Spring means a lot of things to a lot of people. To Wildwoods Wildlife Rehabilitation, it means a lot of work. "Right now we're having baby season which is our busiest season," says Valerie Slocum, the Director of Animal Rehabilitation at Wildwoods. The organization takes in animals that require direct care before returning to the wild.
For Slocum, the days involves a lot of feeding. "Baby birds, when they're really young, need to be fed every 15 minutes." Squirrels need to be fed 5-6 times per day. Bunnies seem to be the easiest keep, only needing to be fed twice each day. All told, the work at Wildwoods involves replicating the animal's natural habitat and diet as best as possible to prepare it for reintegration.
Wildwoods also urges the public to be considerate before intervening with wild animals. "We get a lot of calls, and a lot of animals actually don't need intervention," says Slocum. "The two biggest animals that we get calls for that probably don't need intervention are baby bunnies and fawns." Bunnies and fawn are frequently left alone during the day. Seeing these species without a parent nearby should not be interpreted as an immediate concern.
If you do see an animal that might be in need of help, contact Wildwoods by phone at 218-491-3604. You can also visit their Facebook page and website for more information.
