On the Mend LINDSAY WILDLIFE'S REHABILITATION EFFORTS FOR GRAY FOXES HAVE FOUND SUCCESS
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n an average year, the Lindsay Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital treats about a dozen gray fox patients for various reasons ranging from injury to disease. Some foxes are brought in after becoming entangled in netting.
Others are caught in traps. The most critical patients are those that have been poisoned by rodenticides; hit by cars; or are suffering from the lethargy, trembling and seizures associated with distemper. That fatal illness tends to spike in gray fox and raccoon populations every few years. Disease hit gray foxes particularly hard last year. Distemper is suspected in many of the sick foxes that were brought to Lindsay in 2019. But there were some success stories. While hospital staff treated nearly five times the number of sick and injured gray foxes normally seen in a typical year, they and their partners were able to rehabilitate a handful of these intelligent and fiercely spirited canids: five of the 67 foxes seen in the hospital in 2019 were returned to the wild, where they belong. Their returns were the result of countless hours of care by Lindsay doctors and their veterinarian partners and many dedicated volunteers. Equally as important is the fact that the foxes weren’t sick. “The foxes that were released didn’t show any signs of distemper, which
is what we think many of the other foxes came in with,” said lead wildlife veterinarian Dr. Krystal Woo. Three of the foxes arrived as kits in the spring. One was a baby male fox that was hit by a car and suffered two broken legs. After surgery, he was placed in home care with a volunteer before being sent to Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue in Petaluma to build up strength. Just a few weeks later, two female kits were brought in after they were found abandoned near an elementary school in Danville. Both were extremely weak and emaciated and one needed special care from a veterinary ophthalmologist for an ulcer in her eye. Once her eye healed, the kit was reunited with her sister before they were transferred to the Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley to prepare for the rigors of the wild. The male kit soon joined them after it refused to leave its crate during an attempted return. In October, the now juvenile foxes came back to Lindsay for ear tagging and final checkups before they were taken to Camp Parks Reserve Forces Training Area in Dublin, near where the male kit was initially found. All three were returned to the wild near a creek running through a dense grove of trees. The other successful returns involved foxes that had run-ins with plastic pipes. The first arrived in August after it became ensnared in a trap set by someone wanting to see what was eating their chickens. Once caught, the fox was found to have
These two kits were among the five foxes Lindsay Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital treated and returned to the wild in 2019.
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a piece of black plastic drainage pipe hanging loosely
I M PAC T R E P O RT
WHAT IS SOCIAL IMPACT?
S
ocial impact is defined by the University of Michigan
a healthy, loving relationship with nature and wildlife is good
Center for Social Impact as “… a significant, positive
not only for plants and animals but also for us.
change that addresses a pressing social challenge.”
Lindsay’s approach to helping society overcome its
Lindsay’s social impact is, essentially, transforming
wildlife-related challenges follows a logical path. First, we
society’s relationship with wildlife and nature, a relationship
articulate our mission and vision. Then we develop programs
that is often influenced by incomplete or faulty information,
and activities that help us achieve that mission, taking into
personal experiences and biases, fear of wildlife, or customs.
consideration our audience and their needs (outputs) and
As a society, we seldom take into account the needs of
measuring the results of our actions (outcomes). Our impact,
wildlife and plants when designing our cities, neighborhoods
then, is the change in people’s attitudes, behaviors and actions
and even our backyards. The good news is that developing
in support of healthier and thriving wildlife and habitats.
Intent and Design Our mission and objectives
Programs and Activities What we do every day
Outputs
Outcomes
Who we serve and their needs
Are things getting better?
Impact
Measuring Our Impact Lindsay continues to develop what are called "indicators of progress" in achieving success and having an impact. Among them are the number of wild animal patients we rehabilitate and release into the environment; the number of people who return to Lindsay to participate in our programs and projects; the path that students take after participating in our youth leadership programs; and many more. Often, our impact is not evident for years. Other times we see the change immediately.
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I M PAC T R E P O RT
HEALED | A wildlife rehabilitation success story
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n Dec. 27, 2018, an injured golden eagle arrived at the hospital from Clayton, California. The eagle was extremely weak and unable to stand, wheezing, and
unaware of her surroundings. Blood tests indicated a very high concentration of lead. At the time, the eagle’s prognosis was bleak. But with intensive care, hand feeding and numerous medications, she began to show improvement. By February, the levels of lead in her blood were much lower. After a few more months of building up strength, she was outfitted with a GPS backpack by a biologist on June 28, 2019, and returned to the Diablo Range.
By the Numbers We received and treated 5,343 patients in 2019. Of these, we treated, rehabilitated and returned to the wild 2,650 with many more still in our care.
TRANSFORMED | How early
SOLVED | Addressing society’s
encounters with wildlife can shape
issues with wildlife through
careers and lifelong philosophies
advocacy and problem-solving
K
im Kolbeck became a Lindsay volunteer in
A
1993, working in the wildlife hospital every
Thursday morning. Many times, she brought her
with injuries and illnesses stem-
explored the exhibits and learned about California
ming from accidents, diseases, or
wildlife through camps and classes. As she grew passion for conservation. She went on to major in environmental studies and education at UC Santa Cruz and built a successful career as an environmental educator. Maia became Lindsay’s director of education in 2019. “My early experiences at Lindsay were not only formative but were transformative,” she said. “I have dedicated my life to educating and inspiring others, just like Lindsay did for me.”
5,000 wild animals arrive
each year at our wildlife hospital
small daughter, Maia, to the museum. Maia
older, her natural love for animals blossomed into a
t Lindsay, we save lives. Over
encounters with human activities and structures. Whether it’s a raptor poisoned with lead or rodenticides (sometimes both) or a baby bird or baby squirrel dislodged from its nest by unseasonal tree trimming, animals get a second chance if brought to Lindsay before their injuries become lethal. But preventing these injuries and conditions is as important as healing wounds. In the past few years, Lindsay has raised its voice to advocate for solutions that protect wildlife from the effects of poor planning or decision making or merely old habits. We still have much to do, but we are committed and eager to do this work.
By the Numbers
By the Numbers
In 2018-2019, more than 4,876 children and their
Lindsay has advocated for strengthening the Endangered Species Act
parents visited Lindsay and learned about
and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act; for the protection of trees slated to
California’s wildlife and habitats in 129 programs
be cut in natural areas; and for better tree trimming practices to protect
delivered by experienced educators and
young wildlife, among other actions. We were also one of 11,000
dedicated volunteers. The parents of many of
signatories to the report “World Scientists’ Warning of a Climate
these children also came to Lindsay as children.
Emergency” published in the journal BioScience in late 2019. Improving
Now, they pass on the legacy of their love for
our relationship with nature is a core component of Lindsay’s identity and
wildlife to their offspring.
a guiding set of principles for our work.
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INSPIRED | Inspiring and encouraging the leaders of the future
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riones Bedell (right) and Georgia Carpenter became OWLs (Outstanding Wildlife Leaders) several years ago. Like most teenage volunteers that come to Lindsay, they
wanted to learn about California wildlife, hone their skills in nature interpretation and public speaking, and explore potential career paths. As they gained more knowledge and experience, their outlooks and expectations grew. They wanted to learn how to make a difference. Carpenter, a high school senior, is focused on becoming an environmental lawyer or politician. Bedell has her sights on a conservation career. They were invited to a board of directors meeting to make a presentation and to observe the work of leading an environmental nonprofit organization. They now regularly attend board meetings and are working on implementing improvements to the OWLs program.
By the Numbers Each year, over 50 young women and men, ages 13 to 18, join the OWLs program. Participants spend at least 2.5 hours each week training in animal handling and carrying out interpretive programs for the public. Together with members of the Keepers in Training (KIT) program, they learn the basis of animal husbandry and training and leave with a unique set of skills and experiences.
MOTIVATED | Our animal ambassadors support research and conservation
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e have three California tiger salamanders at Lindsay. These beautiful amphibians are listed as threatened and could soon become endangered due to loss of habitat. When
construction is happening in areas where the salamanders live, companies are required to put up “escape funnels” so these amphibians can move to safer habitats. Our salamanders— Freckles, Sal, and Manny—were part of a study to test these funnels and are helping save hundreds of other salamanders by informing efforts to preserve their populations.
By the Numbers Lindsay is home to 75 different animals representing 55 different species. Every year our animal ambassadors participate in about 4,000 up-close interactions. Our staff and more than 50 volunteers work 365 days a year caring for Lindsay’s beloved permanent residents.
ENGAGED | The legacy of early learning
D
r. Rosanne Siino (right), Lindsay’s current board president, visited Lindsay at an early age, which helped cultivate her love of wildlife. After returning to the area decades later, Siino
received a call from a friend who said an aggressive fox was in her yard and she was worried it was rabid. Siino’s early experience with Lindsay immediately came to mind. She encouraged the friend to let her call Lindsay’s wildlife hospital hotline. “Observe the fox for a while and see if there is a kit nearby. She may be protecting it,” said the kind and patient voice on the hotline. Sure enough, after a few minutes of observation Siino’s friend spotted a baby fox and understood why the mother fox was so stressed.
By the Numbers We receive around 100,000 visitors each year and look forward to providing many more unforgettable experiences to each of them.
WINTER 2020
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I M PAC T R E P O RT
2020 VISION | Where Is Lindsay Going?
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n 1990-91, the leadership of the Lindsay Junior Museum decided that the institution had outgrown its old pumphouse building and
needed a new facility to carry out its critical mission. This new facility would accommodate state-of-the-art exhibits, a unique wildlife hospital and rehabilitation center, and a collection of living animals that would become known as Lindsay’s animal ambassadors. Fundraising began in earnest and within a few years, the current building was inaugurated and opened to the public. The year 2020 is the year when Lindsay begins a new phase in its development, revisits programs and infrastructure, and widens its reach to include a broad spectrum of communities and audiences. We expect to broaden the vision and impact that a modern science-based conservation organization is expected to have. This process has already started. Among the projects we’re working on is making Lindsay an intrinsically valuable organization in the East Bay. Institutions such as public libraries, fire and police departments, and food banks have intrinsic value to communities because of the work they do. We aim to make Lindsay this kind of institution. We will work toward this by using new tools to measure and report the impact of our activities. We will grow our networks to include like-minded organizations and people who share our values in veterinary medicine, environmental education and conservation. And we will develop additional programs that inspire positive action. We will improve the experiences of volunteers, who are intrinsic to our achievements, and become an organization of choice for them and employees, donors and corporations. Ultimately, we want to inspire everyone to become part of the global effort to nurture and care for wildlife and the environment.
What does SUCCESS look like? For Lindsay, success this year and beyond means seeing and making evident the fruits of our efforts and those of our supporters in advancing our mission of connecting people with wildlife to inspire
responsibility and respect for the world we share. For Lindsay, success will include a capable, engaged, happy and motivated staff and volunteer corps. Our financial position will continue to grow in a healthy and stable manner. Our fundraising strategies will be robust, balanced, diverse and sophisticated, and our board of directors will reflect the communities we serve. We will continue to produce outstanding and informative programs that help people grow, and we will continue to build a visionary strategic plan while strengthening our visibility and presence. We will continue to grow as a transparent, well-run and effective organization whose core mission is visible in the community.
The path to success—a simple way to look at it We use this simple graphic to illustrate our overall strategy for success.
Obstacles
Strategies to overcome obstacles
• We first need to know where we are right now. • We then need to visualize in great detail where we want to be. • With these two “images,” we can design
Where we are right now
Where we want to be Our Path (Plan) to Success
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a path to overcome obstacles, develop strategies and achieve this vision.