Three Down

It's skunk mating season. As males travel far and wide in search of receptive females and females try to evade their advances, skunks living in close proximity to humans can fall into trouble.

A case in point - three skunks found themselves entrapped in an empty pool, deep in the forested Santa Cruz mountains. Many thanks to Hollie for calling on WES to help!

Check out the video, below.

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Hawk in Home Depot

During a busy day of service calls, Duane and Rebecca, who also operate Humane Pest Control, received word of a hawk in a Home Depot. According to the reporting party, it had already been in the building for three days.

When they arrived, they found a Cooper's hawk flying from one skylight to another, landing on the bars just below the glass.

The accipiter appeared to be in good condition - bright, alert, active. Somewhat unusual for an animal that has been entrapped for so long with no food or water. Apparently, though, the hawk had been feeding on small birds in the store - store employees had found bits and parts of English sparrows on top of some of the shelving units.

Because the bird appeared in good shape, the team didn't have to capture it - all they had to do was get it out of the building.

Their first task was to collect information about the bird's behavior. This is key when developing a successful capture plan. It's best to develop a strategy based on an individual animal's natural behavior.

In this case, the bird was known to frequent certain sections of the store and certain skylights more than others. In particular, a skylight in Plumbing. Luckily, that skylight  happened to be one that could be opened.

Duane and Rebecca came up with a plan to open that one skylight and then apply just the right amount of pressure to herd the bird in that direction.

Store employees were eager to help. In minutes, the skylight was open.

Next, a team of helpers was assembled; four to help herd the bird, and one to watch the portal. Rebecca went over details of how they would apply pressure to the hawk using 10' pieces of PVC with flagging attached.

Once Duane located the hawk, the team spread out behind it and began to 'push'. It wasn't long - maybe a minute or two, before the hawk landed on the bars of the opened skylight.

Surprisingly, it didn't fly out straight away, but perched for a moment, as if it didn't realize the glass panels were open to the sky. Then, in a flash, it sprang to freedom.

Job well done, everyone!!!

Many, Many thanks to Brian and all the Home Depot employees who helped in the freeing of this lovely raptor.

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Barrel of Trouble

This week, outside the offices of the Elkhorn Slough Foundation, a great horned owl was found in a large plastic drum that was partly filled with collected rainwater. The owl had apparently slipped into the vessel after landing on the rim, and was stuck. The narrow sides and slippery walls made impossible for it to escape.

Vertical chambers can be death traps for wildlife. Make sure to check your yard for these hazards.

ESF staff tipped the barrel to free the owl, then called WES for help.

Duane Titus collected the soaked raptor and placed in a crate where it could dry off and warm up in the sun. The SPCA for Monterey County Wildlife Center retrieved the bird for evaluation. By evening, the bird had fully recovered and was set free.

Video courtesy of Ken Collins, ESF Land Steward

A huge Thank You! to everyone who helped rescue this beautiful bird!

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Skunk Season

Have you noticed the large number of skunks dead on roadways lately? Are you noticing the smell of skunk in your garden? Have you found signs of an animal digging in your yard, or trying to get under your home?

It's skunk mating season!

For those experiencing problems with skunks in or around the Bay Area, please call Humane Pest Control, WildCare Solutions, or A Wildlife Exclusion Service for help. 

Skunks are mostly nocturnal creatures, foraging a half a mile or so from their den site, except in breeding season, when males will travel far and wide in search of receptive females.

Skunks are classified as carnivores, but their diet is quite varied. Skunks eat insects, snails, assorted fruits and berries, nuts, even seeds. They also do humans a great service by predating on mice, rats, and gophers.

The earliest legislation to protect skunks in the United States passed in 1893. It was in response to appeals from hop growers in New York who recognized the benefits of wild skunks. A quote from the Farmer's Bulletin of 1914:

Skunks are among the most useful of the native mammals and are most efficient helps to the farmer and orchardist in their warfare against insect and rodent pests.

Once thought to be closely related to weasels and classified in the "weasel family", Mustelidae, skunks were reclassified in their own family, Mephitidae, in 1998.The definition of the word mephitis means noxious exhalation from the earth. The latin name for the striped skunk - the most common species, is Mephitis mephitis.

Striped skunks are slow movers and poor climbers, which can be real trouble for those living in an urban setting. We commonly get calls to help skunks that are entrapped in manmade structures, like catch basins.

A case in point, this week we had to come to the rescue of two skunks - probably a male and female, that had fallen down a storm drain and could not escape.

On scene, responders found two adult skunks, busily trying to dig out of a drain pipe.

The task was fairly simple - remove the grate and wait. One skunk came out quickly and waddled off nto the brushy hillside, but the other stayed huddled inside the pipe.

The team left the grate off overnight and replaced it the next day after the skunk had left. Check out the rescue video, below.

Love skunks? Don't miss the full episode of Is That Skunk, below.

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Disoriented Coyote

Photo courtesy of Ellie Sadler

On January 18, a very frightened coyote was found in a backyard near Capp and 18th, in the Mission District of San Francisco.

After attempts by local authorities to chase her from the area failed, the female coyote was captured and impounded by San Francisco Animal Care and Control.

It’s not that unusual to see a coyote in downtown San Francisco, but what’s puzzling, was her behavior.





Normally, coyotes try to escape when approached, but this one acted disoriented, as if she didn’t know which way to run. She was petrified. So much so that she buried her head in a corner of a dead end alleyway.

Photo courtesy of Ellie Sadler

One theory is that she hitched a ride in a vehicle some how - maybe in a moving van, a shipping container, or engine compartment, then found herself in the city, far from home. That would explain her behavior, and her physical condition.

Photo by Alex Deutsch

On January 22, one of our dedicated volunteer responders transported the coyote from the shelter to wildlife specialists at the WIldlife Center of Silicon Valley in San Jose.


On arrival, the wild dog was too stressed to examine and was given the night to rest.

Photo by Alex Deutsch

Photo by Alex Deutsch

The next morning, she received a thorough examination and was found to be severely dehydrated and emaciated, weighing only 16 pounds. She was also loaded with ticks and fleas.

She was given fluids and placed on a special diet for starving animals. 

Photo by Alex Deutsch

UPDATE: January 31

The coyote is improving, eating whole food - fruits, vegetables and meat, and is responding to medication for a respiratory infection.

Meanwhile, the media has been contacted. We are hoping someone might have seen this coyote in the Mission District before it was picked up - perhaps someone could help piece together her history.

Please call the wildlife hospital at 408-929-9453 if you have any information.

MANY THANKS TO SAN FRANCISCO ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL
AND ALL THOSE WHO HELPED RESCUE THIS COYOTE. 

THANK YOU, SAMMARYE FOR MAKING THAT LONG TREK TO TRANSFER HER!

Please go HERE to make a contribution toward the treatment of this lovely dog.

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Gearing Up

It's that time of year, when we prepare for the busy season and the many rescues we will be called upon to perform.
There are a few essential items we need - some protective equipment and tools to help us get safely into trees for renesting baby birds.

Please consider helping us purchase new equipment and restock supplies with a gift from our Amazon Wish List, HERE.

Thank you for supporting our endeavors!

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Question

QUESTION: What's the most dangerous wild animal you might encounter?

ANSWER: A wild animal that has been imprinted, tamed, or habituated to humans.

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