Fall 2019 by Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center

S OF CON R SE EA

N ATIO RV

FALL 2019

SOUTHWEST

Why Coyotes Howl Â© Photo by Ian Adrian

Evolving Enrichment

LIF

N EC O N S E RVAT I O

Javelina Jundred Run

ABOUT US

outhwest Wildlife rescues and rehabilitates wildlife that has been injured, displaced, and orphaned. Once rehabilitated, they are returned to the wild. Wildlife education includes advice on living with wildlife and the importance of native wildlife to maintain a healthy ecosystem. Education and humane scientific research opportunities are offered in the field of conservation medicine. Sanctuary is provided to animals that cannot be released back to the wild.

SWCC Board of Directors Michael Sapp — Chairman Linda Moore — Secretary Denise Dunning Ricketts — Board Member Anne Ruddy — Board Member Stephanie Whitlow — Board Member Christine Kovach — Board Member

SWCC Staff Linda Searles — Executive Director Linda Moore —Assistant Director Kim Carr — Animal Care Manager James O’Brien — Clinic Manager, Veterinary Technician Hillary Cummens — Animal Care Specialist Khymberly Lewus — Veterinary Technician Robyn Moul — Education Specialist Lynne Stone — Animal Care Specialist Kris Wheaton — Administration

Contents Letter from the Director Page 3 Evolving Enrichment Page 4 Why Coyotes Howl Page 5 One Little Life at a Time – Spike's Story Page 6-7 Happy Birthday Leo! Page 8 Beautiful but Dangerous: Snow at SWCC! Page 9 Don Coyote Page 10-11 Corporate Sponsorship Highlight Page 12-13 Mexican Wolf Species Survival Program Page 14 Meet the Board Page 15 Tours & Speakers at SWCC Page 16 Events at SWCC Page 17 Art for a Cause Page 18 Food Drive Page 18 Other Ways to Help SWCC Page 19 2

Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center

DEAR FRIENDS OF SWCC,

It’s Been a Crazy Year So Far.

his winter brought us over a foot of snow, which blanketed the entire facility. While beautiful, the snow caused $87,000 of damage to enclosures. Some had to be torn down and replaced, while others required extensive roof repairs. Fortunately, our insurance covered the cost of repairing the physical structures. However, it did not cover the considerable related costs. Thanks to our generous donors, we were able to cover the costs of cleaning up, the purchase of new shade cloths, and the costs of planting new trees or installing metal shades where we lost large shade trees. With all winter’s snow and rain came lots of vegetation, which eventually dried up and turned brown, dramatically increasing wild fire risks to our facility. As a result, we have been clearing a lot of dead brush and creating fire breaks. Dynamite Water has generously loaned us a water tank and generator to help us fight a fire, should one break out. This spring has brought record numbers of orphaned animals to SWCC, keeping staff and volunteers incredibly busy. SWCC foster parents, which include coyotes, bobcats, and raccoons, have already begun their task of raising the orphans of their respective species. Our foster parents, which were born and raised in the wild but are non-releasable for various reasons, help us to raise orphans while keeping them wild, therefore providing them the best possible

Linda and Hatch

chance of success once released. We hit an important milestone this year: SWCC is now 25 years old! It has been quite a journey, as each year has brought new challenges. We fretted through the Rio Fire in 1995, which came to within ½ mile of our facility. We were hit very hard by the recession that began in 2008. Thankfully, our donors saw us through the extraordinarily lean years that followed, and we are still going strong. Through the 25 years of SWCC’s existence, we have seen fire, extended drought, economic recession, an unhappy neighbor, snow, and countless rattlesnake encounters. However, we are still

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here, thanks to YOU, a member of the village that supports SWCC. If not for our friends, supporters, donors, volunteers, and staff, we never could have made it this far. We have accomplished so much! Thanks to all of you, SWCC is strong and ready to face the challenges and fulfill the possibilities during our next 25 years.

Linda Searles

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Evolving Enrichment

or a wild animal keeper, maintaining an animal’s health and well-being while in captivity includes providing enrichment for them. Enrichment can come in a variety of forms, from introducing a novel food item to stimulating an animal’s acute sense of smell with spices or herbs. It may consist of a toy to bring out their playful side or the addition of something new to the enclosure to stimulate their curiosity. Anything that can alleviate boredom and stimulate their senses to investigate and interact with their surroundings can be considered enriching. When Southwest Wildlife began 25 years ago, enrichment primarily consisted of the basics: boxes, scents, balls and other simple toys. Over the years, enrichment for captive wildlife has evolved and reached an entirely new level. With the advent of social media, zoos and sanctuaries can easily share ideas and creativity when it comes to enrichment. There are Facebook groups, Pinterest pages and associations of people who gather for conferences for the sole purpose of enriching the lives of captive animals. Companies have sprouted up, such as Wildlife Toybox, that design and manufacture toys, puzzle feeders and other items specifically for wild animals. Need an indestructible toy for a playful polar bear? They got it covered. How about a puzzle to keep a mischievous primate occupied? No problem. While these toys can get quite expensive, they’ll last a lifetime and provide countless hours of enjoyment for an animal in captivity. Even with many new and creative options for enrichment, sometimes nothing beats a good, old box!

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Why Coyotes Howl

any visitors to our Nature Center believe coyotes howl when they make a kill. When coyotes are hunting they are quiet, not wanting to spook their prey. Once they have made a kill, they are silent so they don't alert other predators in fear of losing their dinner to them. Coyotes are not usually pack hunters, preying on large game. In fact, their primary diet consists of mice and small rats—which a coyote can swallow in a single bite! Each adult coyote needs to eat 2025 mice every single day. If you had to catch 20-25 mice every day, would you make an announcement when you caught one?? Or, would you immediately gulp it down and begin searching for the next one? So, why DO coyotes howl?? The answer: That depends…! The meaning of coyotes’ vocalizations usually depends upon the type of vocalization. In addition, to howling, coyotes bark, growl, yip, and whine. At least a dozen vocalizations, or combinations of vocalizations, have been identified. Some howling behavior does relate to food. Coyotes generally live in packs. When hunting, individuals will spread out within a pack’s territory. Howling is often simply a way for the pack to check in with each other when they are separated. Howling may occur when a pack reunites, at which time they may also whine or yip-howl. Such vocalizations are joyful and strengthen pack bonds. A lone howl may be used by a coyote separated from its pack. Vocalizations such as barking, huffing, and woofing may indicate aggression or submission toward other coyotes. This may be directed toward members of their own pack or toward coyotes passing through a pack’s territory. Generally, itinerant coyotes will limit vocalizations in an effort to limit confrontation. Usually, yips or yip-howls will be territorial in nature. They may be directed toward coyotes that are not members of the resident pack or indicate the presence of danger. Repeated, high-pitched and staccato yips are often referred to as alarm calls. They may last for a few minutes or an hour or longer, depending upon how long the perceived danger remains within the territory.

Another interesting detail about coyotes’ vocalizations is that it often sounds as if there are many more coyotes present than there actually are.

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One Little Life at a Time – Spike’s Story BY KRIS WHEATON, STAFF AND VOLUNTEER

Spike, inside the dog kennel, calls for Mom

our support has saved Spike with cactus all over wild lives for 25 years. Six years ago, a bobcat kitten was one of those lives. This is his story. When a homeowner discovered a tiny bobcat kitten in his front yard, he called Scottsdale Police, who then called Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center. Covered head to toe in cholla cactus, the kitten could hardly move and although his mother was nearby, he needed more help than she could give. She watched as police and rescuers captured her baby. He was taken straight to a veterinarian where they removed of long-lasting antibiotics before more than 200 cactus his trip out to the sanctuary. What spines and gave him a he needed was a quiet place to heal. nickname – Spike. But it wasn’t quiet at all. The Once the cactus little bobkitten cried for hours. was out, he got a shot

And what a voice! No one had ever heard anything like it. And he ate. He ate everything he was offered. Spike was sure that if he cried long enough and loud enough his mother would find him. Until she could rescue him, he’d just stay alive. We began to believe it too. If we took him back where he was found and he called for her, would she come? What would we do if she did? How would we know it was his mother? He was too little to leave out there alone. What if we lost track of him? After talking with several homeowners, they assured us that the mother bobcat regularly traveled through their neighborhood to reach the McDowell Mountain Preserve where she lived. They believed she’d be back.

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So, a plan came together. With the homeowner’s support, an experienced Southwest Wildlife volunteer returned the next morning with Spike in a small crate and spent several hours waiting and hoping his mother would show herself. Spike did his part by calling for her constantly, but there was no sign of her. Back at Southwest Wildlife, my husband and I offered to try again that evening. Before dusk, as the light faded into blackness, we were back with Spike’s small crate tucked inside a larger wire dog kennel, so he was visible. Once near his home, Spike again called for his mother, but without success. Perhaps there was too much activity in the area for her to risk coming out. That evening, after leaving his wild home behind again, Spike was quiet for the first time since his rescue. He was exhausted from hours of crying for his mother. He’d been so sure she’d come for him.

If the plan to reunite him with his mother didn’t work, Spike would join the other bobcat orphans being cared for at Southwest Wildlife until they were big enough to be released the following year. He’d grow up and probably survive, but he wouldn’t be with his family and have a chance to learn important bobcat survival lessons from his mother. We had to try one more time. The next morning, with the crate again set up at the place where Spike was found a few days earlier, we waited in the dark before dawn. The only sound which disturbed the blackness was Spike’s insistent cry for his mother. Then, from nowhere, in the yellow pool of light beneath a streetlight, an adult bobcat appeared – long legged, lean, and totally focused on Spike’s cage. From the change in the cries of the baby bobcat, there was little doubt that this was Mom. Carefully, I left the car and walked toward the cage. Mom backed away, but kept up a low rumbling growl, while she

watched from a distance. I opened the door to the crate and slipped back to watch from the car. Spike’s mother waited only a moment before walking toward the crate. She never missed a step as she walked past the open door. Spike scrambled out, tucked his head beneath her chin and his body between her front legs. Mom continued to walk, slowly and carefully, keeping him beneath her. A quick wave of the flashlight revealed a cat-shaped shadow with two large green eyes. Below those, two small ones glowed. Down the side of a wall they went, behind bushes, across to a drainage area between houses, and out toward the desert. Twice we heard Spike talking to her. Mom just listened. What a story he must have told! We’d like to believe that Spike has had a full and wild life. At least he had a second chance to grow up as a wild bobcat in the Sonoran desert.

Cactus being removed

Cactus-free, Spike arrives at SWCC

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Happy Birthday Leo!

any of you who have visited SWCC or have been receiving our newsletters have heard Leonardo’s story. He is a half-jaguar, half-leopard hybrid who was bred for the entertainment industry and born in a cage. He was taken from his mother within weeks of his birth to begin his training. So that he would be “safe” for his handlers and audiences, all his canine teeth and claws were pulled out. No one cared that his teeth gave his jaw support and without them eating would become difficult or that his feet, mutilated by being declawed, would be painful and crippling. No one cared for his welfare at all. His first two years of life were spent

entertaining people in a Las Vegas magic show. When his owners tired of him, they sold him to a zoo in a town on the Arizona border with Mexico. There, Leo lived more than seven years in a 10- by 12foot enclosure with no shade and inadequate food. He was nothing more than a curiosity for people. He was teased to entertain visitors and grossly neglected. When the USDA closed that facility down, Southwest Wildlife was able to make a home for him. We took him straight from Douglas to a Veterinary Hospital, where a physical examination revealed one collapsed lung and a severe case of pneumonia in addition to his mutilated feet. With continuing medical care and lots of love and positive

attention, Leo has blossomed. He’s a happy, playful cat these days. He has a heated and cooled night house and misters in his enclosure. He enjoys a grassy enclosure, which is easier on his feet, perches where he can lounge and watch what’s happening at the sanctuary, and enjoys chasing piles of toys. He finally has a safe and comfortable place to call his own. Leo is starting to show his age but still loves life. We recently celebrated his 17th birthday with a frozen hamburger cake, which he loved, and lots of presents. Leo is only one of many abused animals that SWCC has rescued over the past 25 years and who live in our sanctuary. At SWCC, these animals have a safe home for life, thanks to our generous supporters.

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Beautiful but Dangerous SNOW AT SWCC!

Tours were cancelled for a few days until we dried out

ho knew we would see snow in the Sonoran Desert? And not just a little, but a foot of heavy wet snow. It was a beautiful sight, but our desert trees could not take the weight of the snow, causing them to break and collapsing the tops of many of our enclosures. None of the animals were injured, but the trees falling caused $87k of damages. Thankfully, between our insurance and our generous donors, we were able to repair all the damage. While some enclosures were a total loss and had to be rebuilt, others with less damage were repaired.

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Mexian gray wolf, F891, aka Chooli, enjoys the change of scenery

Don Coyote BY LINDA SEARLES, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Don Coyote and Linda Searles

on Coyote came to me in 1990 as an imprinted pup. He was found by a farmer when he was mowing hay fields on the west side of The Valley. The farmer unknowingly drove over the den, killing the mother coyote and all her pups except Don. The farmer gave the pup to a neighbor child, whose mother eventually decided that having a wild animal as a pet wasn’t a very good idea. Smart woman. I arranged to meet the person who picked up the pup at the vet. He arrived in a crate and when I opened it, he ran out and jumped onto the vet’s lap, licking him. Even at only approximately two months old, it was obvious the pup was imprinted on and had habituated to humans. Dr Ingram, the vet, noticed that his eyes were gray, so he sent the pup and me to see animal eye specialist Dr. Sigler.

Dr. Sigler diagnosed the pup as having nutritional cataracts, the result of being on a poor diet. Because he was visually impaired and an imprint, the pup could never be released back into the wild. He did, however, became an ambassador for his species.

I named him Don, after the coyote in the book Don Coyote: The Good Times and the Bad Time of a Much Maligned American Original by Dayton O. Hyde. If you haven’t read this book, I urge you to do so. It is an often-humorous look at what we can learn from friends, even if they keep their distance and are of a different species. Don spent the rest of his life at SWCC, most of which was spent with his love, Ashley. Ashley had been saved by a firefighter from a wild fire. She was the only surviving puppy, and he picked her up, put her in his pocket, and carried her to safety. Her hair and whiskers had been singed and her lungs were severely damaged. After weeks in ICU, she recovered but was not releasable because of her damaged lungs. Although smaller than Don, Ashley always let him

Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center

Ashley Coyote

Don Coyote at 20 years old

know who was boss, putting him in his place as necessary. Don loved his toys and would always bring me one of them when he saw me. However, he was “showing” not “sharing”. I knew not to take it from him because, after all, he was a wild animal.

Don taught me the difference between our domestic dogs and wild canine species. Man has domesticated dogs for thousands of years. They have learned to depend on us. As a result, they will look to humans for guidance and help, often living their entire lives in a

Don Coyote with one of his favorite stuffed animals

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very puppy-like state. Coyotes and wolves will not look to humans to help them; they are actually incredibly smart and good problem solvers. Wild canines cannot be truly domesticated and should never be kept as pets. Don’s claim to fame was being the star of the opening to Phoenix’s Channel 10 News after they filmed him howling at sunset on Pinnacle Peak Mountain. Don was also in The National Geographic Special, The Sonoran Desert: A Violent Eden and had a few small parts in some other scientific films. Don passed away from cancer at the age of 20, but his legacy is huge. He was my inspiration for founding Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center; if not for Don Coyote, there would not be a SWCC.

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Corporate Sponsorship Highlight BY NIKKI JULIEN, DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION & SPECIAL PROJECTS Can your company benefit from sponsoring Southwest Wildlife? A number of companies support Southwest Wildlife by sponsoring events, activities, programs, and other aspects of our work. Through sponsorship support, companies can enhance their brand image while furthering the success of our mission saving injured and orphaned animals. If you’d like to discuss ways your company might benefit from a sponsorship donation, contact Mike Nolan at mike.nolan@ southwestwildlife.org.

un for your life! And drink a beer while you’re at it. Why? To support wildlife, of course! You might think that javelinas, beer, and trails have nothing in common, but in Arizona they certainly do thanks to a company called Aravaipa Running. Since 2016, Aravaipa Running, who specializes in hosting trail running events in Arizona, has donated over $11,000 to Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center in proceeds from their beer gardens, a feature of the event festivities. What is trail running? To put it simply, it’s running on a trail. There are parts that might include a stretch of asphalt but for the most part, the races are all dirt. While road running is great exercise, trail running really works the brain and reflexes too. Trails are always different, even the same trail changes season to season, that’s the challenge along with the excitement. Why the connection to wildlife? Trail running is a great way to see wildlife and forge an emotional bond with the land. But, just like any outdoor recreation, what connects us to the natural world also takes its toll. Hayley Pollack, President of Aravaipa Running, said “Aravaipa Running was born out of a deep respect and love for nature: exploring it, finding and overcoming limits within it, and embracing the pain and euphoria it can cause. One incredibly important aspect to this is understanding that the same nature is home to creatures that allow us to

share their habitat. This is why we find our relationship with Southwest Wildlife so important. It aligns directly with our desire to respect nature, and give back to the environment that gives so much to us.” Aravaipa Running does more than donate, they also have strong ethics about the impact their races have on the environment including going cup-less for their races to reduce waste. Speaking of cups, how does the beer fit in? Aravaipa running is a big proponent of community building and their beer gardens are a great way for trail runners to meet and greet before and after the race. This is where Huss Brewing enters the picture. Huss is a local brewery based in Phoenix who donates the beer served at Aravaipa’s events. Huss Brewing even named a beer in honor of wildlife! In their taprooms in Tempe and Phoenix in the fall they bring out the Joppy Javelina brewed for Aravaipa’s Javelina Jundred, ultra running event hosted at McDowell Mountain Regional Park every year in October. Huss describes the Joppy Javelina as an IPA brewed with orange juice, orange zest, sage and agave. So there you have it—more ways to support SWCC: sign up for a race with Aravaipa Running and raise a glass with Huss!

Cheers!

Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center

Javelina on the run at the Javelina Jundred ultra trail running race. Photo by Howie Stern.

Trail running is good exercise and good fun. Photo by Howie Stern.

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Mexican Wolf Species Survival Program

t has been 25 amazing, wonderful and sometimes heartbreaking years since I started SWCC. Our role in the Mexican Wolf Species Survival Program (SSP) has been one of the most gratifying accomplishments and remains that way today. Our role in the program started quite accidentally. I received a call from the AZ Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) regarding a wolf pup with a medical problem. She was at the Navajo Nation Zoo and was not weight bearing on one of her legs. SWCC has always been fortunate to have extremely talented veterinarians who are well qualified to help with special cases needing medical attention. AZGFD knew this, and asked if we could take this wolf. I drove up to Window Rock to pick up this small and very lame wolf named Celia. At that time the Mexican wolf program was just getting started, and the USFWS was searching for purebred wolves to add to the program. Since it appeared there were no longer any wolves existing in the

wild, they turned to wolves that were already in captivity to obtain additional bloodlines for breeding. Celia was DNA tested, and determined to be a pure Mexican wolf of the Ghost Ranch line from a small zoo in New Mexico. The McBride line originated with the wolves found in the wild, and the Aragon line from a zoo in Mexico. All the existing Mexican wolves alive today came from some combination of these 3 bloodlines. That was in 1995, and I attended my first Mexican Wolf SSP meeting in Colorado Springs, where breeding pairs are determined based on genetics, and wolf transfers are decided to make those pairs happen. SWCC was given 3 additional Mexican wolves from the McBride lineage. Although SWCC was not considered a breeding facility due to its size, it became an extremely important part of the program serving as a holding facility for older wolves taking up space at larger facilities where Mexican wolves are able to be bred. It re-

mains that way today, with the vast majority of our wolves being on the geriatric side. We also house wolves that are considered not suitable for exhibit at major zoos, or wolves that need specialized medical care. Another important contribution we offer the wolf program is our involvement with genetic rescue. Since we house many wolves past their prime breeding age and many have never had the opportunity to breed, collection of genetic material is a critical step in saving the species as every single wolf is important to the overall population. SWCC works with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to collect and bank genetic material from our aged wolves before it is too late to salvage. This is an important step to ensure that those genes are not lost, and will be available for reproduction far into the future. Celia was the first, and started SWCC down a path of working to ensure the survival of her species, a road we continue to follow today.

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Meet the New Board Members Denise Dunning-Ricketts

dynamic self-starter and a successful career-long business woman, Denise continues to balance tradition with innovation. Building lifelong relationships, using technology and her strong negotiation skills, Denise unequivocally works hard for her clients to achieve their real estate goals. Moving to the Arcadia area of Phoenix at age eleven, Denise has witnessed the development and growth of the Valley, giving her unusual perspective and in-depth knowledge of many areas of the greater NE and East Valley. A former western horse champion, having lived in several other states, and a Harvard graduate, her background in marketing and customer service makes Denise a trustworthy real estate consultant for horse properties, relocations, second homes, and resale luxury properties.

Stephanie Whitlow

’m proud to be part of the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center’s board. Since joining the board last summer, I’ve gotten a closer look at the impact SWCC has on giving wildlife the chance at life, whether through providing an animal a place to heal before being released back into the wild or a forever home. While it’s no surprise that this organization has positively impacted thousands of animals during it’s first 25 years of operation, I am amazed at how they do it. This spring, I watched the SWCC staff work tirelessly as they took in a record-breaking number of baby animals. Without donors and volunteers like you, it wouldn’t be possible to give these orphaned wild animals a chance at life. Without your support, SWCC wouldn’t have the means to provide an injured coyote a permanent home. These are just a few of the many examples of how you make an impact on SWCC and as we continue to grow over the next 25 years, I hope you will continue to be right there on this wild ride with us as we save wildlife one life at a time.

Christine Kovach

hristine began her career in broadcast journalism, working for ABC News in Phoenix before leaving to work in the financial industry. After nine years as vice president of sales with a start–up community bank in Scottsdale, Christine moved to pursue her own business interests. She now manages multiple entities and LLC’s, consisting of business holdings, real estate, and private investments. Since 1991 Christine has been active in the Scottsdale community. From 1993 – 2011 she served on the board of the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy and was Chairman in 1994 and again in 2004, 2005, 2006. She also served on the McDowell Sonoran Preserve Commission for 9 years. She and her husband are the donors of two ADA trails in the Preserve: the Bajada Nature trail and the Kovach Family Nature Trail. She currently serves on the Scottsdale Public Arts board. Christine received her B.S. in Broadcast Journalism from Arizona State University and is a Lifetime Alumni Member, Presidents Club Member, and ASU Women in Philanthropy member. In 2017 Christine was inducted into the Scottsdale History Hall of Fame and honored by Scottsdale as a Preserve Pioneer in Oct. 2019. She lives in Scottsdale with her husband and three children.

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TOURS & SPEAKERS AT SWCC Walk with Wildlife Tours at Southwest Wildlife, Tuesdays-Saturdays

Whether you’re an Arizona resident or visiting from out of town, a Walk with Wildlife tour of our nature center is a unique opportunity to learn about our magnificent native wildlife. Guided tours allow you to get an up-close view of some of our permanent sanctuary animals as we share their compelling stories. Tours are about two-hours long. $25/adult, $15/child (ages 3-12), 2 yrs and under are free.

Fall and Winter Schedule:

Tuesdays at 10 am and 2 pm Wednesdays & Thursdays at 2 pm Fridays & Saturdays at 10 am, 12:30 pm & 3 pm

Full Moon Tour of Southwest Wildlife Wednesday, December 11, 5 pm.

Join us at Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center for a unique guided tour of our conservation center by the light of the full moon. The blissfully bright full moon brings out the wild in wildlife. Full Moon Tours offer guests the chance to see what our native wildlife is up to in the mysterious hours of night. If you’re lucky, you might even hear a serenade from the Mexican gray wolves, spy the climbing acrobatics of the coati or smell the pungent odor of a javelina herd! Light refreshments will be served. Full moon tours are about two-hours long. $30/adult, $20 child (ages 3-12), 2 yrs and under are free.

Holiday Schedule:

Labor Day, public tour at 9 am Columbus Day, public tours at 10 am and 2 pm Thanksgiving Day, public tour at 10 am Christmas Eve Day, public tour at 10 am Christmas Day, closed to the public.

Speaker Series 2019-2020

Wednesdays, January 15 & March 18 from 5-7 pm. Join us here at Southwest Wildlife for our 2019-2020 speaker series! Local organizations and wildlife professionals will tell us about living with our fascinating local wildlife and conservation efforts to save them for future generations. Each event starts with a short tour of Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center’s sanctuary followed by a one hour presentation from our featured speaker. Join us January 15th to fall in love our local lizards and snakes with the Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary! Join us March 18th to hear about the mule deer tracking program happening right next door in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve with the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy! The Speaker Series events are by reservation only. Space is limited. $30/adult, $20 child (ages 3-12), 2 yrs and under are free.

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UPCOMING EVENTS AT SWCC Tours, events & workshops take place at: Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center 27026 N. 156th St. Scottsdale, AZ 85262 Drawing and Painting Wildlife with April Howland Mondays November 18th and 25th, December 2nd and 9th from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm.

Happy HOWL-oween

Saturday, October 26 from 5-7 pm. Join us for the wildest Trick-orTreat ever! Little ghosts and goblins (and big ones too!) can trickor-treat at our wildlife sanctuary by visiting each wildlife habitat where they will receive a treat from the animals. Light refreshments will be served. We will also have games and photo ops! This is a self-guided adventure with family-friendly surprises around every corner. Adults and children are encouraged to wear a costume. Join us for a howling good time! This open-house style event opens at 5 pm and closes at 7 pm. $30/ adult, $20 child (ages 3-12), 2 yrs and under are free.

This four-week long course begins with a tour of Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center to introduce you to our gorgeous wildlife models—bears, mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, foxes and more. Subsequent weeks will allow you to sit at the animal enclosures as long as you like to draw or paint from real life. Artist April Howland will offer activities and coaching as you work on your pieces. Bring your own art supplies and easels and a camera or smart phone to capture poses. Sit and relax and become one with your art. All skill levels welcome. Pencil, Watercolor, acrylic and oils are all welcome. Artists are encourage to work several pieces over the course of each class time as animals are free to roam their cages and cannot be counted on to pose for too long! Space is limited to 15 participants.

Happy HOWL-idays Party! Saturday, December 14th and again Saturday, December 21st from 5-7 pm.

Many creatures are stirring even a mouse for this special holiday event at Southwest Wildlife. Happy Howlidays will be a night of sipping hot cocoa by the fire, listening to carolers, and meeting Santa Claus! If that’s not enough, guests will be invited to walk through our decorated wildlife sanctuary to view our animals enjoying their treats! Celebrate the holiday spirit in this rustic setting in Northeast Scottsdale an make our annual Happy Howlidays Party part of your holiday tradition! Families and couples will enjoy the intimate and unique setting with wildlife all around. Come and cherish this wonderful time of year with us! This open-house style event opens at 5 pm and closes at 7 pm. $30/ adult, $20 child (ages 3-12), 2 yrs and under are free.

Tour & Event registration is required, to register go to: https://www.southwestwildlife.org/visit-us/

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Art for a Cause

Artist Meg Harper painted this portrait of Tocho, one of our mountain lions. The painting is for sale through her website, and she has pledged to donate 50% of the proceeds to Southwest Wildlife. For more information about Meg and the painting, and to purchase it, visit her website at megharper.com/products/tocho.

Food Drive

Thank you for the food!

As many of you are already aware, SWCC lost its dry food donation. The source we were obtaining it from changed their mission and decided to only donate to dog and cat rescues. Unfortunately, their decision was without notice and came as a complete surprise. The response to our plea for dry food was incredible: delivery trucks brought loads of food and individuals came to drop off bags. We want to thank everyone who came to our rescue with dry food donations. We now have an ample supply to keep everyone fed for the next 9 months, during which time we will look for a consistent source of donated food.

Join us on Facebook

Our social media Facebook page gives you a daily dose of wildlife wonders going on here at the sanctuary and with wildlife around the world. Host your online birthday party with us to gather donations or look for a donate button on our posts to help SWCC as we continue to save wild lives, one life at a time.

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Other Ways to Help SWCC Visit our Ways to Give tab on our website: www.southwestwildlife.org to connect with these giving options:

Sponsor an Animal

Share the care and sponsor your favorite sanctuary animal. Sponsorships make excellent “Green Gifts” for birthdays and holidays! Visit the Sponsor an Animal page on our Ways to Give tab.

Corporate Sponsorships

Our Wish Lists

Our Amazon Wish List offers many items we need here at Southwest Wildlife on a daily basis such as food buckets, Lysol wipes and nuts. We also list specialty items such as snake tongs and Christmas lights. Amazon’s registry makes giving SWCC a gift super easy— they even know our address! Our Website’s Wish List also lets you know of more items ranging from copy paper and gift cards to chainsaws and we even need a flat bed trailer. Donations can be delivered to the sanctuary at 27026 N. 156th St, Scottsdale, AZ 85262. Let us know you are dropping off and we will give you a tax receipt for your gift!

While shopping online…

Make Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center your charity of choice on Amazon Smile. Once you do, Amazon does the rest by giving a portion of every purchase to us. The pennies really add up!

Are you redecorating or cleaning out the closet?

Become a Wild Family Member

Become part of our wild family monthly giving program and support Southwest Wildlife’s mission year-round! When you sign up to join our Wild Family with a monthly gift, you provide a consistent, reliable stream of income that we can count on—like family—to always be there when an animal needs help.

Leave a Legacy

SWCC plans to be saving wildlife for many years to come. You can help support us in the future by listing Southwest Wildlife through endowments and memorials with Planned Giving. Contact Linda.Moore@SouthwestWildlife.org to give a gift that leaves a lasting legacy.

Have time to spare? Volunteer your time

Volunteers are needed in the Education Department as tour guides and in Animal Care to feed and clean our residents. Apply online at the Volunteer page under the Ways to Give tab and attend one our seasonal orientations to learn more.

Businesses can also support SWCC right now and into the future both in terms of labor or financial support. Corporate volunteer groups or employees with Volunteer-Time-Off are appreciated for day labor projects. Contact Lynne. Stone@SouthwestWildlife.org if you can offer your team or your time. Financially, we are especially in need of corporate support to underwrite our school field trip program so we can keep the cost per student low. To offer corporate financial support for this or capital projects, contact Linda.Moore@ SouthwestWildlife.org

Scout Projects

We are pleased to work with Boy Scouts wishing to complete their Eagle Scout project requirements. Past projects have included dens, picnic tables, and signage. These projects are a huge benefit for both SWCC and the scouts. For more information contact us at: scouts@southwestwildlife.org

Drop off your high-end items to My Sister’s Closet or My Sister’s Attic and request that SWCC benefits when the items are sold.

www.southwestwildlife .org

480-471-9109

8711 East Pinnacle Peak Rd PMB #115 Scottsdale, AZ 85255

Yes, I want to help make a difference for Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center! Enclosed is my donation (please use the enclosed envelope provided). $25 $50 $75 $100 $500 other Please make checks payable to: Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center Or visit: www.southwestwildllife.org to make your contribution online We accept all major credit cards: Name: ______________________________________ Address: ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ Name as it appears on card: ______________________________________________ Phone: _______________________________________ Credit Card # _________________________________ Exp. Date: _____________________________________ Signature: _____________________________________

Please visit our website at www.southwestwildlife.org to learn more about: Wild Family Monthly Giving Program, Animal Sponsorships, Corporate Sponsorships, Planned Giving, and On-Site Programs Thank you to our corporate sponsors: