03/05/2025
🚨 𝗪𝗘 𝗡𝗘𝗘𝗗 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗣 𝗧𝗢 𝗦𝗔𝗩𝗘 𝗕𝗔𝗕𝗬 𝗦𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗥𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗦 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗢𝗪𝗟𝗘𝗧𝗦 𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗡𝗘𝗫𝗧 𝟮𝟰 𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗦! 𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗘!
With the high winds followed by snow and cold, tonight into tomorrow morning there is a high risk to baby tree squirrels and great-horned owlets, both of which are currently in their nests. With forecasted winds, we expect trees to break and the winds to blow whole nests down, knocking babies to the ground and putting them at risk for injury, hypothermia, and death.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝗮𝗯𝘆 𝘀𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀, 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗻𝗼𝘄. The squirrels may still be small and hairless, resembling large baby mice. Please note that hypothermic baby squirrels may be motionless and appear dead, but once they are warmed, they will begin moving again.
𝗪𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀, 𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗯𝗼𝘅 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝘁-𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗹. Place the box on a heating pad set on low or put a hot water bottle wrapped in a t-shirt in the box (refreshing the hot water bottle ever 1-2 hours as it cools). Put the box in a dark, quiet place away from people and pets and do not offer any food or fluids.
𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗮 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗵𝗮𝗯 𝗔𝗦𝗔𝗣. Our Wildlife Center at 9777 M Street in Omaha is open from 11AM to 7PM daily and you can walk-in during those hours. You can also call us at 402-234-2473 or e-mail us at [email protected] for assistance.
Due to the high risk of injuries, frostbite, and hypothermia, we’d like all babies from this storm to come to NWR first. Once stabilized, the great-horned owlets will be transferred to Raptor Conservation Alliance (RCA). If baby squirrels are uninjured and are candidates for reunification with their mothers, we will work with you to get them home again. We will also have staff on-hand Wednesday to help facilitate reunifications.
𝘽𝙖𝙗𝙮 𝙨𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙬𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧. Migration is beginning and injuries to adult birds are very common when winds are this high. Please keep an eye out for grounded and injured birds. If you can catch them, please bring them to NWR at the address above. If you have any questions, just reach out!
It takes all of us to help wildlife when storms like these strike. Thank you for your caring about Nebraska’s native wildlife!
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