“It’s so sad to see them in cages.” This is a comment we see frequently, even from those who strongly support our organization and mission. We understand! Wild animals look happiest and most beautiful when they’re running through fields and drowsing in tree tops. Large zoos are able to use painted backgrounds, glass enclosures, electrifiedContinue reading “Let’s Talk About Cages.”
Category Archives: General Info
Opossums Need Shelter to Survive Winter
Opossums are, ultimately, tropical animals. Out of over 100 opossum species in the world, nearly all live in the hot deserts and rainforests and Central and South America. Opossums aren’t equipped with adaptations for surviving winter: they can’t hibernate, and they have naked feet, tails, and ears that are highly susceptible to frostbite. Our nativeContinue reading “Opossums Need Shelter to Survive Winter”
Don’t Move Reptile Eggs
This beautiful Eastern box turtle was spotted laying eggs in Fairfax, Virginia. Fortunately for her, the photographer left her and her eggs alone. Many other reptile moms aren’t so lucky: often, a person will find reptile eggs and will move them either indoors or to a different outdoor spot. This is often fatal for theContinue reading “Don’t Move Reptile Eggs”
Be Thankful for Turkeys
Happy Turkey Day! What a great day to be thankful for the turkey and all it does for us. The wild turkey is a keystone within the ecosystem of North America. As we recall every year, wild turkeys and other native fowl helped countless generations survive famine after famine. They’re also an important food sourceContinue reading “Be Thankful for Turkeys”
Opossums: Nature’s Savants
You may have read about (or met) people with savant syndrome. Formerly called “idiot savants,” people with savant syndrome have significant learning disabilities but also display exceptional intelligence at times, often to the shock of those who underestimate them. Opossums are the natural world’s own example of savant syndrome! If you were to look atContinue reading “Opossums: Nature’s Savants”
Trees Don’t Litter
If you’d ever seen how quickly our raccoon patients can devour twenty pounds of acorns or forage through six inches of fallen leaves for bugs, you’d understand exactly why there’s no need to “clean up” the gifts trees leave us in autumn! Many native animals in our area cannot survive winter without the bounty ofContinue reading “Trees Don’t Litter”
Yes, Our Bobcats Have Claws!
Several people have asked if T’challa, our nonreleasable bobcat ambassador, still has his claws. Of course he does— big, razor- sharp ones! His claws could easily cause serious injury, and that’s one of the many reasons that we don’t allow him to be handled or played with by the general public. All other bobcats thatContinue reading “Yes, Our Bobcats Have Claws!”
Cross Fox or Red Fox? How to Tell
Cross foxes and grey foxes are easily confused! The description of “grey with a red outline” applies to both, but they’re actually completely different species (both of which occur naturally here in Southeast Tennessee). The cross fox is actually a red fox, the species most people are familiar with. When a red fox carries genesContinue reading “Cross Fox or Red Fox? How to Tell”
Canine Distemper in Raccoons: What You Need to Know
Yikes, the zombie apocalypse is upon us! Humans aren’t the only animals who experience pandemics. In recent decades, racccoons and many other wild animals have been massively afflicted with canine distemper, an extremely contagious virus that passed to wildlife through unvaccinated dogs. We saw lower-than-average rates of canine distemper in wild raccoons this year, butContinue reading “Canine Distemper in Raccoons: What You Need to Know”
That Friendly Animal May Not Be Your Reincarnated Loved One
Ok here’s what I wrote and it will go live tomorrow. Thank you guys! The world works in mysterious ways, and people can find messages hidden in anything. Grief is painful, and it’s only human nature to look for signs that our loved ones are still with us. Sometimes we come across animals in ourContinue reading “That Friendly Animal May Not Be Your Reincarnated Loved One”
