upon hatching, the babies, which are called cygnets, weigh about half a pound, are covered in grey, downy feathers, and can swim almost immediately. They will reach the fledgling stage in three to four months.

A Bit About Reindeer.

2011-12-16T12:06:00.000-08:00

As the holidays approach, many children are anxiously awaiting the appearance of Rudolph and Santa’s other famous reindeer. While only Santa’s reindeer have the magical ability to fly to help deliver presents, reindeer are very important creatures to people in many cultures.

Reindeer have played a crucial role in the survival and daily lives of many people in the Arctic and Subarctic regions. In these areas, reindeer are valued for their hides, meat, antlers, and milk. In some cultures, reindeer are depended upon to some extent for nearly every aspect of the economy, including food, clothing, shelter, and transportation.

Reindeer have developed a number of adaptations that allow them to survive in colder climates. For example, their hairs trap air, increasing the insulation of their coats. Their special hairs also provide buoyancy, making them strong swimmers. Reindeer hooves change with the seasons. In warmer months, when the tundra is moist and soft, their foot pads are spongy for additional traction on the slippery ground. In winter, these foot pads become tighter and smaller, which exposes the hard hoof rim so that it can cut into the ice for easier movement and to allow the reindeer to dig for lichen.

Reindeer also have noses designed to have greater surface area inside the nostrils, which allows the cold, dry air to be warmed and moistened before entering the animals’ lungs. Researchers believe reindeer may be the only mammals capable of discerning ultraviolet light wavelengths. It is assumed this ability aids in their survival in the Arctic by helping them see things like urine, which produces a sharper contrast in ultraviolet and would otherwise be difficult to see.

Reindeer coats change color depending upon the season. They appear brown during the summer and grey and white in the winter. Both male and female reindeer have antlers, which are shed once a year to help them camouflage themselves in the winter months. The size of the antlers varies depending on the subspecies, but reindeer antlers are the largest in comparison to body size of any deer.

The Wild Ones

2011-10-25T09:50:00.000-07:00

With all the talk about the rally squirrel being rescued by the Wildlife Rescue Center, it might be good for us to remember the differences between wild animals and domestic pets. Domestic animals are conditioned to being fed and handled by humans, because that is all they have known their entire lives. These animals have never known the wild outdoors in the survival sense, and are not adequately prepared to provide for themselves without human intervention. They should not be allowed to roam around on their own, as it can be dangerous for them as well as wildlife. On the other hand, wild animals need to be left on their own. They have never been handled by humans in their entire lives and this occurrence would actually be quite stressful to them.
Stress can cause a condition called capture myopathy which can be fatal to wild animals. Wild animals see humans as big predators and will struggle to escape a human's grasp, which could cause injury to the animal as well as the human. All animals tend to seem cute and fuzzy to us and this may lead us to try to domesticate wild animals, especially baby animals. However, there are many health problems that can arise from wild babies being raised, handled and fed like domestics. Domestic animals are able to eat different types of pet foods and human foods with minimal effects on their system. Wild animals have such a special diet that they require much more than most pet foods provide. And as far as human foods, many of the basic foods we eat (such as milk, eggs, and sugar) are very harmful to wildlife.
Because of this, we really need to do our research and make sure we know the natural behaviors and diets of the wild animals before we feed them. If you are trying to feed certain animals, but are putting out food they don’t eat, you will probably get other animals you didn’t expect. Another thing that could happen as a result of wildlife being fed or handled by humans is habituation. This is when an animal gets so used to humans that their flight response no longer happens. Once humans are associated with food and the animal is no longer scared, they will approach humans instead of running. This can be very dangerous for humans and wildlife alike. Not every human is an animal-lover, and a habituated animal may not be able to tell the difference. Also if you stop or are unable to keep feeding the animal, it may start digging through the trash in the neighborhood. But most importantly, we must remember that even if the animal’s flight response is gone, the other instincts are still there and it may still try to defend itself if you try handling it.
Ultimately, the safest way to interact with wild animals is observing them from a distance. And, the rally squirrel agrees. When he was released, he practically flew out of that cage, up a tree and back into the wild.

New Neighbors!

2011-09-30T10:29:00.000-07:00

We may have new animal neighbors moving into Missouri. There have been reports of mountain lions sighted in the forest areas around the state. They are hard to spot, though. Mountain lions tend to be private creatures that shy away from loud, busy areas. When hunting deer and other animals about that size or smaller, they stay low in the underbrush to sneak up on prey. This behavior makes them even more difficult to find. However, these beautiful cats have been seen on game cameras and fur traces have confirmed their presence.

After being heavily hunted and driven out of the state, mountain lions have not been a Missouri native since the 1920s, but there are established breeding populations in our neighboring states. These new sightings could mean that a breeding female may move in within the next decade and establish a population in our state. However, they may just be passing through. Female mountain lions have a home range of about 80 miles which means our sightings are most likely males. Males are territorial and have a home range of anywhere from 90 miles to hundreds of miles, which could span all of Missouri. So our new neighbors may be young males that were driven away by alpha males.

These animals are sometimes seen as a nuisance by livestock owners, which is the reason they were originally driven out of the state. Now, they are a protected animal helping to reestablish their presence, which used to span unbroken the southern tip of Mexico up into Canada. They are a predator, so in the rare case you may come upon one, please give it respect and space. If you make loud noises and stand your ground, they scare off easily as most wildlife does. They are being courteous neighbors by leaving us, our pets, and our livestock alone. So we need to be good neighbors and welcome them back home.

Howlin’ with the Lone Wolf

2011-09-20T08:44:00.000-07:00

Wildlife Rescue Center is hosting The Lone Wolf Blues Festival on October 1st at 4pm. This is an outdoor festival on the Wildlife Rescue Center property at 1128 New Ballwin Rd. which is the old location of The Lone Wolf. The stone structure of the old speakeasy bar and grill is on the property, so The Wolf Public House will be grilling and bartending on the same site where bartenders served bootleg liquor in front of an autographed picture of Baby Face Nelson. There will also be live music featuring Melissa Neels Band with special guests Jimmyleg, Wildhorse Creek, and King Slim. Admission is a $35 donation that will cover soft drinks, food and of course the great music. There will also be a wine and bottled beer cash bar. All donations will go to help Endangered Wolf Center and Wildlife Rescue Center save endangered wolves, canids and other species of native Missouri Wildlife. So slip on your best boots and join the animals for a musical evening!

Weathering the Storm

2011-08-30T09:24:00.000-07:00

During Hurricane Irene, many news sources reported displaced families and property damage totals, but few thought about the other populations affected by the storm. Thousands of squirrels, rabbits, dogs, cats, and birds were injured, orphaned, or displaced. Organizations all around the affected areas have been struggling to provide shelter for animals and humans alike. Virginia Beach SPCA alone sheltered more than 200 animals from the storm.
Larger animals such as horses, deer, and even zoo animals needed protection from the hurricane. Farm owners reinforced buildings and moved feed to high dry places. Local zoos transferred animals such as coyotes, foxes, birds, and other smaller animals to other facilities inland on higher ground, and moved larger animals to highland areas in enclosures. Deer in the Johnson Park Zoo instinctually headed to higher ground before the keepers got there. Animals always seem to sense when things are coming.
Whether the animals are household pets or natural wildlife, they deserve consideration during natural disasters. Wildlife tends to be able to protect itself and its young, and usually flees in advance of the storm. However, some animals don’t make it out in time and are trapped, injured, or orphaned. In these instances, local wildlife organizations should be contacted in order to provide proper care for these animals.
If the animals are in your care, such as birds, rabbits, turtles, or other animals that would be kept in outdoor enclosures, the best option would be for you to take them with you during an evacuation. The next best option would be to find some animal care shelters in your area that would be able to take the animals in emergency situations. If you have no other option, make sure your animals are in a safe shelter with enough provisions for a couple weeks. Even though a natural disaster like a hurricane may only last a few days, the roads may be impassable or area closed off for a longer period of time.
The same rules apply for house pets. These animals are less likely to be forgotten in these situations, but an alarming amount of displaced or abandoned pets are found in the wake of natural disasters. If you are unable to take your pet with you or find a shelter for the animal, you should make provisions for a few weeks. Also, to improve your chances of reuniting with your pets, should it be displaced, is to microchip your animals.

Let’s Save the Animals!

2011-08-12T09:05:00.000-07:00

Once covered 14% of the earth's land surface, rainforests now cover nearly 6% and experts estimate that the last remaining rainforests could be consumed in less than 40 years. One and one-half acres of rainforest are lost every second with tragic consequences for both humans and animals. Nearly half of the world's species of plants, animals and microorganisms will be destroyed or severely threatened over the next quarter century due to rainforest deforestation.
Wild animals such as tapirs are listed as endangered mainly due to loss of habitat and hunting. Population declines are estimated to be greater than 50% in the past 3 generations and suspected to be greater than 50% decline in the next 3 generations. Tapirs have a low reproductive rate, after a 13 month gestation period, the single offspring will usually spend up to two years with its mother; this is a serious factor contributing to population decline.
Conservation actions have been taken! A large number of tapirs are being kept in protected areas throughout its range. Six large Biosphere Reserves in Campeche, Chiapas and Quintana Roo hold the majority of tapirs. In Guatemala, the Maya Biosphere Reserve holds several hundred more, as should each of the other small parks in Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Republic of Panama.

Beating the heat in St. Louis

2011-07-18T10:09:00.000-07:00

As temperatures rise incredibly, the St. Louis County Parks Department and the Department of Health opened five cooling centers in St. Louis County. The centers were opened last Saturday and will remain opened through Thursday. They are located as follows:
• Affton Community Center
• North County Recreation Complex (Veteran’s Memorial Park)
• St. Vincent’s Community Center
• North County Community Health Center
• South County Health Center

If temperatures rise above 95 degrees, the Health Department recommends the following:
• Turn on the air conditioning to cool the air.
• Wear loose-fitting, lightweight, light-colored clothing.
• Spend as little time as possible in the sun and keep activity levels to a minimum.
• Drink plenty of cool, non-alcoholic beverages, especially those without sugar or caffeine.
• Take regular breaks in the shade or in an air-conditioned room.
• Eat light, easily-digested foods, avoiding hot, heavy, or greasy meals.
• Be sure not to leave food unrefrigerated for long.
• Take care of those who might not be aware of the danger or able to react accordingly –especially young children and the elderly. Check on your neighbors and relatives if they may be vulnerable or do not have air conditioning.
• Know the signs of heat exhaustion. If someone becomes dizzy, nauseated, or sweats heavily, find a cooler location for him or her immediately.
• Know the signs of heat stroke. Heat stroke is much more serious than heat exhaustion. If heat stroke is a possibility, call 911 immediately. Heat stroke is life threatening!

Green Travel

2011-07-11T09:20:00.000-07:00

During summer and early fall, road trips are very popular. Why not protect the natural and cultural environment of the places you visit? That means conserving plants and wildlife, respecting local cultures and ways of life; and contributing positively to local communities.

Since the amount of tourists crisscrossing the globe is nearly 1 billion per year, it’s important for travelers to minimize their individual impact on the earth's natural and cultural treasures. Taking a green approach to travel is an easy and essential way to protect the places you love to visit, not just for yourself but for the travelers who come after you and for the people who will continue to live there long after you've gone back home.

Here is a list of ideas and techniques that will help you save money and protect the environment while traveling:
1. Don’t drive everywhere, walk as much as possible.
2. If you are not able to walk to your destination, get on your bike.
3. Improve MPG. Keep tires inflated to their manufacturer-specified pressure, employ steady acceleration and drive at a steady speed that requires fewer gear changes.
4. Don’t charge electronics off car battery. It might be convenient, but it increases fuel consumption.
5. Remove rook racks. They increase the car’s weight and reduce aerodynamic efficiency.
6. Carpool! You actively reduce air pollution, increase outdoor air quality by having 1 car on the road instead of 4.
7. When traveling by plane, pack light. Your luggage is weighed at check in so that the amount of fuel needed for the flight can be calculated.
8. During your hotel stay, try not to waste energy unnecessarily.
9. Where possible, use public transportation. It is a great way of getting around and most towns and cities have adequate bus coverage.
10. Always remember to unplug all electronics and appliances before you leave home.

Reduce Your Water Footprint

2011-07-06T09:17:00.000-07:00

Did you know that the average American lifestyle is kept afloat by nearly 2,000 gallons of H2O a day—twice the global average?
The biggest surprise is that only 5% of that runs through toilets, taps, and garden hoses at home. Almost 95% of your water footprint is hidden in the food you eat, energy you use, products you buy, and services you rely on.
Less than 1% of all water is available for nearly 7 billion people and a variety of freshwater aquatic ecosystems. This tiny share of freshwater we have to use to meet all of our needs must be shared with the needs of millions of other species that we share the planet with as well.

What if you could help return more water to rivers, lakes, wetlands, underground aquifers, and freshwater species?
Here is a list of simple changes we could make in order to reduce our water footprint:

1.Choose outdoor landscaping appropriate for your climate. Native plants and grasses that thrive on natural rainfall only are best.
2.Install low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators. Because you’re saving hot water, you’ll also reduce your energy bill.
3.Buy a low-volume, ultra low-volume, or dual-flush model toilet.
4.Fix leaky faucets. All those wasted drops add up to 10-25 gallons a day.
5.Run your dishwasher and washing machine only when full. When it’s time to replace them, buy a water- and energy-efficient model.
6.Eat a bit less meat, especially beef. A typical hamburger can take 630 gallons to produce.
7.Buy less stuff. Everything takes water to make. So if we buy less, we shrink our water footprint.
8.Recycle plastics, glass, metals, and paper. Buy re-usable products, as it takes water to make most everything.
9.Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth and washing the dishes. Decrease a minute or two off your shower time.
10.Know the source of your drinking water—the river, lake, or aquifer that supplies your home. Once you know it, you’ll care about it.

The more we save, the more water we leave for healthy ecosystems and a sustainable future.

Duck Differences

2011-06-21T08:58:00.001-07:00

“If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably is a duck.”

Proverbial wisdom aside, many different species fall under the label of “duck.” And given that we’re in the midst of nesting season, it’s useful to know some differences between ducks common to our region, including the mallard and the wood duck.

If you have a duck or duckling on your hands, use these tips to identify a mallard from a wood duck:

Babies are the hardest to tell apart! The Illinois Raptor Center has pictures comparing mallard and wood ducklings. Both have a black stripe running into their eye. However, if you look closely, the mallard’s stripe continues on the other side of the eye (all the way to the bill), while the wood duckling’s stripe ends at the outside of the eye.
As they mature, the differences between mallards and wood ducks become more apparent. The All About Birds website, created by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, has great information on both mallards and wood ducks, including pictures, habitat information, and recordings of their quacks and calls.
In both species, males are the more colorful sex. Male wood ducks have a black, white, and green head, with red eyes, an orange bill, a reddish breast, and light brown sides. Male mallards have an emerald green head, a white neck ring, brown breast, and white wings with a blue tip.
Female wood ducks are mostly gray-brown, with blue and purple markings and a white ring around the eye.

If you spot an adult duck sitting in a single spot for hours at a time, it’s important to leave her alone. March through May, females are nesting, waiting for their eggs to hatch.

If you find baby ducklings that have seemingly been abandoned, explore the immediate area and see if the family is nearby. If so, move the duckling(s) as close to the rest of the family as possible as watch to see if they are accepted. If you know that the mother duck is dead, or if the babies are rejected or still unclaimed by their mother at nightfall, you can call the Center (if you’re located in Missouri) at (636) 394-1880 for further instructions.

The Good News About Chiggers?

2011-06-06T10:25:00.000-07:00

By Vickie Foster, Volunteer

Have you ever wondered what possible use there could be to some of nature's pests? Mosquitoes, poison ivy, sweet gum balls or chiggers come to mind. Man-made nuisances like taxes, traffic jams, grocery lines before snow storms at least have an explanation, maybe even a purpose. But chiggers?

Believe it or not chiggers do actually provide a benefit in the natural food chain. Anyone who has endured "chigger-itch" may not agree with the trade off but they can benefit humans too.

The chiggers that torment humans are the larval stage of harvest mites. After they finish torturing us with endless itching the mites move into the soil to live. Adults eat other insects and their eggs. The benefit to humans comes in from the fact that they eat the eggs of other pests like mosquitoes. So in a way chiggers relieve another itch.

More good news - chigger annoyance is a least avoidable. First of all there is a way to test if chiggers are present in your yard. The dastardly and diminutive creatures dash about in a frenzy to find a host. They move toward and onto anything new that's put into their area. Insert a black piece of cardboard or a white saucer vertically on the ground. They will swarm over the item and gather on the upper edges viewable with a magnifying glass. You know to avoid that spot for now! A well groomed lawn seldom has chiggers. Keeping it free from weeds and low-trimmed grass will help.

Chiggers are most active when temperatures are between 77 and 86 degrees. They avoid any object that is 99 degrees or above. Sitting on a sun baked rock while hiking is a chigger-safe choice. Also, when hiking a frequent rubbing with a towel or cloth will remove them before they do the most damage.

It may come as a small consolation to know that chiggers are so easily brushed off, they seldom finish a meal. Once brushed off mid-meal they can't bite again and they die.

Mosquito repellent sprayed around cuffs, ankles, waistbands and any entry to clothing deter chiggers, but it only lasts two to three hours. Powdered sulphur is the most effective defense. It's a case, however, where the solution may be as bad as the problem. Sulphur powder stinks! It is potent to chiggers though and available at most pharmacies under the name sublimed sulphur or flowers of sulphur. A quick web search shows it is available for as little as $1.86. Dusted around pants openings, socks and boots you'll be chigger-free, but a temptation to Pepe Le Pew.

Remember our animal friends here at the Wildlife Rescue Center. Our guest population today is at 269. While chiggers may be eating you, our animal guests are hungry too and welcome your donations.

Invasion of the Silence Breakers

2011-05-23T10:13:00.000-07:00

By Vickie Foster, Volunteer

Their black, crinkly, bodies striped in bright orange, by the hundreds they emerge and begin their invasion, distinctive by their red, almost glowing eyes. It's not the script for a late night horror flick, but the emergence of periodical cicadas that begins this month.

This brood of cicadas emerges every 13 to 17 years. They differ from the cicadas that emerge every year from late June to August earning the name "Dog-day" cicadas. Dog-day insects are green with dark eyes and do their droning call in the heat of the summer. Periodical cicadas will begin to call as soon as they molt their shells and their exoskeleton hardens this month. Then males' will only make their noisy cacophony for a few weeks.

You may have noticed the Swiss cheese appearance of the ground in some areas where these cicadas have emerged. There is safety in numbers for the enormous army when they crawl out. Their numbers are so huge that birds and predators are swamped with more than they can eat of the bulging-eyed insects.

Periodical cicadas have a short above-ground life cycle. The males, who escape being a bird meal, congregate in bachelor choruses to attract females. Crawling out in early May, the females are brown and wingless. They shed their exoskeleton leaving the shells that you've probably seen clinging to trees and plants. Females hang around waiting for the males to emerge and call. Sort of Juliets waiting for their Romeos to serenade them. Once mated, females cut slits in the smaller branches of trees. Eggs are deposited in the slits and offspring hatch in six to ten weeks. The newly hatched cicada then find their way to the safety of underground burrows where they will stay for 13 to 17 years. A long time to wait for a few weeks in the sun.

Female cicadas can damage young trees with egg slits, but mature trees weather the encounter unscathed. If you are concerned about immature trees try protecting them with mosquito netting or cheesecloth tied over the branches and secured at the trunk.

The brood of periodical cicadas emerging now is a healthy, large batch. The air will be filled with their hum for several weeks. At least they won't be as loud as they were in the summer of 1998. That year both the 17 year and the 13 year cicadas overlapped. It was the first time since 1777 this happened and they created a memorable racket.

Rehabbing Roger

2011-05-10T07:46:00.000-07:00

“Wildlife Rescue Center rehabilitates injured, sick and orphaned native wildlife and releases healthy animals to their natural habitat.” Sounds pretty simple, right? What many visitors to the Center may not realize, however, is that our work extends far beyond the boundaries of our physical site.

We wanted to give you a glimpse of the rehabilitation process, aided by an incredible staff and volunteer base.

Much of our animal rehabilitation takes place not at the Center itself, but in the homes of dedicated volunteers. Linda Haas, one of these “foster moms,” has worked with us since 2008. During her three years with WRC, she has nursed countless animals—including squirrels, opossums, bunnies, and waterfowl—back to health, preparing them for a return to the wild.

One of her recent success stories was Roger Squirrel, a late fall baby. When he got sick over the holidays, Linda brought him to her home. “He was pretty near death,” she recalls. But a strict regimen of TLC, including handfeeding, soon had Roger Squirrel on the road to health. Today, he is a healthy mature squirrel close to release.

Linda has loved her experience as a WRC volunteer. “Every day, I learn something new,” she says of her work.

Thanks to Linda and to all our foster parents!

A Baby Shower Like No Other!

2011-04-25T12:05:00.000-07:00

A Baby Shower Like No Other

Spring marks the start of baby animal season here at the Center. We have such an abundance it seems the sky is raining baby squirrels and baby rabbits are blooming from the ground. Come to our Open House and Baby Shower on Saturday, May 14 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and see how we are giving wildlife babies a good start in life. It will be like no baby shower you have ever been to before!

Activities for the day include:

• A behind-the-scenes tour of the center
• Education programs and crafts for children and youth
• Food, Games and Prizes
• Booths for more than 15 animal welfare and environmental groups

The center appreciates any assistance you can give to help our recovering wildlife babies. If you would like to give a shower gift, click on our wish list to see how you can help http://www.mowildlife.org/docs/wishlist.pdf

Join us for all the fun on May 14. We hope to see you there!!!

Springtime Bloomers

2011-04-18T08:47:00.000-07:00

Written by Vickie Foster, Volunteer

Among the many harbingers of Spring some of the most spectacular are Missouri wildflowers. The season for these delicate beauties starts in late March and continues until the first of May. Mid-April they are at their most exquisite best.

The drab winter landscape makes a bleak foil for the white and fragile pinks of the earliest blooming wildflowers in March. Some of the first to appear on the scene are Hepatica and Rue Anemone. While Hepatica starts out as a white flower, the striking mature blue flowers are easily seen against the spring forest floor

Hepatica Americana

Rue Anemone is also known as Windflower, Thimbleweed and even Smell Fox, because of the musky smell of the leaves. The flowers are usually white, but can be pinkish, lilac, blue or even yellow. Be aware though, the plant has toxins that are poisonous to humans and animals.

Among the other wildflowers of Spring are the yellow Celandine Poppies, the light lavender-to-pink Bluebells and the May-blooming Phlox. As temperatures begin to rise they are more abundant, but enjoy the painterly show while it lasts.

Once the thermometer rockets up toward the 80s, these delicate beauties gradually fade. As trees leaf out, the overhead light trickles to dappled spots edging out their display. When warm sunny days are the norm, the wildflower show changes venues. Open fields, meadows and sunny river banks then become the playground of bright, sun-loving summer wildflowers.

Unlike diminishing spring wildflowers, the needs of area wildlife explode in the spring. This one of our most critical times in terms of funds and volunteers. Celebrate the season by contributing of your time or donating by contacting us today. Area wildlife will thank you.

Squirrel Spring

2011-04-11T08:35:00.000-07:00

Written by Vickie Foster, Volunteer.

Now that Spring is here it’s raining baby squirrels at the center. Because one of their two mating seasons is in late December or early January the little balls of fur are plentiful now. With a gestation period of 45 days they are born anytime from February through March. A litter has from one to eight babies born hairless with closed eyes and ears. At birth they are completely helpless.

The little squirrel’s eyes will start to peek open in its fourth or fifth week. From the sixth to seventh week of age they are ready to venture out of the nest and by eight weeks their weaning starts. The fledgling climbers stay close to their nest for a while after weaning so by May there is a concentration of juveniles in the nesting areas.

Through a variety of calamities the tiny cuties arrive at the center for our care. They may have been blown out of their nest, unwittingly cut down in a tree or fallen victim to any number of other circumstances. If, after a phone consultation, a decision is made to bring a baby into the center, the care can be quite extensive.

Depending on the baby’s age it may need to be hand-fed. The cost for formula alone is $2 a day with the average length of stay being 30 days. That’s a cost of $60 for one squirrel. During the Spring we are usually at full capacity with 45 or more baby squirrels. The cost for their formula feeding comes to $2,700. This does not include any medications or solid chow food.

You can see that costs add up. If you or any of your friends would like to donate and help cover the cost of spring squirrel season please contact us at: 636 394-1880 or click on the support tab of our website: http://www.mowildlife.org

If you find a lost little squirrel go to this link on our website for detailed instructions.
http://www.mowildlife.org/found_animal_squirrel.html

Did We Forget Groundhog Day?

2011-03-23T09:32:00.000-07:00

Written by Suzi Margraff, Volunteer.

With all this crazy weather, we often think about the ones who predicted this spring, the groundhogs. Our lovable woodchucks can be found in abundance all over Missouri and right now is their mating season. Next month, baby groundhogs will be born and in July they will start to come out of their parents’ nesting chambers to go build their own burrows.

While groundhogs are actually part of the squirrel family, they make their homes underground in pastures, fields, woodlots, and sometimes near roads and building foundations. They will dig down about five feet underground and build a burrow system that can be about thirty feet long. They have front and back doors to this tunnel system that look like a mound of dirt next to a hole about a foot wide, just big enough for their chubby bodies to fit through. These openings lead down to their main chamber where they may have babies or even be hibernating during the winter.

Be careful not to disturb these areas, because as we all know, groundhogs can get scared, even by their shadow. If you hear a high-pitched whistle and see the groundhog dive into its burrow, give the animal its space. That whistle is the sound the groundhog makes when it is scared. This is also the sound that earned the groundhog its nickname, the “whistle-pig”.

Groundhogs may have more than one burrow: a winter home in a wooded area with a hibernation chamber under a stump or a tree for protection, and a summer home in a field close to food. While they may leave their burrows, other occupants like to use them, such as rabbits, raccoons, skunks and foxes. But mostly, groundhogs tend to stay near their burrows, only venturing out in the surrounding areas to forage. So, if you have woodchuck neighbors and want to see more of them, you may want to plant a garden for them to dine in. They love clover, alfalfa, beans, peas, and all kinds of grasses and broad-leafed plants, like dandelions and plantains, and are able to eat about a pound of food each day. They like to come out early in the morning or late in the afternoon, so you can have breakfast while you watch your bushy-tailed friends eat theirs.

It's Spring and a time for ... bats!

2011-03-22T07:55:00.000-07:00

Spring is sprouting, the weather is warmer and Robins’ cheery chirps drift in the breeze. Among the hallmarks of spring we don’t normally think of Bats. But this month marks the beginning of their migration from winter hibernating areas to their spring habitat.

Bats hibernate in colder months predominately in area caves. During the winter they snuggle in groups until the warm weather and plentiful insects of spring arrive. Although mating takes place during fall and winter, conception occurs in spring when the pregnant bats move to maternity sites or nursing colonies. Some Midwestern bats can travel an amazing 300 miles during this trip. Male bats hang out in separate bachelor colonies and do not assist with raising the young. Once in their summer roosting site, a colony will stay in the same location until returning to their caves for hibernation in the fall.

Most varieties of bats have only one or two babies born anytime from May to June. In the early weeks of a baby’s life it clings to the roof of the colony’s cave or shelter, remaining behind during their mother’s night time insect hunts. Several times during the night the mother will return to feed it. A colony can contain hundreds of babies, but somehow the mother locates her baby to care for it. Adult bats vocalize with each other and a recent study has shown that baby bats babble just like newborn humans. They chatter, bark and squeak practicing to imitate adult bats. After their initial first weeks, babies learn quickly and don’t spend very long relying on their mothers. They learn to fly and snag their own food, usually within 6 weeks.

The myths surrounding bats are not based on fact. Very few bats are rabid (less than one-half of 1 percent). Bat droppings in buildings are usually not a source of disease. They are not aggressive and will not attack people or pets. Aside from the plot of Dracula movies, any bats found in Missouri do not feed on blood.

Despite their usual creepy reputation, bats are a huge benefit to man and the environment:

• Missouri bats eat tons of insects and have a huge impact in controlling their numbers. One bat can eat 600 mosquitoes in an hour. They are the only major predator for nocturnal flying insects.

• Bats pollinate and disperse seeds in tropical zones.

• Our quality of life would be reduced without the advances medicine made with the help of bats in research. They have contributed to studies in everything from new surgical techniques to vaccines and drugs.

There are nine bat species commonly found in Missouri. Their greatest numbers are found in the thick forests and plentiful caves in the Ozarks. They range in size from The Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus), a mouse-sized bat to The Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus) twice the size of The Little Brown Bat. Among Missouri species The Indiana Bat and Gray Bat have been classified as endangered species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It is illegal to kill any bat in Missouri unless it is damaging your property.

For more information about making bat houses to attract our beneficial friends and bat-proofing your house see: http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=g9460

Blue Jays.

2011-03-07T05:43:00.000-08:00

The National Geographic website has a really good page on blue jays for all those interested in learning more about this native bird...

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/blue-jay/

Wild Canids and the Domestic Dog.

2011-02-28T08:47:00.000-08:00

The evolutionary process that brought about the domestication of the wild canid also created many other types of canids that have remained similar to dogs in genetic structure but with marked differences.

Wolves

The modern dog appears to be closely related to its most common ancestor, the wolf. The Canis lupus species includes more than 30 subspecies found in different parts of the world, some of which are now extinct. The subspecies vary greatly in size and colour, with the largest (averaging 95 to 100 pounds [43 to 45 kilograms]) found in the Arctic regions and the smallest (averaging 30 to 35 pounds) being the Texas red wolf.

The most striking similarities between the dog and the wolf are their instinctive behaviours of play, dominance and submission, scent marking, and the females' care for their young. Wolves are much more like dogs than like either coyotes or foxes in temperament and manners. Wolves appear to be instinctively more social than any of the other wild canids, thus lending themselves to interaction with humans in relationships beneficial to both. Wolves and dogs will mate willingly, as will dogs and coyotes. There are differences, however. The wolf matures more slowly than the dog. It reaches sexual maturity at about the age of two or three, at the same time that it achieves social maturity. A male wolf will not challenge the leaders of the pack until it is both physically and behaviorally mature. The female wolf cycles annually.

Coyotes

Coyote The coyote, Canis latrans, is a wide-ranging animal similar to wolves in some ways but different in others. Coyotes are light-boned, rangier in body with longer, narrower jaws and smaller ears and feet. They are thought to be the most intelligent of the wild canids because they have been able to survive and thrive despite human efforts to exterminate them for hundreds of years. Coyotes can weigh between 25 and 60 pounds and are usually gray to light tan in colour, depending on the region. There are more than a dozen subspecies of coyotes ranging throughout North and Central America. Coyotes tend to live in smaller groups than wolves, sometimes leading solitary lives until they reach sexual maturity at about two years, and they mate for life.

Foxes

Perhaps the most distinctive feature of the fox family, as compared with wolves and coyotes, is the eyes. They are yellow with elliptical pupils. All other canids, including dogs, have round pupils. Foxes are monogamous and do not live in packs. They are among the smaller species of canids, ranging from only 10 to 15 pounds. The more common foxes include the red fox, the gray fox, and the Arctic fox.

Fennec

The smallest canid is the fennec. It weighs about three pounds, and its ears are about one-fourth of its body size. This endangered species is native to the desert areas of North Africa and the Arabian and Sinai peninsulas.

Jackals

Black - backed jackal There has been some disagreement over the years about whether the jackal is a true canid, but the four known varieties are now thought to be part of the same genus. Jackals are native from southeastern Europe into southern Asia, India, and Africa. The best-known variety is the golden jackal, which is a shimmery rust-gold in colour. Jackals are fleet-footed hunters, but they also eat insects and are best known as scavengers after larger animals, such as lions. The other varieties are the crafty black-backed jackal, the shy side-striped jackal, and the rare Abyssinian jackal.

Other wild canids

There are several different species of wild canids in South America. They fall somewhere between the fox and the wolf but are neither. One of the most interesting is the maned wolf, found in southern South America.

The maned wolf is a fairly large animal, weighing about 50 pounds. It is very long-legged for its body length and is reddish brown in colour with a black ruff of hair around the neck. Its muzzle and feet are dark, and it has a white patch on the throat and a white plume on its tail.

In contrast to the maned wolf is the lowly Guiana bush dog. This short-legged, furry creature looks like a beaver but has longer legs and is an excellent swimmer and diver. It lives in packs of about 12 in the jungles of South America and is rarely seen by humans.

The most primitive member of the canid family is the Japanese raccoon dog. It is the only one that hibernates, moves into winter and summer ranges, and looks like a cross between a raccoon - because of its colour and markings-and a fuzzy fox. It has a heavy body (weighing a maximum of about 15 pounds) and is bred domestically for its fur, which is called tanuki.

One of the most important wild dogs is the dingo. It is believed that the dingo arrived in Australia between 9,000 and 15,000 years ago, but how it got there remains uncertain. Some scientists believe that the dingo is a small wolf, but others believe it is a true dog, much closer in behaviour to the domesticated dog than to the wolf. It has all the characteristics of a canine, with the exception that females cycle annually, like most of the other wild canids. Dingoes hunt in packs but may be found either alone or in a social group. Because dingoes are feared as livestock killers, considerable effort has been made to eliminate them, as with coyotes, although the latter have a higher survival rate. Dingoes are rarely seen in Australia now outside of zoos, and preservation efforts are being made to protect them in the wild.

Finally, the dhole, also called the Asiatic red dog, has the widest range of any of the wild canids. It is found throughout most of the Asian mainland as high as the Himalayas and as low as the tropical islands of Borneo. It is reddish brown in colour, and on certain parts of the body the hair is gray or dark-tinged. The dhole is short-haired with a sturdy body and a pointed, felinelike face. Other varieties of the dhole family resemble short-coated wolves or Siberian-type dogs. Dholes hunt in packs; they do not bark or growl but may howl or whimper as a means of communication. Several of the canid species do not bark, but all are capable of sounding alarms or signaling to each other through vocalization.

Many of the wild dog species can be found only in captivity now. Through the efforts of zoologists, humans can maintain the link between these animals and the domestic dog that has thrived under human protection.

A distinction must be made between wild dogs and feral dogs. Feral dogs are domesticated dogs that have escaped to the wild, either through accident or neglect, and have reverted in the natural state to some of the characteristics inherent in all canids. They hunt or scavenge, run in packs, and become difficult to manage and train. They may become predators without the innate fear of humans that most wild canids have. Feral dogs may be found in cities or in the country and may be a reservoir of disease and a danger to domestic animals and people.

Source: "dog." Encyclopædia Britannica from Encyclopædia Britannica 2007 Ultimate Reference Suite.(2007).

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

2011-02-14T10:48:00.000-08:00

We love native wildlife!!!

A Bit About the Northern Cardinal.

2011-02-07T08:07:00.000-08:00

Northern Cardinal(Cardinalis cardinalis)

The common and familiar Northern Cardinal is a bird whose range has expanded northward in the last 100 years. Originally a bird of the Southeast, the Northern Cardinal's range expanded north and northwest along the Mississippi River and its tributaries. In 1886 this cardinal was found only occasionally north of the Ohio River. By 1895 it had reached the Great Lakes, and by 1910, it was found in southern Ontario.

Since the 1950s, expansion to the northeast has increased whereas dispersal to the northwest has slowed. The first documented Northern Cardinal nesting in Connecticut was in 1943; it reached Massachusetts in 1958, and has since reached the southern Maritime provinces of Canada. The Cardinal is limited in the West to areas where the annual precipitation is at least 16 inches. Nationally, centers of abundance for this cardinal are along the Mississippi River and along the Colorado and Guadalupe Rivers in Texas. Less-dense populations occur in the valleys of the Ohio, Arkansas, Brazos, and Red rivers.

Cardinals are noted for their loud, clear whistled songs, often sung from a high treetop song post. Females will counter sing, duetting with males—usually after the males have established territories and before nesting begins. Local variations and accents have been noted in cardinal songs.

Typical habitats are thickets and brushy areas, edges and clearings, riparian woodlands, parks, and residential areas. Here the nonmigratory cardinals feed on a variety of foods including seeds, leaf buds, flowers, berries, and fruit. Up to one-third of its summer diet can be insects. Its winter diet is 90 percent vegetable matter, especially large seeds. Winter flocks can be very large, up to 60 or 70 individuals in areas of abundance.

Description: Northern Cardinals are a medium-sized songbird (approximately 8.75 inches in length) with short, rounded wings, a long tail, a heavy conical bill, and a crest. Males are nearly all brilliant red; brownish-gray-tinged scapular and back feathers give the upper parts a less colorful appearance. The coral red bill is surrounded by a mask of black that extends to a dark eye and includes the chin and throat. Legs and feet are dark red.

The female is soft grayish brown on the back with variable areas of red on the tail, crest, and wings. The underparts are a warm pinkish brown. Her coral red bill is also surrounded by darker but not black feathers, so her mask is not as distinct as the male's. Females are slightly smaller than males.

The juveniles are like females but more brown in color, with shorter crest and a blackish bill. They molt to adult plumage in fall.

The only other similar all-red birds in North America, the Hepatic and Summer Tanagers (Piranga flava and P. rubra), can be distinguished by their lack of crest and black mask and by their much slimmer bills. The related Pyrrhuloxia (Cardinalis sinuatus) is a similarly shaped bird with a similar song that may also attend feeders in the Southwest. It is a gray bird with a touch of red on its wings, tail, and the top of its crest. The male has red on its face where the cardinal has black and rose on its breast and belly. Both male and female are distinguished by strongly curved yellow parrot-like bills rather than the straighter and longer coral-red bills of the Northern Cardinal.

Copyright © 1999 Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Be sure to enjoy the cardinal's lovely songs as a reminder that spring is not very far away!

About Groundhogs (aka Woodchucks).

2011-01-31T09:54:00.001-08:00

Here is a link to a great page that has basic information about groundhogs, an animal commonly found throughout most forested regions of North America. It's a terrific page to prime learning about this fascinating marmot!

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/mammals/rodent/Groundhogprintout.shtml

Item Donations Needed for 2011 Trivia Night!!!

2011-01-21T09:08:00.000-08:00

The Wildlife Rescue Center's 2011 "Go Wild at Mardi Gras" Trivia Night will be on Saturday, February 26th this year, beginning at 6pm. This is a majorly fun event that really helps raise funds for native Missouri wildlife rehabilitation. And, one of the main ways this event raises the needed funds is through item donations that will then be used for raffle and auction.

Want to make a difference? Please, consider donating one or more of the following items:

Gift certificates for hotel stays

Gift certificates for evening out events (Fox, Muny, etc.)

Sports tickets

Movie tickets

Fine wines

Fine bourbons and brandy

Fine jewelry

Restaurant gift certificates

Cigars

Beer and whiskey glasses

Massage gift certificates

Manicure/pedicure gift certificates

Salon gift certificates

And, round trip airline tickets to a neat location.

Please, contact Jennifer Kornberger, our Manager of Volunteers, at 636-394-1880 ext. 212 or email volunteers@mowildlife.org for more information or to arrange making a donation.

Thanks!

Mourning Cloaks.

2011-01-18T08:04:00.000-08:00

Ever intriguing are the butterflies called Mourning Cloaks, also known as Winter Butterflies. Below is a link to a page with a good deal of information on these lovely creatures, which are native to Missouri and Illinois:

http://www.chicagowildernessmag.org/issues/winter2002/mourning.html

Red-tailed hawks.

2011-01-12T07:29:00.001-08:00

Want to learn more about North America's most common hawk?...

This is an excellent educational link:

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/printable/red-tailed-hawk.html

2011 "Go Wild at Mardi Gras" Trivia Night!!!

2011-01-05T11:57:00.000-08:00

The Wildlife Rescue Center's 2011 "Go Wild at Mardi Gras" Trivia Night will be on Saturday, February 26th this year, beginning at 6pm. This is a majorly fun event that really helps raise funds for native Missouri wildlife rehabilitation.

Interested in attending? Want to help us raise funds as a sponsor?

Visit our site to do all of this and more online:

http://www.mowildlife.org/event.html

Differences Between Coyotes and Wolves.

2011-01-02T07:38:00.001-08:00

A coyote can look similar to a wolf for someone not familiar with seeing the two regularly, but in fact both wolves and coyotes have many differences between them. And, red wolves are the species which are considered to resemble their coyote cousins the most.

Unlike a wolf, a coyote has a very bushy, thick tail, which it holds low to the ground. And, while most wolves generally have gray, black, or white fur, the coyote's coat tends to be dusky brown, copper, or even red hued. Wolves are also bigger in size than the coyotes. And, while an adult coyote weighs somewhere around 10 kg, a wolf can be around 25 kgs or more. The legs of a coyote are also visibly thinner than those of a wolf.

Coyotes are mostly found in the southern, central, and western portions Canada and all throughout the United States. Wolves can be found in Alaska, Northern US, Labrador, and the Yukon territories, although their ranges are subject to change.

Coyotes are generally considered shy and non-confrontational, and their main foods are smaller animals like mice and rabbits, certain vegetation, and carrion. They often hunt in pairs and prey on animals like deer when together. Wolves, on the other hand, prey on larger animals like goat, sheep, and moose, and they hunt in packs.

Sometimes coyotes can be found in more remote areas with few human inhabitants, but they usually do not cause any harm to the residents there. They can even be found in urban areas where the human population is rather dense. In fact, coyotes are helpful to human beings to an extent. They can prey on the small rodents, which tend to destroy cultivation. Coyotes are often considered by most who understand them to be highly intelligent and adaptable.

Wolves are fairly secretive and are not typically found within densely populated areas. They are not nearly as adaptable as the coyote to changing environments.

In terms of vocalizations and communication, wolves howl to communicate with the other members of the pack and even with other packs who might tread into their territory. They also howl to attract mates, when they wake up, and when they sense any danger. The howls or barks of coyotes can be very different, consisting of high pitched tones with long rising and falling notes. People refer to the calls of coyotes as yips and yelps.

In Summary:

1. Wolves are larger than coyotes.

2. Coyotes have bushier tails than wolves, and often hold their tails low to the ground.

3. Wolves hunt in packs, while coyotes hunt primarily in pairs.

4. Coyotes are more adaptable in general than wolves.

5. A wolf’s calls is termed a howl, while the calls of coyotes are termed yelps and yips depending on the rise and fall of the note.

Black Rat (Rattus rattus).

2010-12-20T09:19:00.000-08:00

The Black Rat occurs in a great many varieties and races, or subspecies, of which few are actually black, despite the common name. Believed to have come from Southeast Asia, this species spread through Europe centuries ago, long before the arrival of the Norway Rat.

It appeared in Central and South America in the mid-16th century, evidently carried there aboard Spanish ships; it arrived in North America with the early colonists at Jamestown in 1609, and gradually spread across the continent.

Formerly much more common, it has often been displaced by the slightly larger and more aggressive Norway Rat; this may be because the Black Rat does better in tropical climates and the Norway Rat in temperate climates, rather than because of overt competition. As Black Rats are far more common than Norway Rats on ships, they continue to be reintroduced at seaports.

Excellent climbers, in the South they live in the upper stories of buildings; they also make nests in tangled vines and in trees.

The black rat is considered native to Missouri. It's omnivorous and snakes, owls, dogs, and cats are its chief predators.

A Bit About Deer.

2010-12-06T12:36:00.000-08:00

Deer are members of the order Artiodactyle, which means that they have hoofs with an even number of toes.

Deer can be found all around the world and are native to all continents except for Australia and Antarctica. There are about 100 types of deer, including the whitetail deer, reindeer, elk, moose, mule deer, black tail deer and caribou.

Male deer are called bucks, bulls, stags or harts. Female deer are called does, cows or hinds. Young deer are called fawns or calves.

Deer can adapt well to just about any habitat. They prefer to live in "edge" habitats. Edges are human-made or natural habitat breaks, for instance from woods to croplands. They will use the woodlands for cover and shelter and the open land to graze in.

Deer in their many types are the only animals that have antlers. They are the fastest growing living tissue on earth. Antlers are usually only found on males. In some species, like caribou, you will also find them on females. Moose have the largest antlers. Antlers grow from spring until fall. While growing, antlers are covered with a soft tissue known as velvet. This tissue contains a network of nerves and blood vessels and is very sensitive. In the fall, the velvet is shed and the antlers harden. In the winter, the antlers are shed.

In Missouri, deer are very active in the month of December.

Hibernation - What Is It?

2010-11-29T11:22:00.000-08:00

For most animals finding enough food in winter can be difficult when the main source of food like insects or green plants is in short supply.

Some animals solve this problem by hibernating. Hibernation is a deep sleep that helps them to save energy and survive the winter without eating much.

During hibernation the animal’s body temperature drops, and its heartbeat and its breathing slow down so that it does not use much energy.

Hibernating animals get ready for their winter sleep by eating extra food and storing it as body fat which they then use as energy while sleeping.

There are two types of fat – regular white fat and brown fat.

The brown fat forms patches near the animal’s brain, heart and lungs. It sends a quick burst of energy to warm these organs first when it is time to wake up.

Some of the hibernating animals include fish, frogs and turtles, which have no way to keep warm during winter. They shelter under logs, rocks and fallen leaves in the water. When the weather gets cold, they move down to the bottom of lakes and ponds and some even burrow into the mud.

Some insects also hibernate and to keep warm they find holes in the ground, under tree bark or in rotting logs.

Some hibernators go into such a deep sleep that it is almost impossible to wake them, and they appear to be dead.

If the temperature falls too low some animals will awaken slightly and shiver to warm up a bit.

Even when the weather is severe, hibernators may wake up for a short period every few weeks to use their ‘toilet rooms’ and eat a little food if it is available.

Source: sciencemadesimple.com – copyright 1995

Want to learn some cool facts about hibernation?

2010-11-29T11:18:00.000-08:00

Check out Scholastic's website page on the topic!

http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/subarticle.jsp?id=4224

A Bit About Wild Turkeys.

2010-11-22T11:16:00.001-08:00

NatGeo has a great informational page about wild turkeys with interesting animal and historical facts, along with some great pictures.

Be sure to check it out!

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/wild-turkey.html

Fall Is Ideal for Planting Trees.

2010-11-08T12:46:00.000-08:00

Here at the Wildlife Rescue Center our Junior Volunteers recently planted persimmon and blackberry to help feed the local wildlife, and as it turns out the fall season is a great time to plant trees!

Check out this very informative article on planting trees this fall season:

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/falltreeplanting.html

Enjoy!

Missouri Owls.

2010-11-01T11:15:00.001-07:00

MISSOURI OWLS
by Kristin Clayton

Imagine your daily life being overrun by mice, rats and various other rodents. Other than playing the occasional Halloween prank, most individuals would consider an increase in the number of rodents a definite hindrance in their daily life. So why hasn’t this situation happened yet? Exterminators only take care of what is inside your home right? The answer comes from the Owl.
Missouri Owls are considered birds of prey that help control the rodent population by targeting the slow, weak or diseased for their meals. With this type of selection, owls not only control the number of rodents, but they also help to control the actual health and strength of the rodent population; get rid of the weak ones and eventually you will have the best to pick from.
Did you know that the owl is actually part of the “raptor” group? Yes, my first thought was dinosaurs also! They are a part of this group of predatory birds because they have talons (sharp claws) on their feet that they use for grasping their prey, as well as their very sharp beak for feasting upon. Even though they are a part of the “raptor” group, owls are actually closer to other nocturnal birds (like the whip-poor-will) than the day-time birds.
Now we’ve all seen owl eyes; either in pictures or in person. Other than the fact that those eyes are just amazing, the owl’s eyes both look straight ahead and are completely fixed in the eye sockets. With the eyes looking straight ahead, the owl can produce a type of 3D image, much like how humans see. This type of viewing allows the owl to sit high in a tree or fly high in the air and track their tiny meal with accurate distance perception. Because the eyes are fixed within the sockets, owls are forced to turn their heads in order to keep focused on an object.
Even more impressive than its eyesight is the owl’s hearing. The owl can actually hear in 3D also! Each ear is picking up information at slightly different angles and combined with the 3D hearing, owls may actually be able to locate their prey in total darkness by using their hearing alone.
There are many ways for you to help the local Missouri Owls, including preserving habitats, knowing when and how to help and just being aware of your actions.
To preserve an owl habitat, the best thing to do is just leave old barns and old hollow trees standing if at all possible. Many owls use these places as nesting grounds; and if you find a nest, leave it be. You can also help by building your own nesting boxes. Visit http://mdc.mo.gov/ and type in “owl nesting boxes” into the search. Also, being aware of how you are handling pests on your own can be very helpful. Remember that if you are using any poisons to rid your home of rodents, to use a minimal amount if no other options are available. These owls can potentially eat these rodents and ingest the poison themselves.
One last important note is that no matter how adorable these birds are, it is still considered illegal to adopt a baby owl. Owls raised in captivity often become sick and die rather quickly and even those who do survive never socially recover enough to be returned to the wild; and don’t forget the wild side—meaning these birds will attempt to defend themselves!
In the end, owls are a great part of Missouri wildlife. They keep our habitats running smoothly and keep the rodent population at a tolerable level. These birds should be respected, but also they need our help to retain their numbers and their habitats.

New Facebook Page!

2010-10-21T20:17:00.000-07:00

Be sure to join us on our new Facebook page! The old one closes tomorrow!

Here's the link to our new page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wildlife-Rescue-Center/160860253926521?ref=mf

See you there!

The Missouri Black Widow and Brown Recluse.

2010-10-19T13:11:00.001-07:00

THE MISSOURI BLACK WIDOW
AND
BROWN RECLUSE

by Kristin Clayton

Latrodectus mactans. The Black Widow. Even the name will send chills up your spine. Many native Missourians know the name and know to stay away. I remember this was one of the first arachnids I learned to identify as a child. I wasn’t allowed in the garage by myself because the Black Widow could be hiding anywhere.
Easy for children to learn and remember how to identify, the Black Widow is characterized by its jet black body with the signature red hourglass shape on the underside of its abdomen. To help with identification, almost all have red markings on the top side of their abdomens as well. The abdomens are normally much larger than the rest of the body and the females are much larger than the males. Information says that the male black widow usually have yellow and red bands and spots all over its body, but be careful because immature females are said to have similar markings; and only the females are venomous.
Black Widows are known for taking advantage of any uncommonly used locations and building their irregular webs within those spaces. They are not very picky, often constructing these webs among trash, litter, boards, rocks and really anything that hasn’t been used for a little while. Females are shy and nocturnal and hardly ever leave the web, which is unfortunately where most attacks occur. A person rummaging through things may brush against the web and be bitten or accidentally pin a Widow against them and she will bite in defense.
When bitten, the poison heads for the nervous system. Severe pain will begin at the site of the bite, followed later by dizziness, nausea, blurred vision and trouble breathing. By contacting a physician, fatalities are very rare and recovery is usually quick.

Loxosceles recluse. The Brown Recluse. Yet another Missouri spider that it taught to all and warned against. Found in about 70 percent of the homes sampled in a small study within Missouri, the Brown Recluse can be found in dry, cluttered places where they can hide out and wait for dinner.
Colors of the Recluse vary from light tan to dark brown and their six eyes are usually quite noticeable (although I don’t suggest getting a close look to make sure). The most distinctive marking for a Brown Recluse is the fiddle. This fiddle is darker than the rest of the body and starts just behind the eyes, extending to the back of the head, with the neck of the fiddle pointing to the rear.
Most encounters with this venomous creature happen at night when the Brown Recluse is active and foraging for food. During the day they are most likely to be hiding out and resting for their next hunting trip. Unlike the Black Widow, the Brown Recluse males and females are both venomous. Reactions to the venom in a person depend on the reaction of the person and the amount of venom injected. Painful reactions can occur almost immediately but most victims do not know they have been bitten for almost an hour. A small white blister will form at the bite location and the area will swell and become hard to the touch. This affected tissue will die and eventually slough off leaving a type of sunken, ulcerated sore. Medical attention should be sought quickly to prevent severe reactions and long-term effects. Recovery is actually very slow and can even take a few weeks, but again fatalities are rare.
Both of these spiders should be respected and well warned about. The first step to preventing bites is to teach the public, especially children, how to properly identify not only the spider itself, but also potential web/nesting areas and how to keep these places clear to discourage the spiders to move in.

Our New Website Design is Live!!!

2010-10-15T08:20:00.000-07:00

Our new website is up and live and looking great!!! Many thanks to our wonderful volunteer, Sherry Seavers, and S3 Media for doing such a fantastic job!

Be sure to check out the new site! It's very interactive!

www.mowildlife.org

Snakes: Do's and Don'ts by Stan Clark.

2010-10-11T07:16:00.000-07:00

Here is an informative article written by one of our very knowledge able volunteers. Enjoy!...

Although there are only five native venomous snakes in Missouri, a bite received from any snake should be taken seriously. And, since non-venomous and venomous snakes tend to resemble each other in appearance, it is always best to err on the side of caution in regards to any snake bite.

Snake Bite Do’s

• Wash the bite with soap and water as soon as possible.
• Keep the bite area below the heart as this has been shown to slow the flow of venom.
• Get medical attention as soon as possible.

Snake Bite Don’ts

• Don’t place ice on the bite, as this would make removing any venom with suction more difficult.
• Don’t tie a bandage or tourniquet too tightly as this can cut off blood flow and cause tissue damage to the infected area.
• Don’t cut or make any incision around the bite wound as this can lead to infection.
• And, as a very important note, don’t attempt to suck the venom out! Placing the venom in your mouth could cause it to enter your blood stream at a much faster rate.

Always pay attention to where you are walking and be safe out there this fall!

How To Grow Pumpkins.

2010-10-05T12:11:00.000-07:00

Information from Gardenersnet.com.

How to Grow Pumpkins

There's something special about pumpkins. Everybody loves pumpkins. People are fascinated by them. It is the only fruit or vegetable that people play with, and we do so in a big way. And, every gardener loves to grow pumpkins. Many people do not believe they have the space. But read on. You will be pleasantly surprised to discover that you can be growing pumpkins in very small and unique places.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Varieties of Pumpkins:

There are literally hundreds of varieties of pumpkins, from the small miniatures which only weigh a couple of ounces, to the giant varieties that routinely show up at fall weighoffs at 1,000 pounds and more! See the world record giant pumpkin

Pumpkins belong to the "Curcurbita" family. There are a wide range of varieties falling into these categories:

Cucurbita Moschata-- This group of primarily squash includes the pumpkins frequently used for commercially canned pumpkins. Commercial pumpkin varieties usually have a tan-colored skin.

Cucurbita Pepo- These are the Jack-o-Lantern pumpkins you carve on Halloween, as well as the cute little miniature pumpkins that fit in the palm of your hand. Some of the most popular varieties include:

Connecticut Field pumpkin

Howden pumpkin

Howden Biggie

Jack B. Little Miniature pumpkins

Cucurbita Maxima- Maxima, as it's name implies, are the giant pumpkins. Giant pumpkin growing has become a very popular hobby. Giant pumpkin growers are among the most devoted, and perhaps fanatical of gardeners. Popular giant pumpkin varieties include:

Atlantic Giant pumpkin

Big Max pumpkins

Buy giant pumpkin seeds

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Days to Maturity:

Days to maturity varies widely, depending upon variety. Plan 90-100 days for miniature pumpkins, 100-120 days for Jack O'Lanterns and 130-160 days for giant pumpkins.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How to Grow Pumpkins:

Pumpkin plants can be started indoors 2-3 weeks before the last frost date in your area. Or, pumpkin seeds can be direct seeded into your garden. Plant these tender annuals outdoors after the last frost date for your area.

Pumpkins are vining plants that can quickly spread very far. Follow the spacing directions on the packet. They can vary significantly variety. Water well after planting, and a second time two to four days later, only if there has been no rain.

Pumpkin seeds can be planted in hills four to six feet apart Sow four to six seeds per hill, thinning to two to three. Or, plant in rows six inches apart, thinning to 1 to 3 feet apart, depending upon how much space you have. Plant miniatures closer, and Giants farther apart.

Pumpkins are big feeders. They prefer a very rich soil, with lots of compost and manure (if you can get it). Fertilize on a regular basis. Use a high nitrogen formula in early plant growth. Switch over to a fertilizer high in Phosphorous (the middle number) just before the blooming period.

Pumpkins also need lots of water. Try to keep the soil moist, not wet, at all times. It is also important to avoid getting the leaves wet, if possible. Heat and humidity is the perfect ingredient for powdery mildew, a major problem for your pumpkin patch. Also, avoid watering near dark.

Is your garden space limited? When it come to growing pumpkins, where there's a will, there's a way. Let the vines grow across the lawn or sidewalk. It's only for a few weeks. You might be amazed at some of the places that people have grown pumpkins. We received an email from a woman in Los Angeles. She was growing pumpkins on the rooftop of a high-rise apartment, inside of an old kiddie pool. Growing pumpkins in big 5-10 gallon buckets is possible. Try miniature varieties and let them hang off the deck.

It's easy to tell when a pumpkin is ripe. It turns a bright orange. Pick them when ripe, and put them somewhere in or around the house where they can glow!

Tip: The stem gives pumpkins character. Use a sharp knife to cut the stem. And, never carry a pumpkin by the stem, as it can break.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Insects and Pests:

Gardeners love pumpkins. Insects and a wide variety of pests love 'em, too. The most common insects are Cucumber beetles, squash vine borers and squash bugs. Dusting or spraying regularly before an infestation occurs, is recommended.

Squash Vine Borers (SVB's) are a serious problem in some areas. SVB's bore into the vine, and eats the vine from the inside out. Untreated, it ends your season. More on Squash Vine Borers.

Among the animals that love pumpkins (either the plants or the fruit) are bunnies, woodchuck, squirrels and deer. Use animal repellent like pepper and garlic sprays as needed. More on sprays.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pumpkin Plant Diseases:

A variety of diseases affect pumpkins, most notable is powdery mildew. Apply fungicides at the first sign of a problem. Better still, apply them before plant disease problems occur. Hot, humid weather encourages pumpkin diseases.

Tip: Allow enough time after watering for the leaves to dry before evening. Water on the leaves in warm weather encourages plant disease.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hardiness:

Pumpkins are tender annuals. Protect them from frost and cold weather both spring and fall. Weather below 50 degrees will slow or even stunt their growth.

Last Night's Leadership Training.

2010-09-28T09:20:00.000-07:00

It was so great to see so many people make it to our Leadership Training last night for our Shift Suervisors and Volunteer Mentors. The active discussions on leadership in terms of social influence and support were extremely helpful in putting a positive outlook on working together and motivating one another. Leadership can be empowering to those who are leading in the moment and those who follow.

Here are some tips we shared last night on Leadership Lessons from Geese:

Lesson 1: As each goose flaps its wings it creates an “uplift” for the birds that follow. By flying in a “V” formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone. People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.

Lesson 2: When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it. If we have as much sense as a goose we stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept their help and give our help to others.

Lesson 3: When the lead goose tires, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies to the point position. It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership. As with geese, people are interdependent on each other’s skills, capabilities and unique arrangements of gifts, talents or resources.

Lesson 4: The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. We need to make sure honking is encouraging. In groups where there is encouragement the production is much greater. The power of encouragement (to stand by one’s heart or core values and encourage the heart and core of others) is the quality of honking we seek.

Lesson 5: When a goose gets sick, wounded, or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again. Then, they launch out with another formation or catch up with the flock. If we have as much sense as geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong.

Leadership: Get Involved. Stay Involved.

That Pesky Dandelion is Good for You!

2010-09-22T06:51:00.000-07:00

The name of the article peaked my curiousity enought that I read the whole thing. Lots of interesting information about a common plant often considered a "weed"... the dandelion.

Visit the following link to learn a lot more about this plant:

http://www.ligrows.com/blog/that-pesky-dandelion-is-good-for-you/

A Bit About Flying Squirrels.

2010-09-13T08:10:00.000-07:00

Since we now have four flying squirrels in our care at the Wildlife Rescue Center, I thought I would post a linked resource for all those interested in learning more about these amazing animals.

Did you know that there are northern and southern flying squirrels?

Were you aware that flying squirrels do not actually fly but glide?

Did you know that they are able to glide with the use of a special membrane called a patagium?

Want to learn more?...

Visit www.flyingsquirrels.com for lots of educational information about these animals for both children and adults!!!

And, be sure to visit our website often for lots of animal information at www.mowildlife.org .

American Wildflower: Black-Eyed Susan

2010-09-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

Every so often I'd like to start posting a little bit of info about native plants in North America. It helps to have an understanding of native plants to then deepen one's understanding of native wildlife. Today is you'll find some information about the Black-Eyed Susan!

The Black-Eyed Susan is a stiff, upright annual or short-lived perennial native to the eastern United States, but it has become endemic throughout North America.

The Black-Eyed Susan is probably the most common of all American wildflowers. The characteristic brown, domed center is surrounded by bright yellow ray florets. It thrives in most soils in full sun.

It is a true sunshine worshiper that forgives neglect.

Blooms from June through August.

A Short Blurb from Telegraph.co.uk with Good Questions.

2010-08-30T18:01:00.000-07:00

Human activities such as habitat destruction and pollution have had a catastrophic effect on the numbers of birds, animals, marine and freshwater creatures, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

According to the conservation charity's Living Planet Index, the number of land-based species fell by 25 per cent, marine species by 28 per cent and freshwater species by 29 per cent between 1970 and 2005.

The charity estimates that the situation will get worse because of climate change, and that an EU undertaking to halt biodiversity loss by 2010 will fail.

How concerned are you about the disappearance of so much wildlife? What more can be done to protect endangered species?

Is the loss of biodiversity an inevitable price of human development and expansion?

--- Telegraph.co.uk

So, any thoughts, comments, opinions?...

Carol House Furniture Presents the 4th Annual "Drive Me Wild" Golf Tournament!

2010-08-30T17:55:00.000-07:00

Carol House Furniture Presents the 4th Annual "Drive Me Wild" Golf Tournament for the Wildlife Rescue Center! The Tournament will take place on Friday, September 24th at the Landings at Spirit!

Want to enter the tournament?
Sponsor a hole?
Give a donation?

Email volunteers@mowildlife.org ! All procedes help to build a new aviary!!!

Get Involved. Stay Involved.

Operation Clean Stream Open House.

2010-08-28T09:50:00.001-07:00

The Wildlife Rescue Center has a booth at today's Operation Clean Stream Open House at Green Tree Park in Kirkwood. It is such a lovely day to be at the park supporting great groups and great causes.

If you find you have time today, stop by and see us! We'll be there until 2pm!

As Autumn Approaches...

2010-08-24T12:21:00.000-07:00

As summer draws to a close and the weather begins to cool, so Mother Nature’s calendar will wind down as the days shorten. Here at the Wildlife Rescue Center our busy seasons of spring and summer are ending, but the opportunity to volunteer and to get involved is just beginning!

The Wildlife Rescue Center is a grass-root, not-for profit 501(c) (3) organization, and we accomplish many important tasks with a very small staff. Therefore, we rely greatly on volunteers to help with many essential tasks including:

•Direct animal care (which is most prevalent in the spring and summer)
•Assisting with wildlife and environmental educational programs & outreach
•Answering phones at the Center
•Office work
•Maintenance & building animal enclosures
•Graphic design
•Helping to plan and orchestrate special events
•Serving on fundraising committees
•Public Relations
•Intern Programs
•And, more!!!

The Wildlife Rescue Center offers a Junior Volunteer Program, a Shadow Volunteer Program, and an Adult Volunteer Program.

We will also be offering Volunteer Meet Ups and Educational Lectures throughout the slower fall and winter months.

Get Involved! Stay Involved!

Visit our website for more information at www.mowildlife.org .
Or, email our Volunteer Coordinator at volunteers@mowildlife.org .

More About Squirrels.

2010-08-20T11:55:00.000-07:00

Here at the Wildlife Rescue Center we are getting our second season of squirrels. As of right now the Center has 67 squirrels in its care, most of them being very small babies. So, I thought it would be a good idea to post some more information about squirrels at this time, even though I posted a link to some squirrel basics earlier in the season.

Squirrel's belong to the order "Rodentia" and with 1650 species, it is the largest group of living mammals! It also comprises forty percent of all present day mammal species. Pretty impressive, I think. And, there are over 365 species of squirrels in seven families. They include the tree squirrel, ground squirrel, and flying squirrel. Plus many squirrel-like mammals such as the gopher, ground hog, and prairie dog.

Squirrels are the most active in late winter, when the mating season begins. The males will chase a females, as well as, chase off other suitors. This ritual of chasing, occurs through the trees at top speed. While they perform some of the most breathtaking acrobatics imaginable. The period of gestation varies from 33 days in the smaller species of pine squirrels, up to 60 days for the larger species such as the common gray and fox squirrels.

Squirrels are usually born in the early spring, around late February or early March. The average litter consists of around three to four squirrels. This varies with climate and location though. A second litter can occur in mid summer if there is an adequate food supply. And, this second litter is what we are seeing so much of right now at the Wildlife Rescue Center.

A baby squirrel weighs approximately one ounce at birth, and is about one inch long. They do not have hair or teeth, and are virtually blind for the first six to eight weeks.

Gray squirrels actually come in many colors. Shades of gray are the most common followed by shades of brown. There are also pure white and pure black squirrels, but both are considered variations of the gray squirrel. The common Red squirrel can have an all black coat also. While the Kaibab squirrel has a black body with a white tail. Both are found in coniferous forests.

In the summer squirrels are most active two to three hours after sunrise, then they'll rest in the afternoon. Resuming activity again two hours before sunset. The squirrel will retire to its nest well before dark, and will rarely leave the nest in the dark. In the winter, the squirrel will complete its activities between dawn and mid- day, and will remain in or around the nest until the next day. But, during winter storms, or severe cold, the squirrel may not leave the nest for days. However, the tree squirrel does not hibernate!

An adult squirrel normally lives alone. But will, in severe cold, share its nest with other squirrels to conserve body heat. Once the temperature rises, the guests will be on their way.

The gray squirrels diet consists of nuts, seeds, and fruit. It will eat bird eggs, bugs, and even an animal carcass if there is no other food source available. The gray squirrel requires some salt in its diet, and may find this salt in the soil along roads where snow and ice may have been. The average adult squirrel needs to eat about a pound of food a week to maintain an active life.

Squirrels chew on tree branches to sharpen and clean their teeth. That's why you may see many small branches on the ground around large trees. They will also chew on power lines for the same reason, this has caused many major power outages throughout the country.

Squirrels communicate through a series of chirps. The frequency, and the duration of the notes communicate everything from laughter to alarm. Their frequency range is normally between .01 KHz. and 10 KHz. (kilohertz). These sounds when used in conjunction with tail gestures, form the basis for squirrel communication.

When a squirrel senses danger, its first instinct is to stand motionless. If on the ground it will race to the closest tree, or other climbable object to escape. If it is in a tree, it will circle the trunk with its body pressed tightly to the bark. The squirrel's erratic path while crossing a street is an attempt to confuse the oncoming vehicle... thereby causing it to change direction. This is obliviously the squirrels biggest, and often last mistake.

So, there you have a bit more about squirrels and a bit more about squirrel seasons, litters, and habits.

For more information about native Missouri wildlife, including squirrels, visit our website at www.mowildlife.org .

A Bit About Opossums.

2010-08-16T08:37:00.000-07:00

The average opossum is about the size of a house cat. Its beady black eyes and paper thin ears resemble those of a bat, while it also has sharp claws and around 50 pointy teeth. Its fur is rather soft, also like a cat. And, the opossum tail is tapered, 8 to 12 inches, and somewhat scaly. The neatest thing about the opossum tail though is that it is prehensile, which allows the animal to use it a lot like a fifth hand! Illustrations to the contrary, the opossum’s tails, while adapted to wrap around objects for support or balance are too weak to allow a mature animal to hang from a tree limb.

The opossums is found all throughout North America.They range from southern Mexico north to approximately the Canadian line. They live in all areas of the continental U.S. except Alaska, the western Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, and portions of the the Great Basin.

Opossums are omnivores. They eat carrion, worms, eggs, snails, insects, snakes, crayfish, toads salamanders, mice, birds slugs, fruits, vegetables, garbage. They nearly always feeds at night, and are most active between dusk and dawn. During the day they sleep in a hole in the ground or in a hollow tree. They are climbers and will sometimes enter a hole in an attic wall to spend days safely sleeping under the roof.

Although they acquire a layer of fat in the fall, they neither store food nor hibernate so opossums must eat constantly. Solitary hunters, they may forage several acres in a single night and move frequently to new locations. When food is abundant, they will hange around for more than two or three days.

Bats

2010-08-09T09:07:00.001-07:00

With everything going on in Missouri with the bat popluations, I thought it would be good to post a link to a page that thoroughly goes over bats so that folks can better understand them as an animal.

Check out this link to an article by the Missouri Department of Conservation:

http://mdc.mo.gov/conmag/2000/03/missouri-bats

A Bit About Raccoons.

2010-08-02T07:50:00.000-07:00

The raccoon (Procyon lotor) is a native mammal to Missouri, measuring about 3 feet long, including its 12-inch, bushy, ringed tail. Because their hind legs are longer than the front legs, raccoons have a hunched appearance when they walk or run. Each of their front feet has five dexterous toes, allowing raccoons to grasp and manipulate food and other items.

Raccoons prefer forest areas near a stream or water source, but have adapted to various environments throughout Missouri, including urban areas. Raccoon populations can actually get quite large in urban areas, owing to hunting and trapping restrictions, few predators, and human-supplied food.

Adult raccoons weigh 15 to 40 pounds, their weight being a result of genetics, age, available food, and habitat location. Males have weighed in at over 60 pounds. A raccoon in the wild will probably weigh less than the urbanized raccoon that has learned to live on handouts, pet food, and garbage-can leftovers.

Raccons should be kept out of human homes, not cornered, and not treated as pets. Keep wildlife wild!

A Bit About Skunks.

2010-07-26T09:51:00.000-07:00

Most folks are familiar with skunks to a greater or lesser degree, but below is some information about them that you may not have been aware of before...

There are four different kinds of skunks found in the United States. The spotted and striped skunks are the most widely distributed and therefore more likely to come into contact with people. The hooded and hog-nosed skunks are rarer and found mostly in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.

The spotted skunk prefers the country and spends most of its life near farms.
The striped skunk is more adaptable and lives in a variety of habitats.

Skunks are placid, retiring, and non-aggressive. They try very hard not to get in harm’s way. They have a home range of a few hundred acres at most. They are primarily nocturnal and usually solitary – except when mothers are raising their babies. They are active throughout the year, but in northern areas, they spend the coldest parts of the winter in their dens.

Skunks eat mostly insects, many of which are pests to humans. They are therefore very beneficial to have around. They also eat some plant material, including wild fruits, apples, and corn. In winter and spring they may eat mice and the eggs of ground-nesting birds.

Breeding usually occurs in late winter or early spring and gestation averages about 60-75 days, so babies are usually born in May or June. Second litters and late births do occur. After mating, a female can store the male’s sperm and delay initiating pregnancy for some weeks. Litters range from 3 to as many as 10 young who remain in the nest for about two months, after which they begin to follow their mom as she forages.

All skunks seem able to dig their own burrows but will also use abandoned dens of other animals, hollow logs, wood or rock piles, under buildings, stone walls, hay or brush piles, and trees or stumps.

The skunk’s main defense is a complex chemical substance that includes sulfuric acid that can be fired from either one of two independently targetable anal glands. Because of this ability, skunks will stand and face a threat rather than run away. This works well with people and animals but is useless against cars. As a result, many skunks die on roadways -- to the point of being wiped out entirely from areas with a lot of traffic.

Mushrooms.

2010-07-22T09:38:00.000-07:00

At our 2010 Summer Camp kids got a rare opportunity to learn from a local expert about native Missouri mushrooms.

Below is a link to a great article from Missou Weekly for those who are interested in more information:

http://mizzouweekly.missouri.edu/archive/2010/31-29/be-careful-about-identifying-wild-mushrooms,-mu-expert-warns/index.php

Owl Pellets.

2010-07-22T09:32:00.000-07:00

Owl pellets are masses of bone, teeth, hair, feathers and exoskeletons of various animals preyed upon by owls, and perhaps other birds of prey. Pellets are produced and regurgitated not only by owls, but by hawks, eagles and other raptors that swallow their prey whole of in small pieces.

Owls tend to feed early in the evening and regurgitate a single pellet approximately 20 hours after eating. Unlike snakes, the protein enzymes and strong acids which occur in the digestive tract of owls do not digest the entire meal. The relatively weak stomach muscles of the bird form the undigested fur, bones, feather etc. into wet slimy pellets. In this process even the most fragile bones are usually preserved unbroken.

Owl pellets themselves are ecosystems, providing food and shelter for communities which may include clothes moths, carpet beetles and fungi. Clothes moth larvae are frequently abundant in pellets, feeding on fur and feathers. The black spheres about the size of periods (.) that are found in the pellets are the droppings of the caterpillars. The larvae metamorphose near the surface of a pellet in cocoons made of fur.

The kids in our Summer Camp got the chance to disect owl pellets to find bones, feathers, and lots of other things!

Even More Summer Camp Pictures!!!

2010-07-19T19:57:00.000-07:00

The second week of Summer Camp has officially begun! In the pictures above the kids enjoy sand painting! It was really neat!

2010-07-14T19:47:00.000-07:00

Summer Camp 2010 is well under way, and it is an awesome experiece for everyone! Check out even more pictures on our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wildlife-Center-of-Missouri/79983177053.

Summer Camp Begins on Monday!!!

2010-07-11T14:17:00.000-07:00

Our 2-week Summer Camp is coming up on Monday, July 12th, and it looks like it is going to be really exciting!!!

There will be lots of fun educational activities, and we'll be utilizing all of our indoor and outdoor space as the children learn about native Missouri wildlife... including aquatics! And, at the end of the camp there will be a Festival of Nations!!!

For more information about this amazing experience and upcoming events, visit our website at www.mowildlife.org .

Spend the "Dog Days of Summer" like a Squirrel!

2010-07-05T14:49:00.001-07:00

These photos are of one of the squirrels at the Center on the squirrel porch in his little hammock.

Grey Squirrels.

2010-07-04T15:37:00.000-07:00

The Grey Squirrel is one of the most prevalent squirrels in Missouri. To learn more about these interesting animals, I recommend checking out this page:

http://www.arkive.org/grey-squirrel/sciurus-carolinensis/info.html

Enjoy!!!

Baby Otters.

2010-06-28T07:21:00.000-07:00

Otter Pups have to be taught to swim by their moms,

and to feel as safe on land as in the water.

Here is a video that displays the otter pups having a swimming lesson:

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=QpTqV6LPl8c

Turtles!

2010-06-22T13:25:00.000-07:00

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has a very informative page about Missouri's turtles. Check it out:

http://mdc.mo.gov/nathis/herpetol/turtles/

Here are some pictures of turtles currently at the Wildlife Rescue Center:

At the Center we have box turtles, a slider, and a snapping turtle.

Dinner Last Night.

2010-06-22T13:23:00.000-07:00

Last night members of the Wildlife Rescue Center had a dinner to honor two of our staff members who are moving on the pursue additional goals. We wish you all the best, Bonnie and Lois!!!

I would also like to thanks both members for continuing to stay on as volunteers with the Center! Your kindness and dedication are amazing!!!

Thanks to the St. Louis Pagan Picnic!!!

2010-06-14T13:40:00.000-07:00

I just want to send out a big thank you to The Moon Sisters for sharing their booth at the St. Louis Pagan Picnic with the Wildlife Rescue Center!!! Thank You!!! We did great with donations, volunteers, and local resources! And, thanks to all the folks with St. Louis Pagan Picnic! Thank You!!! Your event has been a huge help to us!

Catnip Spray for Bug Bites.

2010-06-10T11:25:00.000-07:00

About a week ago I got my first mosquito bite of the season, and for about a week now I have been using a catnip and peppermint oil spray (all natural and organic) to keep the bugs from biting me.

For some reason I tend to be one of those people that the bugs really want to chew on morning, noon, and night.

Well, I have to say that the catnip spray is proving to be highly effective for keeping the bugs away. I haven't been bitten again all week!... plus, my cats at home can't get enough of me! And, since it's not toxic to the environment or harmful to my health, it is a solution to the summer bites that I can feel good about.

Catnip spray can usually be found in most health food stores. So, check it out!

Also, I've heard that taking garlic capsules and eating a lot of garlic can also help, but I personally don't like burping garlic all day long.

Ducks at a Local Water Source.

2010-06-07T10:21:00.000-07:00

Here is a female mallard and her babies at a local water source.

Squirrel.

2010-05-30T18:34:00.001-07:00

One of the squirrels at the Center that is nearly ready for release.

A Opossum Currently Rehabilitating.

2010-05-27T13:11:00.000-07:00

Check out this picture of one of the opossums currently rehabilitating at our Center!

The Open House Was Awesome!!!

2010-05-22T16:07:00.001-07:00

The Open House today was soooo amazing! The volunteers did incredible work, the vendors were super cool, and we got great media coverage!!! Even the weather cooperated! :)

Open House Tomorrow from 10am-3pm!!!

2010-05-21T15:34:00.000-07:00

Please join us for our Wildlife Baby Shower Open House!!! Set up is well under way, and the Center is looking superb! A big thanks to all of the volunteers who have helped to make this event possible. We couldn't have done it without our volunteers!

This event will be held tomorrow, Saturday, May 22nd, from 10am to 3pm at the Wildlife Center of Missouri on New Ballwin Road.

We'll have interactive children’s activities with prizes, educational lectures, games, crafts, behind-the-scenes tours, vendors, animal welfare groups, and much more!

Baby gifts from our wish list are appreciated. Our wish list and our address can be found on our website at www.mowildlife.org .

Open House Will Be Here Soon!!!

2010-05-15T17:39:00.000-07:00

This coming Saturday, May 22nd, is the Wildlife Center of Missouri's Open House. This year's theme is "A Wildlife Baby Shower".

The planning and preparatins for the Open House have really come together beautifully. Lots of volunteers are very involved and are working hard to make this a memorable event.

There will be lots of activities, games, crafts, educational lectures, vendors, animal welfare organizations, tours, merchandise, and more! I can hardly wait! Come on out and join us!

www.mowildlife.org

A Wildlife Baby Shower, Open House!

2010-05-10T15:02:00.001-07:00

Please join us for our Wildlife Baby Shower!!!

This event will be held on Saturday, May 22nd, from 10am to 3pm at the Wildlife Center of Missouri.

We'll have interactive children’s activities with prizes, educational lectures, behind-the-scenes tours, vendors, animal welfare groups, and much more!

Baby gifts from our wish list are appreciated. Our wish list and our address can be found on our website at www.mowildlife.org .

Volunteers Needed!!!

2010-05-10T15:00:00.001-07:00

It's Spring... and, it's baby season!!!

And, the Wildlife Center of Missouri is busy caring for injured, sick, and orphaned native Missouri wildlife.
Want to help?...

The Wildlife Center is a grass-root, not-for profit 501(c) (3) organization, and we accomplish many important tasks with a very small staff. Therefore, we rely greatly on volunteers to help with many essential tasks including:

•Direct animal care
•Assisting with wildlife and environmental educational programs & outreach
•Answering phones at the Center
•Office work
•Maintenance & building animal enclosures
•Graphic design
•Helping to plan and orchestrate special events
•Serving on fundraising committees
•Public Relations
•Intern Programs
•And, more!!!

The Wildlife Center of Missouri offers a Junior Volunteer Program, a Shadow Volunteer Program, and an Adult Volunteer Program.

Interested in learning more?
Want to get started?

Visit our website for more information at www.mowildlife.org .
Or, email our Volunteer Coordinator at volunteers@mowildlife.org .