Fellow Mortals--Compassion Changes Everything

With the warmth of spring, the door literally opens to a new beginning for dozens of wild creatures who spent the winter healing.  In the last couple of weeks, we have returned red-tailed hawks back to their homes, set migrating songbirds and ducks on their way to their breeding grounds and moved more animals along the path back to eventual freedom.  Give yourself a pat on the back for helping to make this possible!

The first babies of the year came to Fellow Mortals as a large nest of eight 'pinkie' squirrels weighing just 2/3 of an ounce.   These little ones are helpless if something happens to their nest or mom and are some of the most critical patients we see, requiring frequent and late-night feedings and strict hygiene to keep them healthy.  We're happy to say that 10 days later they are all gaining weight and doing well.

After the first squirrels came our first orphaned owls, with two nestling who were injured after their nest was blown out of a tall pine tree.  The babies were alone for awhile before they were found and were very hungry, as well as injured.  One baby had a sprained 'ankle;' the other sustained fractures to both ulnas (a bone in the wing).  Wild creatures are incredibly resilent and both little ones responded well to treatment and are healing while eating up to 12 mice each per day.  They are nearly ready to join our foster owl, Alberta, who adopts the young owls who need us, providing an important role model for them as they learn to act like an owl, talk like an owl, and hunt so that they can survive when they have matured for release.

After the long harsh winter, the first babies of the year are a welcome sign of the awakening earth, filling us with anticipation for all that is to come.  Every year we make a new promise to the wild ones who will need us--to provide the best nutrition, care, facilities and medical care possible, in order to give each individual a real chance to heal and grow and return to the wild where it belongs.  Thanks to you, we know this is a promise we can keep.