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Please don’t rescue unless rescuing is needed…
If you think you've found a baby in need of help, get it out of immediate danger, then call us at (207) 361-1400 before taking further action. Never feed a baby mammal – improper diet or feeding technique is often fatal! And many times, what appears to be an orphan is actually a healthy baby whose mom is just out of sight. So if you accidentally bother a nest - whether you go to spring-clean your shed and scare mom off, or uncover the babies as you are gardening - don't assume they need to be rescued! Give us a call, and we can share some tricks for helping reunite babies with mom. It is always our goal to only intervene when absolutely necessary.
Cottontail rabbit moms only return to the nest once or twice a day, usually at dawn and dusk, so don't assume a nest is abandoned just because she isn't around. If you uncover a nest while gardening, then as long as the baby bunnies are not injured, cover them back up - mom will return! If the babies are hopping around with their ears perked up, then although they look so small and helpless, they are mature and ready to be on their own, so there's no need to worry!
Porcupines are also commonly mistaken for orphans when mom climbs a tree to
forage while leaving the baby at the bottom. When you approach, mom
will hold still and silent in the tree and you probably won't see
her. Unless a baby porcupine is known to be orphaned or appears sick
or injured, it is usually safe to assume mom is nearby keeping a
quiet but watchful eye on her little porcupette.
Another unusual mom to keep in mind is the
opossum - she carries her babies around in her pouch like a kangaroo! So if
you see a dead opossum on the side of the road, check to see if
there's movement in her pouch. If so, you can bring the whole body
into CFW without removing the babies, and we'll do our best to raise
the little orphans.
And thanks for helping - our rescue work is only possible because of our many watchful ambassadors willing to capture and transport animals in need of assistance!
Support Us
The supplies and staffing for baby season create a significant financial burden on the CFW. And, this spring, we hope to secure the funding to install new indoor cages to more adequately house our youngest baby mammals. The CFW is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that receives no state or federal funding. It is your generosity that keeps our doors open to Maine's and New Hampshire's wild animals in need.
Stock the Cupboards
Keeping the babies fed and clean requires a lot of supplies. You can help relieve the burden by supplying items on our Wish List. A special squirrel need is acorns to prepare them for a natural diet out in the real world, and every year we use boxes and boxes of them - all collected by our supporters. The squirrels and staff appreciate it!
Volunteer
If you can contribute four hours a week and are willing to do a whole lot of cleaning along with the pleasure of working among wild animals, please contact us about volunteering.
Copyright © 2007 The Center for Wildlife
P.O. Box 620
Cape Neddick, ME 03902
(207) 361-1400