It’s me, the executive director! I’ve been getting a lot of emails and phone calls from people interested in volunteering! You’re all awesome, and I wish I could say yes, but there are tons of reasons why, unlike most rehabilitation facilities, we don’t allow on-site volunteers from the general public. The main thing? Insurance! WeContinue reading “Our Volunteer Policy”
Category Archives: General Info
Opossum Bites: Not So Scary!
Opossums get killed frequently for looking “scary” or “fierce,” but they’re actually much weaker and less intimidating than they look! An opossum has fifty pointy teeth— more than any other land mammal— and will use those chompers to try to scare people away when they’re frightened. While we don’t recommend getting bitten by any animals,Continue reading “Opossum Bites: Not So Scary!”
Are Coyotes Driving Deer to Extinction?
Every single time we share information about coyotes, we get a rush of people— mostly hunters— with claims that coyotes are driving whitetail deer to extinction. It’s a claim that would be laughable if it weren’t so dangerously harmful. Deer populations in the United States are at an all-time high nationwide, and so are coyoteContinue reading “Are Coyotes Driving Deer to Extinction?”
I Found a White Fox. Is it a Pet?
We’ve gotten many calls from across the country about foxes with white, black, or otherwise unusual coats, with the question, “Is this someone’s pet?” Despite their name, red foxes are some of the most variable animals on Earth, naturally coming in color phases including melanistic (black or “silver”), cross (red and black), leucistic (yellow orContinue reading “I Found a White Fox. Is it a Pet?”
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”
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”
For Fox Sake Wildlife Rescue 