Grants Pass, Ore — For Mother Nature, warmer temperatures signal the start of baby season in the animal kingdom, but sometimes that means more creatures are put in harms way.
Spring is fast approaching and Southern Oregon wildlife are emerging from their dens and nests.
It’s also baby season at Wildlife Images, a non-profit rehabilitation center for injured and abandoned creatures.
Like three baby 3 gray squirrels rescued after their nest was cut down.
“These three squirrels came in because there was a tree cut down in a yard and the mother left and the babies were found a little bit later,” said Animal Care Technician Jen Osburn Eliot.
Osburn Eliot says this time of year is chaos, with calls coming in each day of abandoned or injured woodland critters.
“We’re starting to get a lot of squirrels. Next species we expect is geese and ducks and then baby turkeys and then we start getting into our hard mammal season in may, where we’re going to get raccoons and skunks and foxes,” she said.
Osburn Eliot and her team are tasked with getting those animals back into the wild.
“We’ll do a full exam when it gets in and make sure it doesn’t have any injuries and then start them on the appropriate diet and then hopefully get them to release,” she said.
That takes a lot of help from the community.
“If you ever find an animal and you aren’t sure if it needs to come in or if it’s injured or abandoned, always call us first. We’re here to answer any and all questions,” she said.
Anything people can do to help keep the forest’s littlest creatures cozy is appreciated because Wildlife Images goes through a lot of supplies in baby season.
“We often run short on cotton balls, and q-tips and a lot of little things, any extra we can get from the public is very helpful.”
With around 1,000 patients expected this Spring, Wildlife Images is hosting a baby shower to help cover the cost of care.
You can help at Wildlife Images Baby Shower
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