Contributed by Lori Doherty
The Sun City Nature Club just did another successful trip to All Things Wild, led by Roger Rucker from All Things Wild and our incoming President of the Nature Club for 2023.
The photos below were taken by members of our group taking the tour on November 15, 2022.
Having made visits to All Things Wild in the summer and early fall, I did notice there were fewer babies being nursed by ATW as we head into winter. There are still some young raccoons who are not quite ready to be released into the wild. The fawns in the deer pen are juveniles now, waiting to be released.
ATW is still accepting injured animals, and in the medical section there were injured birds receiving treatment in the form of surgeries. We were asked to not take photos of the surgical animals, so I do not have any pictures of these birds.
What we did get during this visit was having an up close and personal interaction with several of the Ambassador animals.
Although he is not a Texas native, when we entered the first animal we saw was a very large tortoise—Speedy—crawling on the floor. Speedy’s shell was broken and glued back, but he is not able to be released. I could swear that Speedy has a smile on his face. You can be the judge by looking at his photo below.
Contributed by Lori Doherty
Since Roger has a special affinity for owls, the next animal we saw was a screech owl. In the photo below, you will see the doors to a refrigerator where they keep food for the animals. As you can imagine, ATW needs to provide a LOT of foods for their temporary and permanent residents.
Contributed by Bonnie Colcher
There are still several young raccoons who are kept inside the ATW building, waiting until they are ready to be released. Boy, they are messy! They are rambunctious and play with each other, tossing their food outside the cages and hanging from their hammocks inside the cages. The animals who are allowed to roam around the building are opportunists and nibble at the food they find near the raccoon cages.
One animal I did not expect to find roaming the building was a rotund skunk named Teddy. Teddy was picking up tidbits tossed out by the raccoons and looking very content to be warm inside the building.
Roger shared some of Teddy’s story with us. Teddy came to ATW as a baby and he became so attached to humans that he could not be released into the wild. Teddy is now an ATW Ambassador and visits schools and might even pay a visit to Sun City.
We also had a chance to meet Murphy, a possum. Murphy came to ATW blind and will not be released into the wild. We learned that possums have a pouch that goes lengthwise, instead across like other marsupials. They have 13 teats inside their pouch and usually have at least 13 babies. When the babies are large enough to leave the pouch they hang on to their mother’s back and tail until one day she brushes them off.
Outside we found Boudreau the pelican has taken up residence in a pen. Boudreau is not native to Central Texas, but came to ATW with an injured wing that had to be amputated. He cannot fly, so he will not be released into the wild.
ATW created a special heated pond for Boudreau, but he doesn’t like to stay there. During our last visit to ATW in September, Boudreau was acting up and nipping at people. It seems he is still a naughty boy.
Roger shared a personal story about Boudreau. ATW buys smelt for Boudreau, but was unable to get smelt and had to substitute another fish. Roger said he tossed the fish to Boudreau who spat out the fish across the pen. Roger tried another one and Boudreau spat that one out too. After three tries, and three rejections, Boudreau had to go hungry.
Contributed by Bonnie Colcher
Our second owl Ambassador of the day was Artemis, who lives in a cage outside. As you can see, he is a beautiful animal.
Contributed by Lori Doherty
ATW is open for business through the winter, but they will start gearing up to receive wildlife babies in the spring. Roger will be doing a presentation on ATW to the Living with Wildlife SIG in February and we are anticipating he will bring some of these marvelous Ambassadors with him. Nature Club field trips to ATW will resume in the spring when time allows.
Authored by Nancy Wagoner
Photos contributed as noted
Kommentare