Rehab center


Meanwhile out at the Bluff, there is a new endeavor taking root.  Bluff land has been donated to the Wild West Wildlife Rehabilitation Center to build a facility to house wild animals in rehab.  There was already a slab where some sort of structure used to be and there is a nearby well that could, with a little work,  provide water.  An unused building that served as the office of a gravel pit has been donated and moved to the slab.  It needs a lot of work but is a good start.

Wednesday when I was out at the Bluff to work on the trails I met state and federal licensed wildlife rehabilitator Stephanie Oravetz who is leading the project and also has recently gone to work for WCB.  The needful critters are already piling up in the small office she occupies at the nature center.  She and WCB director Vivien Young showed me a baby squirrel and a baby racoon that had been brought for them to succor.  Both were so small they fit easily in their hands.  The racoon was very vocal and seemed to be demanding something to eat even though the ladies assured me it wasn’t feeding time yet.

When I got back to the nature center from trimming some trails, an animal control truck was in the parking lot.  They had just delivered a possum which had been hit but no killed by a car.  It was a female with a pouch full of babies.

The project will take a lot of work.  The donated building needs a lot before it can be useful.  Volunteers and cold hard cash are needed.  Donations should be sent to Wildcat Bluff Nature Center,  Wild West Wildlife Rehabilitation Center or me at the link on the right and I’ll see that the money gets to the rehab center.