ForFoxSake

Does Feeding Birds Prevent Migration?

Some people start bringing their bird feeders inside in the fall, fearing that their backyard visitors won’t migrate if they’re fed by humans. It’s actually beneficial to have bird feeders year-round! Studies have found that birds fed by humans have much higher survival rates and more successful broods. We owe it to birds to giveContinue reading “Does Feeding Birds Prevent Migration?”

Do Raccoons Drown Dogs?

I received this question a few days ago from someone who was concerned about reports she’d heard of raccoons climbing onto swimming dogs’ heads with the intention of drowning them. In short, the answer to this question is no. A raccoon does not have a motivation to chase a large predator into water and climbContinue reading “Do Raccoons Drown Dogs?”

Chili Pepper Pest Control

Most animal lovers are happy to see bunnies, squirrels, chipmunks, and groundhogs, but every now and then, friendly backyard wildlife will make themselves comfortable to the point of destroying a lawn or even damaging the house itself. Extermination can be unnecessarily cruel, and catch-and-release can spread disease or leave babies motherless. So what can youContinue reading “Chili Pepper Pest Control”

Can I Kill a Snake on My Property in Tennessee?

Snakes— even the scary ones— are vital to the health of our ecosystem, and even to human beings. Fleas and ticks carried by rats are frequent carriers for human diseases such as Lyme disease and even plague. An ecosystem full of snakes has fewer rats, meaning fewer ticks, meaning fewer human infections. Snakes are alsoContinue reading “Can I Kill a Snake on My Property in Tennessee?”

Eastern Spotted Skunks Declining

Many people wouldn’t even recognize this little fellow as a skunk. Over time, the population of the Eastern spotted skunk has declined so much that many people are unaware of their existence, and they have been eradicated through much of their native range. The spotted skunk’s population first took a dive when it was over-trappedContinue reading “Eastern Spotted Skunks Declining”

What’s a Phoby Cat?

You might occasionally still hear older people refer to an animal called a “phoby cat.” This is due to an outbreak of rabies— formerly called hydrophobia— among Western spotted skunks in the 1800s. Unfortunately, the spotted skunk’s reputation as a rabies carrier led to a massive trend in over-hunting and over-trapping, the effects of whichContinue reading “What’s a Phoby Cat?”

Tennessee’s Endangered Indiana Bat

The Indiana bat, which lives here in Tennessee, has lost 50-95% of its population over the the last 70 years. The main cause of this crash was human disturbance of the largest caves where they were nesting. These critters are now federally protected, but still face serious threats because of white nose fungus (a deadlyContinue reading “Tennessee’s Endangered Indiana Bat”

Is a Red Wolf Just a Coywolf?

Many people have pushed to eliminate protections for red wolves— our native wolf, here in Tennessee— by positing that they are not actually an endangered species. These anti-wolf activists claim that there is no such animal as a red wolf, and that “red wolves” are simply a hybrid between coyotes and grey wolves. This, simplyContinue reading “Is a Red Wolf Just a Coywolf?”

Possums or Opossums in Tennessee?

You will never see a wild possum here in Tennessee. Although our local opossums are often nicknamed “possums,” this is technically incorrect. Despite the similar names— both derived from the Powhatan word meaning “white animal”— possums and opossums are only very distantly related.

Why not let nature take its course?

This is a common and understandable question that wildlife rehabilitators receive. After all, death and disease are a very real, and important, part of the balance of the natural world. For the most part, wildlife rehabilitators do not intervene when nature is running its course in a wilderness area. Although personal ethics vary by individual,Continue reading “Why not let nature take its course?”