COLORADO WOLF AND WILDLIFE CENTER J ULY 2016
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A Walk With Wakanda
ong before there was on line dating there was a match maker named Darlene, a wolf named Wakanda and an eager volunteer Diane.
Wakanda turned 15 in 2016 and in early June he started to slow down. He was staring to stumble on walks and his condition was believed to be neurological. He and I had been through good times and bad times, but I knew this was going to be the tough one. On June 27, the decision was made to let this majestic wolf cross over the Rainbow Bridge. I was with him at the end, holding his head as he embarked on his final walk. We held a memorial for at the center by his favorite trail. Volunteers and staff exchanged stories about his wonderful life and their time with him. We laughed and cried. I have wonderful memories and many photos of the years we spent together. I know Wakanda was loved by so many people and those who he loved back were so fortunate to have him in their life. I consider myself a lucky person to be included in that group. Wakanda, we will keep fighting for your brothers and sisters in the wild. You and I will meet again one day at the bridge and we will continue our journey together.
Wakanda’s memorial
My first and most important job at CWWC was that of “wolf walker.” When I met Wakanda for the first time, he jumped up on me and licked my face, it was love at first site. This began our journey together. I always looked forward to my time at the center with him. When I would arrive he would be waiting for me at the bottom of his enclosure ready for our next adventure but not before I received the infamous wet, sloppy wolf kisses. Wakanda and I would walk in snow (the deeper the better for him) and rain and everything in between. We discovered interesting things on our walks and sometimes he did not want to go back. Our favorite trail was behind the center where we would stop by our tree and hang out before heading back. When I started walking Wakanda he was a bachelor, he then accepted a mate named Koda. Koda loved him dearly and got her strength from him when she was a young wolf. She was his companion and he was never alone in his later years. Diane
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IN THE GARDEN WITH KATIE
Hummingbird Feeders Hummingbirds show up in the Colorado mountains in late April. They spend all summer here and leave near the end of September. Feeding them is simple and inexpensive. Mix four parts hot water to one part sugar in a pourable container. I use hot tap water, but you can also boil it. Whisk to completely dissolve the sugar. Let cool and pour into your feeders. You can store any unused mixture in the refrigerator. Refill every 3 to 5 days depending upon on warm the temperatures are. Then sit back and enjoy the hummers and other birds gulp down your homemade nectar.
What about the red nectar mix you can buy? Here’s a list of ingredients for you to decide what’s best. Ask yourself if hummingbirds need preservatives and food dyes. Red coloring isn’t necessary to attract hummers. Ingredients: Sucrose, Sodium Benzoate, (preservative), Tartaric Acid (preservative), and Artificial Food Coloring. USDA-approved red coloring is non-toxic and harmless to hummingbirds. Here are some tips from the Hummingbird Society at hummingbirdsociety.org.
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Tips for Hummingbird Feeders
TYPE & SIZE: 1. Choose a feeder that you are able and willing to clean. 2. Look for a feeder that has the ports above the pool of liquid to avoid drips. 3. Use a feeder whose size matches your population. 4. Don’t fill the feeder all the way if it isn’t being used. 5. More feeders will support more hummers and help reduce territoriality. FRESHNESS: 6. Change the mixture every four to five days - more frequently if temperatures are over 90° F. 7. If the liquid appears cloudy or you see mold, wash the feeder thoroughly right away.
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LOCATION: 8. Put your feeders at least four feet above the ground so they are beyond the reach of cats and other predators 9. Never place a feeder too close to a nest because doing so may cause predation. 10. If possible, the feeder should be in a shady spot. 11. Placing the feeder where you can see them through the window is a good idea too! MAINTENANCE: 12. Feeders must be cleaned between refillings - don’t “top off ” without cleaning. 13. Use a mild detergent and water; rinse thoroughly. 14. About once a month, soak the feeder in a solution of bleach and water (1 Tbsp. of bleach per quart of water); rinse very thoroughly! 15. Some feeders can be put in the dishwasher for sterilization. 16. If your feeder is attracting ants, use a moat or AntGuard® to stop them.
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CONSERVATION CORNER
An Ancient Creature’s Demise BY: DARIAN BJUGSTAD - SUMMER INTERN Sea turtles’ life on earth surpasses age-old species like the dinosaur by 35 million years. After millions of years sustaining their presence in the ecosystem, it wasn’t until human interference that sea turtles began to struggle with survival. Of the seven species of sea turtles, six are now classified as either endangered or threatened. One out of every thousand hatchings are predicted to survive their beginning moments of life due to natural threats such as raccoons, sea gulls, and crabs. This occurrence is a reality of the ecological food web that sea turtles have always contended with. The introduction of harmful human lifestyles is the factor that’s overriding these natural threats and causing the extinction of sea turtles. One way humans have harmed sea turtle populations is through the capturing of a staple cuisine in many cultures, seafood. Over 250,000 sea turtles are caught unintentionally in fishermen’s nets, trawls and hooks per year. The result of these unintentional forms of capture include lacerations, strangulation
and amputation. Sea turtles are air breathing, so when they are captured underwater for extended periods of time they drown. Turtle Excluder Devices (TED) allow sea turtles to escape their capture through an opening in netting, but are unfortunately under-used by worldwide fisheries. In order to support the lives of sea turtles and turtle-friendly fishing practices that utilize TEDs, check for the Marine Stewardship Council eco-label or do an online seafood search. Similar to poor fishing practices, humans have also impacted turtles and other ocean life by littering plastic and trash throughout our oceans. In addition to getting entangled in plastics and other litter, small-sized trash can also be mistaken as members of the small prey that sea turtles feed on. When ingested, this trash can cause them to become severely ill or can block their intestines which results in death. To minimize this threat to sea turtles, humans must clean up after themselves when beach-going, must limit their use of plastic, and should encourage recycling in all aspects of their life. Another major threat towards sea turtles are the desire
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for the goods they can be crafted into after poaching. Even worse, the sea turtles become more sought after as fewer of them exist from the mass harvesting. Though many countries have outlawed the reaping of this endangered species, the laws are not often enforced. These sea turtles are primarily used for their skins and shells which can be made into jewelry, instruments and tourist trinkets. Here, consumers are unknowingly contributing to the demise of their beloved sea turtles. In order to save sea turtles from poaching, we must lower the public desire for sea turtle related products. Currently, many conservation programs have begun to implement programs that help these local communities make money through other tourist attractions in order to persuade them from making their living harvesting these animals. In order to protect sea turtles world-wide, we must join forces and share the responsibility of taking action. If the sea turtle’s struggle speaks to you, then please act to change your human interference and advocate for the sea turtle species whenever possible. COLORADO WOLF AND WILDLIFE CENTER | 7 |
ADOPTION CORNER
2 Year Old · Female/Spayed Blond German Shepherd/Mix This beautiful girl needs a home she can call her own. She has been living in shelters since the first of April. She was a Texas gal who had a family of seven pups. Evie has been receiving some great guidance from a training group called “Heros Pack” which she works with every Saturday. She also needs a home who can continue working with her on obedience and give her a lot of love she deserves. TCRAS has treated her for her heart worms she came with from Texas. So come on in and say HOWDY to Evie.
ALURA 7 Year Old · Female/Spayed Silver Bengal/Mix Hello. My name is Alura. My Mom had to bring me to TCRAS because she could no longer care for me. I have been an only cat my whole life. I know my house manners. AND I am a stunning cat. I hope to see you soon, so we can become friends.
$30 THURSDAYS
There are some amazing and unique cats at TCRAS right now! We have kittens, young adults, older cats… And all kinds of personalities! For a limited time, check us out on $30 Thursdays when many of our cats (ages 6 months and up) will have adoption fees reduced to just $30! (Some restrictions do apply) | 8 | COLORADO WOLF AND WILDLIFE CENTER
SPENCER
EVIE
Available from San Luis Valley Animal Welfare Society slvaws.org · 719.587.woof (9663) · Non-Profit NO-KILL Shelter What sweethearts! Abandoned, we believe. Aileen saved them from being hit by vehicles on HWY 160 near the San Dunes. They trusted her enough to jump into her vehicle. So mellow, so loving! Yes, Kathryn, has beautiful German shepherd ears. She won’t put them both up when she knows her photo is being taken. They are bonded and would love a home together. They appear to be close to pure breed.
HIS SISTER KATHRYN
Available from TCRAS · Teller County Regional Animal Shelter tcrascolorado.com · 719.686.7707 · NO-KILL shelter in Divide, Colorado
A NEW FOREVER HOME.... These two lucky bonded babies got a home together. Pickles is 6 months; Gypsy is 1 year. The couple own their home. Most people who care enough to adopt two bonded dogs are great. We had these pups only one week. COLORADO WOLF AND WILDLIFE CENTER | 9 |
Have you ever had a wolf of a headache? Well this one may be a little better.
Shunka and Koda were two wolves living alone here at the center. They had both lost their mate in the past year from old age and were left living by themselves. Koda lost her mate Wakanda quite recently and had fallen into a somber state. Once we allowed her to have some grieving time, we tried to introduce her to Shunka. The minute she met him, she rolled over on her back and gave him big sloppy kisses. They are now happily living in the same enclosure and since Shunka is technically the mayor of our town Divide, we now have a new first lady! COLORADO WOLF AND WILDLIFE CENTER