Skunk love!
The sweet smell of…..skunk love? We have one type of skunk native to Ohio, the Striped Skunk. Skunk mating season typically begins in just a few days, around mid-February, just in time for Valentine’s Day. You may soon spot more skunks out & about looking for love when the sun goes down & that includes crossing the roads in search of a mate. Skunks aren’t quick & their vision is poor so please be kind & drive with care. These non-aggressive black & white beauties would prefer to walk away from a threat rather than spray, although they may as a last resort. Skunks first exhibit warning signs before spraying, such as foot stomping, back arching, tail raising & showing its hind end, warning signs our furry family members 🐾 don’t always pay attention to. This is a time to avoid the urge to run & instead move away slowly & quietly, doing so may help to avoid being sprayed. When it comes to diet, skunks are omnivores, meaning they eat a little bit of everything. Skunks are beneficial to humans as they eat insect pests & are even known to dig up & consume yellowjacket nests! As you can see in the video, the pattern of stripes in each skunk can vary greatly, making each one a little unique. 🦨💕
(Video: Wild At Hart Striped Skunk release 2021)
Welcome 2022!
Happy New Year! As 2022 kicks off, we wanted to take a moment to thank all of you that made it possible for Wild At Hart to save many wild lives this past year. Whether you rescued an animal, made a donation, purchased items from our Amazon/Chewy Wishlists, chose us as your charity of choice at Krogers or Amazon Smile, provided a safe release site, donated useful goods, crafted bedding, denning or nest boxes, grew produce or just shared your kind words of support, we thank you! We also thank those who chose to remain anonymous for recent Amazon Wishlist donations & the mailed donation featuring a lovely John Keats quote. We feel fortunate everyday to help you, help wild animals in need, whether it’s an animal commonly admitted for rehabilitation or one that is less commonly admitted, like the Least Weasel featured in this video. Least Weasels are the smallest carnivore IN THE WORLD, & are native to Ohio. Isn’t that interesting? They are very small, rarely seen & secretive, using mouse tunnels in the grass to remain hidden as they move about hunting mice. A tiny trio came into care with us a few weeks ago, after a bale of hay was opened up & they came tumbling out. Because the location of the mother was unknown & they are too young to be on their own, they will remain in care until spring. Last but not least, we want to thank our amazing team, including our highly-skilled volunteer assistants & interns that have been so dedicated, generous & have worked tirelessly to provide optimal care for our animals in rehabilitation. We look forward to assisting our community with wildlife in 2022!
Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays from all of us at Wild At Hart Wildlife!
However you celebrate, this Southern Flying Squirrel should bring you a little joy! These very small squirrels are native to Ohio & are found throughout our state but are nocturnal, so most people don’t see them as they only come out at night. She came to us as a tiny orphan & was successfully rehabilitated & released this past fall!
Virgina Opossum having a feast!
From the Wild At Hart team, Happy Thanksgiving! As everyone is chowing down today, we wanted to take a moment to share (in between bites) how grateful we are to everyone who helped save Ohio’s wildlife by bringing them to us for rehabilitation. There is a phase we often use in this profession which is “animals don’t bring themselves in for care, people do”. What does this mean? It means that although we provide care, raise the little ones, treat injures, relieve pain, offer nutritious foods & give them a sanctuary for healing to prepare them for a life in the wild, we couldn’t do that without caring individuals who often go out of their way, sometimes facing criticism or ridicule from others, to rescue wild animals in need. So you, as the rescuers, are the first step in helping us to save lives. We bet you never thought of it like that, right? You all are amazing. So, thank you, to each & every one of you who have put even the tinies of lives above your own to give an animal a second chance at life, we are so grateful! 🍁
Skunk release! In Ohio, we have one species of skunk, the striped skunk. We admitted over a dozen baby skunks into care this season & in August we released a litter that were ready to go be wild skunks. As you can see, they get right to work doing what skunks do best, foraging for insects, many of these insects are pests to humans. Skunks are non-aggressive creatures & will only spray if threatened. Although they may stay in their den for periods of time during extreme weather, they don’t truly hibernate, so don’t be surprised if you see a skunk out & about this winter. Speaking of winter, each skunk typically has a different pattern of black & white, just like how no two snowflakes are the same. Skunks have poor eyesight & can’t move quickly, so if you encounter one while driving, be kind & try to avoid them if possible. Thank you to the Hoopes family for providing a safe release site with the perfect habitat for them to thrive! 🦨 💕
Get excited, it’s Bat Week!🦇
It’s finally here! Today we kick off Bat Week! Ohio’s government recognized National Bat Week beginning in 2019 & it takes place during the entire week of October 24th to October 31st every year. It is an international celebration to recognize the positive role of these highly intelligent & often misunderstood animals, as well as to bring attention to the need for their conservation & protection of their habitats. Want to learn more about our awesome bats of Ohio? Join Wild At Hart tomorrow evening, Monday October 25th, from 5:30-7:00pm at the Duncan Falls/Philo Branch of the Muskingum County Library System. Our Education & Outreach Specialist Nicole will share some interesting facts about bats & why they are so important through a short video presentation, a story, games & more! Additionally, we will briefly touch on how we’re helping our bats through wildlife rehabilitation & what to do if you find an injured or orphaned bat. We hope to see you there!
🦇💛🦇💛🦇💛🦇💛🦇💛🦇💛🦇
To register visit:
https://events.muskingumlibrary.org/event/5622126
222 Main Street, Duncan Falls, OH 43734
Slo-mo Stevie!
Happy Marsupial Monday! In honor of National Opossum Day yesterday, enjoy a slo-mo video of our resident education ambassador opossum, Stevie, on an enriching walk outside. Although she was born blind, she loves to go for walks- she can feel the grass beneath her feet, hear the crunch of leaves & take in all the smells of fall! 🎃 🍁
Sweet dreams little one!
Happy Marsupial Monday!
What are you dreaming about tiny one…? We know you miss your Mom Opossum, but you are safe with us now, to grow, to make friends with other opossums & will now have the chance to be wild & free once again someday. Yes, you’ll be able to run as fast as you want & travel wherever your heart (and your nose) takes you. With your pouch already growing, you’ll also have a family of your own littles to care for someday.
Be kind & be sure to give opossums (and all wildlife) a “brake” while driving so little ones can be raised by their wild moms. 💗
Hope you’re having a Foxy 4th of July! 🇺🇸 🦊
When you’re sharing a salad….
When you’re sharing a salad & you feel like your friend is taking more than their fair share 😂…
but that’s ok because that’s what friends are for. Even though these two little woodchucks aren’t siblings, they both came to us as orphans & have become the best of friends. They will spend some more time here growing & will be released together later this summer when they are ready to be wild & free once again.
Magical Marsupial Monday!
Happy Magical Marsupial Monday! Although it’s been a while since our last post, that doesn’t mean we haven’t been hard at work for our wildlife & our community here at Wild At Hart. We’ve been busy caring for little ones-answering many daily phone calls to help however we can, reuniting babies with their mothers, admitting those who truly are orphaned or injured & feeding around the clock….& did we mention the cage cleanings? 💩
We thought we’d kick off the week with Magical Marsupial Monday- we think opossums are truly magical creatures. Did you know the Virginia Opossum is our ONLY marsupial in the United States? Marsupials are mammals that are born undeveloped & finish growing after they make their way to the mothers pouch. Yep, just like a kangaroo or koala. These little joeys rescued by Darcie D weigh a mere 21 grams, but they will grow to be healthy opossums ready to eat thousands of ticks EACH per season! That little “sneezing” sound you may hear in the background is how they call to their mother. A big thanks also to Barb C from CARA for the pouch & many other goodies so they can stay warm & snuggly as they grow! Stay tuned for next week’s Magical Marsupial Monday to see our other marsupials in care & learn more cool facts about opossums!
