A pipeline rupture along the coast in Santa Barbara County has spilled tens of thousands of gallons of crude oil into the Pacific Ocean and onto the shoreline.
Marie Travers, one of BAX’ co-directors, is on the scene helping with the wildlife rescue effort. Other BAX staff are on standby, ready to go, as the horrible situation unfolds.
Your support of our mission makes it possible for us to help anywhere that injured wildlife is in need. We’ll provide updates as they are available.
BAX co-director, Marie Travers, cares for a Canada Goose while responding to an oil spill in 2013 – photo Laura Corsiglia/BAX
Humboldt Wildlife Care Center’s chocolate tradition gets a re-boot!
For many years our chocolate bars have been available around the county with all proceeds going toward the care of injured and orphaned wild animals… well, now a local chocolatier (Thank you Sjaak’s in Petaluma/Blue Lake!) has teamed up with Bird Ally X to bring new flavors and an informative label to help us treat your sweet tooth while you support our work!
With labels designed in house by BAX art director, Laura Corsiglia, and with new flavors that are “wildly delicious” it’s now tastier and more interesting than ever to support your local wildlife rehabilitators and advocates. Plus, our new chocolate is certified organic, fair trade and vegan! Look for our new chocolate bars in area stores or stop in to our clinic in Bayside and get one or five today! (or tomorrow, or the next day…)
Helping Wild Mothers on Mother’s Day (and every day)
This year’s Mallard babies at HWCC. We have two dozen mallard babies in care already!
Every year wildlife rehabilitation facilities admit huge numbers of orphaned ducklings for care. In California, Mallard ducklings top the list annually for numbers brought in to our state’s permitted rehabilitators. This amounts to tens of thousands of young Mallards each year who are raised by people instead of their mothers. The number of ducklings who die without being found is unknowably large.
The most common cause of separation is the death of their mother. Often, Mallard nests are far from water, safely hidden. But the journey to a pond, stream or river bottom that a mother duck must lead her babies on is fraught with hazards, and human activity is the most dangerous.
Automobiles and dogs are the primary reason the mallard ducklings are brought to our facility on Humboldt Bay. Humboldt Wildlife Care Center, because of our rural location, sees far fewer ducklings than facilities in San Francisco, Sacramento or the Los Angeles area, but still we get over two dozen each year.
So how can you help? There are many ways!
• See Wild Animals: Wild animals of all species need to be able to move from one area to another. Our complex of roads and highways makes simply getting around the world a life threatening activity. Watch out for wild animals. Don’t hit them with your car!
• Contain and Control Your Pets: Wild animals have natural rights to live and thrive on Mother Earth. Be a responsible pet owner and don’t allow dogs and cats to roam unattended. The fawn your dog brings back to the porch, or the ducklings who are orphaned when your dog attacks the mother, songbird babies left behind from your house cat’s carnage would have fared much better if left to live and learn form their mothers.
• Share the Wonder of Nature: Wild nature, of which we are a part, is a beautiful mystery. Happiness depends on our participation in this wonder. Wild animals have better chances when they are loved and respected by the humans who share their world. Be sure to love from an appropriate distance, though!
• Help Wild Animals Caught in Society’s Traps: If you see a wild animal in trouble, call us! 707 822 8839 If you have a conflict with a wild animal, call us! If you have time, volunteer with us! If you have money, help us pay for our wild patient’s care. The injuries that our human world causes to wildlife is OUR problem. Help us fix it!
Juvenile Mallards in our specially built Waterfowl Aviary enjoy their duckweed!
Spring is in full swing now and wild babies are showing up in the world, getting found by kids, cats, dogs, and other suburban challenges!
Last week, a youg Black Phoebe, fresh from the nest, was found by students on the ground at East High, an alternative high school in Fortuna. Brought to our clinic, we quickly determined that the young bird was a fledgling, not injured. Although songbirds live among us, closer than almost any other wild animals, many people remain unaware that fledgling birds often spend up to a week not quite ready to fly, but more than ready to jump form the nest. This is a very vulnerable time for these little guys, but it’s a time that every adult bird you see has passed through. Of course our modern world, with housecats, dogs, and cars lurking behind every moment, presents some dangers that natural life on Earth doesn’t, but still the best place for a fledgling bird is with her or his parents.
After giving this Phoebe an exam and some food, we started to arrange for the best possible plan – reuniting the family.
Black Phoebe eating mealworms while in our care ……….. (video BAX/Lucinda Adamson)
Two days later, we took the little Phoebe back to Fortuna, back to the exact location where s/he was found. Adult Black Phoebes were flying all over the area. A hole in the wall of an outbuilding appeared to have a Phoebe nest. Our staff placed the young bird as close to the nest as possible, off the ground and hopefully out of danger.
Black Phoebe adults in flight – are these our guy’s parents? (BAX/Laura Corsiglia)
The young Phoebe sits waiting for parents. (BAX/Laura Corsiglia)
Soon the youngster made a short flight to the roof of the building. Almost immediately an adult approached. Success! Soon the fledgling’s parents were bringing food. We stayed to make sure that all was well and then left this wild family to their own world, right out in the open, in the middle of our world, yet so mysterious!
Thank you for supporting our work! Your donation goes directly to our efforts to provide care for injured and orphaned wild animals, and to promoting co-existence with all of our wild neighbors. Please share our work, and if you can, donate today!
Black Phoebe adults in flight – are these our guy’s parents? (BAX/Laura Corsiglia)
The young Phoebe sits waiting for parents. (BAX/Laura Corsiglia)
