AWARE’S TAILS FROM THE WILD FALL/WINTER 2013
Back to the Wild Much of the work involved in wildlife rehabilitation isn't interesting or glamorous. Actually, a lot of it is downright gross. I learned that fact my first week as a volunteer at AWARE wildlife center when my trainer, wildlife care supervisor Tammi Scarbro, asked me to cut up a dead rat for an injured vulture, testing my mettle for dirty work from day one. Cleaning soiled enclosures, washing dirty dishes, processing filthy laundry, and other unseemly tasks make up a lot of the work -- essential, but hardly pleasant. Feeding baby animals is gratifying, but it, too, can feel like work when trying to keep up with the demands of numerous animals requiring multiple feedings a day. But rehabilitation has numerous rewards, too. One of the greatest rewards is watching an animal return to the wild, especially when you have been closely involved in its care. I’ve had the privilege of releasing several animals back to the wild, including opossums, raccoons, turtles, geese, songbirds, and hawks, as well as squirrels I have raised. Each of these releases was memorable, but perhaps none more so than the long-awaited release of three young coyotes at dusk earlier this fall. The three orphaned pups were brought to AWARE last spring after their parents had been trapped and killed, a far too frequent occurrence. Understandably, some trappers have a harder time killing defenseless pups, so they
occasionally end up in our care to be raised at AWARE’s expense. I was one of a few volunteers who regularly fed and cleaned up after the three pups. Every Tuesday for seven months, I delivered their food and cleaned their enclosure, so I had the privilege to witness their growth up-close. Watching the pups grow from tiny, clumsy, defenseless balls of fur into sleek, wary, and powerful predators was an incredible experience. When the pups were small, I had to fight the impulse to shower them with affection, so I hated having to clap and stomp to scare them back when they occasionally became bold or inquisitive as I delivered their food. (Coyotes that approach humans too closely usually don’t come to a good end, so good rehabilitators are committed to reinforcing their natural fear of humans.) Within a few weeks, the pups’ instinctive wariness of people overrode their curiosity. Although (continued on page 8)
Inside this Issue Director’s Reflections from the Wild
page 2
Little Critter’s Corner: Activities for Kids
page 2
Wing Beat: Avian Vision
page 3
Art for Armadillos Silent Auction
pages 4-7
Senior Writer and Editor: Melanie Edwards Furr, mefurr@bellsouth.net
www.AWAREwildlife.org
Tails from the Wild, Fall/Winter 2013
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Director’s Reflections from the Wild There’s a lot of excitement at AWARE as we celebrate the holidays and prepare to welcome a New Year. We have accomplished many things this year, and I’d like to touch upon a few of those things. First and foremost, we have cared for more than 1,300 injured and orphaned animals so far this year. With our team of dedicated volunteers and a wonderfully energized board at the helm of the organization, our Dr. Tarah Hadley ability to help more animals and assist the public will hopefully grow in 2014. We were also excited to participate in our second year of the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), the charitable giving campaign for federal employees. Once the hurdles of the government shutdown were overcome, our dedicated volunteers were able to showcase AWARE at various federal agencies. We are always excited by their enthusiasm and their welcoming spirit. I personally want to thank the Greater AtlantaAthens CFC for their hard work in providing support for non-profit organizations everywhere in the region. Recently, AWARE Wildlife Center hosted its 2nd annual Art for Armadillos silent auction. The auction was held at The Solarium in Decatur’s beautiful Oakhurst Village.
Hundreds of people came out to bid on art donated by local and some national artists. Besides mingling with staff, volunteers, and other guests in this great atmosphere, attendees enjoyed meeting many of AWARE’s wildlife ambassadors, including Owlscar the Grouch the great horned owl and Cessna the flying squirrel. I am also happy to report that our efOwlscar the Grouch forts at this year’s auction raised more than $10,500 for wildlife rehabilitation—a 25 percent increase over last year! I especially want to thank our numerous supporters, including many of you. We look forward to what next year will bring. Finally, I am thrilled to introduce a new section of AWARE’s newsletter, Little Critter’s Corner, which will feature activities especially for children. Please feel free to pass this page on to the young or the young at heart. At AWARE we strongly believe that kids can be great advocates for wildlife and the environment. We hope this page will be a source of fun and enjoyment with a little bit of education, too! Thank you from all of us at AWARE, and I wish you a Happy New Year!
Little Critter’s Corner Can you name the four species of owls that reside in Georgia all year long? Can you name the species that only visits occasionally when food in the north becomes hard to find? Unscramble the letters to find the answers, then color the owls to show what they look like. EATRG NREDOH WOL RRBEDA WLO YSONW LWO STNEERA RCHESEC OLW
ARBN WOL
Tails from the Wild, Fall/Winter 2013
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Wing Beat Enjoying Georgia’s Birds Avian Vision Ever wondered what it would be like to have a “bird’s eye view?” Most certainly we would see the world in a whole new way, as birds have superior vision to all other vertebrate species. Not only do they have eyes that are large compared to their body size, but their retinas contain very high densities of photoreceptors -- 2-6 times as many as humans. In addition, many bird species have two foveal areas in each eye (indented areas of the retina where photoreceptor density is particularly high) whereas humans have only one. These foveal areas provide birds with very sharp vision. Hawks, for example, have visual acuities that are 6-8 times better than ours. These two foveal areas allow species such as hawks, eagles, falcons, kingfishers, and owls to have high visual acuity both in front of them and to the sides at the same time while they search for prey. Most birds have eyes that are fixed in their orbital sockets. Humans and many other vertebrates, on the other hand, have small muscles that move the eye rapidly in their orbits. Because the eyes are fixed in their orbits, birds must move their heads to look in a different direction, but they can move their heads over a wider range than we can. Owls, for example, can rotate their heads 270 degrees around their bodies. While raptors and other predator birds have both of their eyes facing forward to provide maximum binocular vision used for depth perception during prey hunting, prey species have eyes on the sides of their head to provide maximum visual field coverage to detect their predators. Woodcocks have the best such field coverage with their field of vision covering 340 degrees! Color vision is also far better in birds than in most other animals, including humans. Color detecting photoreceptors, called cones, in the retinas of birds come in four types, each with its own photopigment and peak of wavelength detection. Humans have only three cone
types. The extra photopigment allows birds to see into the ultraviolet region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Additionally, some of the cones have oil droplets in them that help to filter out some wavelengths, providing greater discrimination of colors. With their superior color vision, many bird species may be able to clearly discriminate the sex of other birds of their species, even though to the human eye both sexes appear identical. Having the ability to see ultraviolet wavelengths provides other advantages as well. The kestrel, for example, can see the urine trails of voles, which leads the kestrel right to them! Hummingbirds use this extra visual ability to locate their favorite flowers. Humans can put ultraviolet stickers on our windows that don’t interfere with our view, but act like neon signs to the birds so they don’t crash into them. Nocturnal bird species such as owls have fewer cones than diurnal species because they don’t need color vision at night. Instead, nocturnal birds have more rods for black and white vision, and they have a tapetum (as do cats and many other nocturnal species), a layer behind the photoreceptors that reflects light back through the retina and provides the maximum chance of picking up light photons. These adaptations increase the ability to see images in dim lighting conditions. Finally, birds have the ability to detect high flicker rates. As a result, they process visual signals to the brain much more rapidly than humans, allowing them to fly through forests without running into branches, bushes or predators. Bottom line: birds have better acuities, better color discrimination, and faster visual responses than we primitive humans! By Jim Wilson Jim Wilson, former president of Atlanta Audubon Society, has been birding for more than twenty years. He has co-authored several guidebooks, including Common Birds of Greater Atlanta. Jim is also a dedicated AWARE volunteer!
Did you know... Birds have far superior vision to humans, including adaptations that enable them to see in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum, as well as detect polarized light and magnetic fields. Their field of vision is also much greater than that of humans—for example, the vision of the American Woodcock (at left) covers 340°!
Tails from the Wild, Fall/Winter 2013
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A Fabulous Fete to raise money for our Furry Friends!
AWARE’s 2nd Annual Art for Armadillos Silent Auction
Photos courtesy of Alex Johnson, www.ajiiiphotography.com
Tails from the Wild, Fall/Winter 2013
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Art for Armadillos Silent Auction (continued from page four)
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Many thanks to the artists, businesses, and volunteers who donated to AWARE’s Art For Armadillos Silent Auction and Fundraiser. The event was a huge success thanks to your generosity! 2013 Art Donors Sarah White Leonard Yeager Penny Dobson, www.pennydobson.etsy.com Johnnie Dobson, www.johnniedobson.etsy.com Rebecca Puig, www.sugarboodesigns.com Janakpur Womens’s Development Center Lou Huppke, Dangle That Bangle Lynn Lommer, Cat Tail Designs Robyn Canady, www.rcanady.com Naomi Garcua Mike Snowden, www.snowdenguitars.com Patty Young Jiae Roo, www.betterworldllc.com Jay Carlson, www.cluetownbooks.com Andy Turpen, www.mondobaldo.com Heidi Pritchett, www.sicklysweetstyle.com Honey Staufer, www.honeybirds.etsy.com Kirsten Roberts, Mint Tulips Jewelry Ruth Ann North, www.refugeebeads.org Nicole Pinsker, Knot Just Bows LLC (Facebook) Erika Bunda, www.erikabunda.com Araceli Kissler Tamara O’Neal Chris Glennon, www.chrisglennonart.com Sarah Flinn, Sarah Flinn Art (Facebook) Pat McNeely Tiffany Everett, www.tiffanyeverett.com Sherri Nienass Uncorked Candles, www.uncorked-candles.com Gerald Diamond, www.lakestonephotography.com Deuce Goods, www.facebook.com/DeuceGoods Rachael Dockery, Rachael’s Handmade Jewelry Heather Lowe McDermon, www.HalMcD.etsy.com Bonnie Heath, www.bonniejheath.com Kate Millard Cindy Mayer Zac Henderson, www.zndrsonphotography.com Alexis Busuttil Blaudeau Jennifer Rhoads Darla Warnock Erin Feichtner Matteo Dicello Kathryn Kolb
Cherry Laurel, www.cherrylaurelstudio.com Larry Rogers Nigel Marson Kate Cotter-Reilly Bobbie Coker Tim Hunter, www.timhunterartwork.com Jim Wilson Amanda K. Pilcher Sienna Imbesi Bella Imbesi Pru Hardi Shir Wen Sun Tamara LeBlanc Krista Grecco, www.kristagrecco.com Susie Cipcic Thea Mayhew, www.etsy.com/shop/livingprettier Matthew Lake, www.etsy.com/shop/livingprettier Lisa Alembik Anicka Groff, www.ArtbyAnicka.etsy.com Dave Lasker, www.davelasker.com Robbie Briesk www.brieske-art.com Vicki Gendron Steve Drews, www.drewsphoto.zenfolio.com Lynn Reeder, The Carved Painting (Facebook) Tom Francis Michael V. Brown Jayne Hopping Karen Armsby Neal Matthews Evan Jones Aimee Laura, www.behance.net/aimeelaura The Vinings Gallery Caitlyn A. Whitehead Xandra Brosius Vicki Moore, Two Frog Farm Jan Jentzen Tim Rose Abby Gilreath Marjan Ghadrdan Jessica McKee Kelly Cooper Melanie Furr Margie Carroll
Tails from the Wild, Fall/Winter 2013
2013 Art Donors (continued) Custom Coasters by Hazel, customcoastersbyhazel.com The Butterfly Effect Studio 9ten, www.studio9ten.com Maxi Reedzt, Maxi Reedzt Jewelry Designs (Facebook) Emmy Blevins, E.B. Howard, thenatureofstones.com Corporate Donors McGowan’s Oakhurst Pub Saba The UPS Store, Smyrna Crossing Mezcalito’s Cantina Mojo Pizza and Pub Raging Burrito Havana Club Thai 5 Matador Cantina Kimi’s Bistro Mellow Mushroom Georgia Aquarium Zoo Atlanta Fernbank Museum The Georgia Children’s Museum The Shakespeare Tavern
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2012 Donors Lynn Reeder Sarah White Krista Greco Tim Hunter Linda Potter Melanie Furr Susie Cipcic Joel Connison Freda Sue Jon Cilibreto Hannah Helton Darla Warnock Thea Mayhew Tamara O’Neal Patty Young Dale Clifford Ann Marie Manker Corrina Sephona Lisa Alembik Antonio Darden Carl Lindstrom Erin Feichtner Renee and Bill Ensign Lara Young Phil Howell Joi Huang Nigel Marson Henry Finkbeiner The Sound Table
Tails from the Wild, Fall/Winter 2013
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Back to the Wild (continued from page one) I’d never done anything more than clap, they were terrified each time I approached to feed and clean, hiding or pacing frantically at the far end of their enclosure. My Nervous pups trying to hide in a small bucket they quickly outgrew. heart broke to see them, but I knew this fear was necessary. As the coyotes grew, seeing them living a caged life became increasingly difficult. Although AWARE’s enclosures give the animals plenty of room to climb and move around, coyotes need to run free. Until they were full-grown and able to find food, catch prey, and defend themselves, however, releasing them would have been a death sentence. Still, even though they were full-grown at the time of their release, these youngsters have been forced to strike out on their own at a much younger age than their parents would have required in the wild. When release day arrived, I helped corral the coyotes into a kennel and loaded them into the back of my minivan. My good friend and fellow volunteer Kelly joined me on a two hour ride to north Georgia where we had permission to release the small family on private land safe from hunters, cities, and busy roads. When we arrived, we parked near a wooded area and waited a short time for dusk to fall in order to give the coyotes the best chance to
explore their surroundings without danger from humans. When the moment seemed right, we lowered the kennel to the ground and opened the door. The coyotes crowded to the back of the cage. Everything must have seemed so strange to them! After a few minutes, I stepped up to the cage and gave it a gentle shake. One coyote dashed out like a shot and was out of sight in the blink of an eye. Twice more I had to shake the cage before the remaining two coyotes were compelled to leave, but once they stepped out, their legs carried them full speed ahead until the fading light obscured them from our view. How fascinating to imagine all the new Coyotes on release day experiences and adventures they had on that first night of freedom! Did they seek each other out with yips and howls as night fell, or did they venture off in their own directions? What animal did they catch for their first meal? We’ll never know their fate, but we equipped them for the wild the best we could by helping them learn to recognize food sources, catch prey, and avoid humans. We wish them long, healthy lives. By Melanie Furr (Originally published at www.mefurr.wordpress.com)
Note: Like a lot of wildlife, coyotes (and foxes) generally aren't welcome near human development, where they are frequently trapped and destroyed. Relocating these animals is against the law in Georgia without proper permits. In addition, in many states, they can be hunted without restriction at any time of year, and the federal government contributes to the slaughter of tens of thousands of coyotes each year. Efforts to control their population have actually only served to increase their numbers and expand their range, which was once limited to the western United States. Sadly, these animals are grossly misunderstood. Intelligent, adaptable, and family-oriented animals, coyotes provide important environmental benefits. Though urban sightings are becoming more common as wild habitats are destroyed, coyotes are naturally afraid of humans. With a few precautions, they pose little danger to people and their pets. For more information on these amazing creatures, please check out these links: http://www.awareone.org/images/Newsletters/ www.coyotecoexistence.com
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Tails from the Wild, Fall/Winter 2013
Preserving Georgia’s Wildlife through Rehabilitation and Education 4158 Klondike Road, Lithonia, GA 30038 (678) 418-1111 www.AWAREwildlife.org
Tours given Saturdays and Sundays at 1 P.M. Donations gladly accepted
—————————————— Book an educational program and meet our ambassador animals up close!
AWARE’s Wish List
Home Depot and Wal-Mart gift cards Towels and linens (no holes or loose threads) Sticky notes, fine-tipped permanent markers Applesauce, mixed fruit baby food Pecan halves or miscellaneous whole nuts Unscented HE laundry detergent and bleach Purina Dog Chow Complete, Friskies Grillers Blend Cat Chow, or Friskies Classic Pate
AWARE is a volunteer-based organization working to preserve and restore wildlife and its habitat through education and wildlife rehabilitation. We believe that peaceful coexistence of humans and wildlife is essential for our mutual survival. AWARE rescues and rehabilitates about 1,300 wild animals each year and returns most of them to the wild. In addition, our licensed rehabilitators answer approximately 10,000 phone calls each year from people with wildlife concerns, providing AWARE with opportunities to help people better understand, appreciate, and coexist with wildlife. Our educational outreach programs, which feature our non-releasable ambassador animals, include school programs, festivals, fairs, nature centers, community events, scout meetings, and anywhere there is an audience interested in wildlife. Our non-releasable ambassador animals (bobcat, opossum, flying squirrel, snake, turtle, skunks, crows, owls, and hawks) provide a face to our lessons on how to peacefully coexist with wild animals. AWARE is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that relies on private contributions of time and money. AWARE receives no government assistance.
Your donations make our work possible.
Season’s Greetings from AWARE!