Expert advice: Be careful helping wild animals
Seminar gives tips on dealing with wounded or orphaned wildlife
Many people don't know what to do when they come across an orphaned or injured animal living in the wild.
Nicole Harmon, of Moraine Ridge Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Valparaiso, recently addressed this issue at a presentation at Gibson Woods Nature Center.
“Don't always assume that just because you see an animal alone that they are in danger or abandoned,” the educator told the audience in the nature center's classroom. “Don't pet them or pick them up. Wait a while and check back later. Mom is usually close by.”
Three animals were on hand with Harmon as she discussed the mission of her employer, which is to admit injured and orphaned native Indiana wildlife and rehabilitate them for release back into the wild.
Moraine Ridge Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, which has served as a subsidy of Humane Society Calumet Area since 2014, works with two Valparaiso veterinarians. It was established in 1990.
“Most of the injuries we see are 75 percent human-impacted,” Harmon said. “And they're not all car accidents.”
Animals can get caught in fires, soccer nets or just everyday accidents.
One incident she related was a farmer clearing a pile in which a small deer was sleeping. The farmer didn't see the deer and its leg was broken. Or another case in which an animal was clipped by a weed trimmer.
The call for an organization such as Moraine Ridge speaks for itself. In 2014, when the HSCA took over, 150 animals came in. Last year's number was 1,075. The 2016 number now stands at 1,350, “and this year's not done yet,” Harmon said. “This shows how much of a need there is (for our facility).”
It's always a guessing game regarding how long it will take for an animal to heal and return to the wild.
“We try to put them back into the same area they were found, but we won't send any of them back until they can hunt and catch their prey. Tests are given before that happens,” Harmon said.
Props brought to the recent presentation at Gibson Woods included a painted box turtle, yellow corn snake and an Eastern Screech owl.
The latter was described as Riley, an 8-ounce owl that came in with a clipped wing and an eye injury. A detached retina caused blindness in one eye, so he has no depth perception.
Riley was chosen as an education animal, and also serves as a foster parent to younger residents of Moraine Ridge.
As for the idea of a bird or other wildlife not coming back to its babies if their nests have been touched by human hands, that's not true, according to the educator.
“If a nest falls out of a tree you can replace it, but be careful not to shake the eggs,” she said. “Mom will come back.”
The audience also received general information on the three educational animals that were brought to the meeting.
Both Gibson Woods naturalist Joy Bower and Lake Co. Parks administrative employee Kate Molchan said they receive calls on a regular basis asking questions about handling injured and/or orphaned wildlife.
“We don't have the capabilities, facilities or staff to help with this,” Molchan said. “So we always refer them to Moraine Ridge.”
Harmon added that if the public is educated about wildlife, it can make a big difference.
Future plans for the Moraine Ridge facility is to expand and build a nature and educational center next door on property recently acquired by HSCA.
For information about Moraine Ridge Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, call 219-299-8027.
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