The calls come several times a day. Angry and gruff and terse. “I have raccoons in my attic and need you to come and get them.” “A fox got my chickens. Come get it or I’ll kill it.” “I heard a coyote. Either you come remove it or I’ll put a bullet in it.” We’reContinue reading “Wildlife Rehabilitators Don’t Remove “Nuisance” Animals”
Category Archives: Coexisting
Rat Poison Causes Mange in Bobcats
Rodents aren’t the only ones who suffer from rodent poisoning! Predators like owls, foxes, hawks—and even pet cats and dogs— can become poisoned when they eat animals that are sick or dead from poison. For bobcats, secondary poisoning can have a strange effect. A bobcat who eats poisoned rats and mice will suffer from constantContinue reading “Rat Poison Causes Mange in Bobcats”
Raccoons Eating Birdseed: What to Do
We’ve heard people give a lot of crazy and cruel excuses for killing wild animals, but perhaps the most upsetting reason we’ve heard is, “It was eating my birdseed.” Several of our patients last year were orphans who came to us because the mothers had inconvenienced someone by nibbling some sunflower seeds. Folks, this simplyContinue reading “Raccoons Eating Birdseed: What to Do”
“Mean,” “Crazy” Bird Parents
Wildlife rehabilitators get a lot of calls in the late spring and early summer about birds described with words like “mean,” “crazy,” and “dangerous.” Blue jays, mockingbirds, geese, and robins are the ones most commonly considered aggressive— and it’s no coincidence that they’re the ones most likely to be nesting near our homes and businesses.Continue reading ““Mean,” “Crazy” Bird Parents”
A Fed Coyote is a Dead Coyote
A fed coyote is a dead coyote. Coyotes are naturally fearful of humans and other large predators, since they evolved in ecosystems where bears, pumas, and wolves ruled the landscape. We average five times their size and they know we’re boss! When you see a coyote that is overly confident around humans, that’s a learnedContinue reading “A Fed Coyote is a Dead Coyote”
Crows Deserve Love, Not Superstition
I have to admit: before I started working with wildlife, I had no idea that there were still people who had superstitious beliefs and fears about crows. It turns out these ideas didn’t get left behind in the Victorian Era where they belong. Even in 2020, a lot of people fear crows and some willContinue reading “Crows Deserve Love, Not Superstition”
Killing Coyotes Makes More Pups
Coyotes are among the most persecuted wild animals of North America. Have you ever wondered why they’re still very common, despite being heavily hunted? When an adult coyote is killed, the social structure of its family, and nearby families, will fall apart. Its pups will be forced to disperse sooner, its territory will become wide-open,Continue reading “Killing Coyotes Makes More Pups”
Rabies in coyotes? Rare and unlikely.
You might have read the very alarming news articles about a father in New Hampshire who strangled a coyote to death when it attacked his two-year-old. For Fox Sake commends this incredible dad for his strength and bravery in the face of such a terrifying incident. Preying on humans is not normal behavior for aContinue reading “Rabies in coyotes? Rare and unlikely.”
U.S. Rabbits Don’t Burrow
Cottontail rabbits are often unfairly blamed for lawn damage. Because wild rabbits in Europe form large warrens out of clustered burrows, the image of a rabbit burrow has entered our culture through everything from children’s books to cartoons. If you assumed that wild rabbits have been digging burrows in your lawn, you’re not alone! TheContinue reading “U.S. Rabbits Don’t Burrow”
Chipmunks are Harmless: Don’t Hurt Them!
Pest control companies seeking your business may be quick to exaggerate— or even totally fabricate— the damage that chipmunks can cause. Please don’t be in a rush to harm these little guys! Eastern chipmunk burrows have tiny entrances only about the size of a quarter, so unless your lawn is so neat and tidy thatContinue reading “Chipmunks are Harmless: Don’t Hurt Them!”
