Although best known for his numerous other accomplishments, Booker T. Washington was one of the pioneers of the modern animal welfare movement. Mr. Washington formed a local chapter of the Bands of Mercy at Hampton University. The Bands of Mercy were conservationists and animal welfare advocates. Booker T. Washington and his Bands of Mercy colleaguesContinue reading “Booker T. Washington: an Advocate for Wildlife”
Category Archives: General Info
Raccoons cover their eyes to hide… because they’re geniuses!
Raccoons usually cover their eyes when they’re scared and trying to hide. This may not seem like a particularly intelligent behavior, but it may be a sign that they’re among the smartest animals on Earth. Small children often exhibit this same behavior, “hiding” by covering only their eyes . When scientists studied this tendency inContinue reading “Raccoons cover their eyes to hide… because they’re geniuses!”
A peaceful end for suffering wildlife
Some wildlife rescues choose not to share stories about animals that can’t be saved, because they don’t want to upset the public. While I respect that, I believe there’s bittersweet beauty in all we do, even in the cases that end in death. The reality is that most of the calls I’ve received this yearContinue reading “A peaceful end for suffering wildlife”
Hunters Kill Wolves to “Protect” Deer
Whitetail deer are severely overpopulated in the United States, having increased from 300,000 deer in 1930 to 30 million deer today. This is bad news: deer overpopulation harms humans by contributing to auto accidents, harms forests by causing local ecosystem collapse, harms livestock when deer spread diseases that can wipe out an entire herd, andContinue reading “Hunters Kill Wolves to “Protect” Deer”
Red Fox, Grey Fox, or Coyote?
Quick: if you saw all six of these animals scurry across your yard, would you know what each of them is? If the answer is “no,” that’s nothing to be embarrassed about and doesn’t mean you’re uneducated. Believe it or not, the majority of people can’t tell these critters apart easily, particularly when the animalContinue reading “Red Fox, Grey Fox, or Coyote?”
Why Do Fox Squirrels and Grey Foxes Have the Same Markings?
These two native species, the Eastern grey fox and the Eastern fox squirrel, have nearly identical markings. Both developed these patterns to adapt to the same environmental pressures. The light or white markings on their undersides, called countershading, help both animals camouflage when seen from the side, while he pattern of grey and red helpsContinue reading “Why Do Fox Squirrels and Grey Foxes Have the Same Markings?”
Do Opossums Hang By Their Tails?
The image of an opossum, dangling from a tree branch by its tail, is ubiquitous— but it’s not something you’ll ever actually see in the wild. Although opossums do have prehensile tails that they can use to balance and, sometimes, to carry things, they can only support their own weight by their tails as youngContinue reading “Do Opossums Hang By Their Tails?”
Never Paint a Live Turtle’s Shell!
Painting a turtle’s shell, whether the turtle is a pet or a wild animal, is an act of cruelty that causes the animal very serious harm. Turtle shells are not “dead”— they are part of the animal’s living organ system. Turtles absorb sunlight through their shells and convert it to vitamin D. When the shellContinue reading “Never Paint a Live Turtle’s Shell!”
Why Raccoons Wash Their Food
Raccoons are famous for “washing” their food. In fact, in many languages, the term for raccoon translates to “washing bear!” But raccoons actually don’t care about hygiene much— they’ll often choose to use the same body of water as both a latrine (communal toilet) and as a place to fidget with their food. Raccoons haveContinue reading “Why Raccoons Wash Their Food”
Red Foxes: Omnivores, not Carnivores!
The red fox is the most widely distributed member of the dog family in the world. Part of the reason for its success is its ability to thrive on almost any diet, ranging from nearly nothing but meat in some areas, to nearly nothing but fruit in others. Here in East Tennessee, a fox’s typicalContinue reading “Red Foxes: Omnivores, not Carnivores!”
For Fox Sake Wildlife Rescue 