ForFoxSake

Found an Orphaned Animal? Keep it Warm!

If you find a baby animal and are certain that it is truly orphaned— for example, because you actually saw the mother’s body nearby or because the babies are clearly emaciated— the most important thing you can do is keep it warm! Hypothermia— freezing to death— is the most common cause of death in orphanedContinue reading “Found an Orphaned Animal? Keep it Warm!”

Songbird Fever in Cats: A Warning

Have you seen the warnings we’ve posted about the salmonella epidemic affecting songbirds? There’s another side of it too, and it’s one I have firsthand experience with. I hope that this warning might save both birds and cats. This is my daughter, and this is her best friend, Happy. As an advocate for both wildlifeContinue reading “Songbird Fever in Cats: A Warning”

Where are Armadillos in Winter?

Did you know that armadillos are tropical animals? They evolved from the same common ancestor as anteaters and sloths, and are made to live only in environments that are toasty-warm all year. Nature didn’t equip them with the ability to hibernate and they don’t have the warm, thick coats or body fat that most mammalsContinue reading “Where are Armadillos in Winter?”

Tennessee’s Elk: A Success Story

We love our native wildlife! Did you know that Tennessee is home to a herd of over 400 wild elk? They’re one of our state’s most amazing conservation success stories. Elk once roamed Tennessee in herds numbering in the thousands. Unmanaged hunting caused their numbers to plummet, as did the destruction of the prairies andContinue reading “Tennessee’s Elk: A Success Story”

The Coyote’s Violet Gland

If you’ve been lucky enough to see wild coyotes up-close, you might have noticed that many have a prominent dark spot on their tails. Just under this spot is a nifty organ called the supracaudal gland or violet gland! It gets its name because it produces a musky oil that smells very strongly like violets.Continue reading “The Coyote’s Violet Gland”

Getting Raccoons Out of Your Attic Humanely

It’s a situation that happens to every year: a home owner discovers that a raccoon has tried to raise a family in an attic or crawlspace. When Mom is out looking for food, the home owner brings the kits to a wildlife rehabilitator— often refusing to take no for an answer— and assume that theContinue reading “Getting Raccoons Out of Your Attic Humanely”

Raptors are Not Dinosaurs

When we say things like, “We’ll get you the number for a raptor rehabilitator,” many people respond by informing us that raptors are extinct. Thankfully, they aren’t! There are over 500 species of raptor currently sharing our planet. Raptors— also called “birds of prey”— are a large group of birds including hawks, owls, falcons, andContinue reading “Raptors are Not Dinosaurs”

Head Pressing in Raccoons

This is something we see often— raccoons curled up with their heads pressed against the ground, their eyes shielded from sunlight. To well-meaning bystanders, it’s easy to project human experiences onto these situations. People assume they’re frightened, cold, or even depressed. Unfortunately, the reality is usually far worse than that. Animals head-press when they haveContinue reading “Head Pressing in Raccoons”

Coon Cuffs are Cruel

Warning: this image is graphic. We know this is hard to look at, but it’s important to see. We were contacted today about this beautiful young raccoon who suffered terribly while stuck in a popular form of “humane” trap. These cylinder-shaped traps, called “Coon Cuffs,” are marketed as a humane, safe, species-specific alternative to springContinue reading “Coon Cuffs are Cruel”

Foxes Don’t Kill for Fun

A common myth about foxes suggests that they are ruthless murderers who kill other animals just for fun. This is not true of foxes or any other predator. Hunting takes a lot of energy and can leave an animal susceptible to injury by prey, so no animal chooses to do it “for fun.” Of course,Continue reading “Foxes Don’t Kill for Fun”