Think Twice About Those Traps

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By Denys Hemen, Hospital Manager

Bewick’s Wren on fly trap

There are dozens of home pest control items available for purchase today at various home improvement retailers. From sprays to traps to zappers, humans have developed many creative ways to keep unwanted insects and rodents out of our homes. It is understandable for people to strive to keep the inside of homes free of unwanted creatures. Unfortunately, when these products move from indoor pest control isles to the outdoor gardening section in retail settings, this becomes a misguided and irresponsible action. Native and beneficial wildlife often become the unintended victims of these products. The worst items to place outdoors are poisons, glue traps, and snap traps.

When poisons are moved outside of the home, the number of non-target species that are affected increases exponentially. Poisoning rats and mice outside may lead to predator species like coyotes, bobcats, and raptors eating these sick and debilitated rodents that are easy to catch. Many health problems may arise, such as raptors losing the clotting ability of their blood and damage to the immune systems of coyotes and bobcats which may lead to severe break outs of mange. Such problems are seen inside of the hospital at CWC many times a year.

Glue traps, including sticky fly traps, used outside of the home draw in even more non-targeted animals. Sticky traps are a double whammy because the target species gets trapped in the goo and predators will go after it, entangling themselves in the sticky mess. The intention of the glue trap is to keep prey in place so that they slowly die of dehydration and starvation. Also, animals may accidentally get stuck while going about their natural ground or arial foraging routines. We have seen all types of animals stuck in these traps. Snakes, ground dwelling birds like towhees and wrens, mockingbirds, warblers, desert cottontails, and many other species have passed through the doors of our exam room with feathers, scales, or fur entangled in a sticky trap.

A very wide variety of domestic and wild animals are harmed by snap traps left outside. A rat snap trap has the potential to cause great injury to a curious cat or dog that may sniff around the bait. Wild animals fare even worse. Just last month we received an American Crow that had its beak shattered by a snap trap as well as a Barn Owl with a trap on its leg. Unfortunately, neither patient survived their injuries. An earlier snap trap victim, a Striped Skunk, was able to be treated and released with 51 days of medical care after getting his foot caught in a rat snap trap.

Coyote pup with mange

Please help protect our wild friends and never place poisons or traps outside of your home. We cannot prevent nuisance animals from passing through, but we can prevent them from wanting to stay and hang out! Some straightforward ways to keep unwanted rodents from chilling out in your yard or patio are to never leave fallen fruit from trees on the ground, bring cat or dog food inside, and keep all trash receptacles closed. If you ever find an animal stuck in a glue trap, do not try to remove them. For snap traps, if you can safely remove the trap without fear of the animal attacking you then do so. For suspect poisonings, as well as animals caught in glue traps and snap traps, contain the animal and trap in a box if you can do so without fear of the animal harming you. If you are fearful of the animal, call your local animal shelter for assistance. Call CWC immediately for assistance after containment in all instances.

Keep Them Wild

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By Brittany Moser, Wildlife Technician

One-week-old Mule Deer fawn

Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) are named for their large mule-like ears that can rotate and move toward sounds like little satellite dishes detecting precise locations of sounds to escape danger. They flee with high jumps, leaping and landing on all four legs. Mule deer are spread across the Western United States and are native to California. They are herbivores, typically consuming 90% of their diet from shrubs, leaves, and occasionally berries and acorns. These herd animals are commonly found in an oak woodland or hillside terrain habitation and are most active around dawn and dusk.

California Wildlife Center is the only facility authorized to care for orphaned, sick, or injured mule deer fawns in Los Angeles County. Fawns are born in late spring through mid-Summer when a female doe gives birth to one or two fawns. They are born covered in spots and scentless in order to remain camouflaged and spend most of their day hiding from predators while their mother is out foraging for food. Fawns typically stay near their mothers and continue to nurse throughout their first year of life. In the Spring, we receive many calls about fawns that are all alone, however, in most cases they don’t need to be rescued as the finder is not aware that the mother is simply grazing nearby, and the fawn is not abandoned.

We currently have six mule deer fawns in our care. One patient from Lompoc was found abandoned near a quarry, stuck in mud and unable to move for two long days. That fawn arrived malnourished, lethargic, and suffering from a respiratory infection. Another fawn was found along a bike path, calling out desperately next to their deceased mother, and a few were found wandering alone.

Four-week-old Mule Deer fawn

When a new fawn arrives, we move them into a quiet warm area to allow time to acclimate from the stress of transport before performing a thorough exam. During the exam we keep their eyes covered to minimize stress since they are susceptible to capture myopathy and may easily die from stress. During their first two days, we provide supplemental fluids and colostrum. Colostrum is the doe’s first milk – high in protein, nutrient dense and full of antibodies that help protect the fawn from contracting disease during their first week of life. They are also initially given goat milk, as it closely resembles their natural milk composition. New fawns are quarantined in a separate area for at least one week while we run fecal exams and treat any illnesses or injuries before combining with our other fawns in order to prevent the spread of disease.

We limit human interaction while working with the deer by wearing camouflage hooded ponchos and observing them using installed cameras throughout their enclosure. The restricted contact is important when raising young fawns to cultivate their wild instincts and natural fear of humans. New fawns are bottle fed and quickly learn to drink off a bottle rack. This decreases human contact during feeding and prevents an association with food and people.

Once rack trained, they are moved to a larger outdoor enclosed area with other fawns where we provide fresh foliage, a specialized dry diet, and water. We use secret latch doors and chutes while feeding the fawns in order to limit interaction with them.

The Lompoc fawn has fully recovered and currently in this enclosure with other fawns happily prancing around snacking on rose petals and grape leaves, their favorite! When the fawns are old enough, we will open a gate that leads to an outdoor enclosure that resembles their natural habitat. Mule deer fawns are released on site in the beautiful Santa Monica mountains. We supply them with fresh food and water for a period of time while they acclimate to their new wild life.

What Was ICU Up To In 2021?

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By Jenn Guess, Development Manager

Photo by Cambria Wells

2021 was quite a year here at California Wildlife Center (CWC). This past year we had 4,013 animals come to our facility. Our Wildlife Technicians are directly responsible for the care of our patients and every patient that came through our doors was assessed by the technicians in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Animals were carefully examined to determine the best course of action for rehabilitation. Sometimes it was as simple as providing fluids and moving the patient to our Orphan Care Unit for supportive care. For adult animals, it was often more complex.

Our ICU technicians didn’t stop after the initial intake exam. They were responsible for the daily care and rehabilitation of thousands of patients during 2021. This was a huge undertaking, especially considering that we continued to operate with minimal help due to the persistence of Covid-19. Our technicians provided extensive wound care, splinted fractures, and administered a complex array of medications to treat infections, reduce swelling, and provide pain management.

Photo by Brittany Moser

Coronavirus did not slow down the influx of new animals showing up each day. Our busiest day was May 31st, where ICU technicians received 42 new patients in one day. The second busiest day was April 26th, with 40 new patients. We always know that Spring and early Summer are the most hectic months there at CWC. From April through June we admitted 1,771 patients, 44% of all animals received for care in 2021. Overall, we saw an increase in the number of patients from 2020. We admitted over 200 more patients in 2021, compared to the previous year. Since opening our doors in 1998, the need for care has increased steadily every year except 2020 (likely due to the arrival of Covid).

Photo by Jenn Guess

Technicians saw a variety of animals this past year, with 160 different species making their way through our doors. The five most common patients that the ICU technicians examined were, in decreasing order, Eastern Fox Squirrels, Mourning Doves, House Finches, Mallards, and American Crows. Some of the more uncommon species were a Red-breasted Sapsucker, Lesser Scaup, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Western Pond Turtle, and an American White Pelican.

Now that it’s Winter, the ICU technicians are eagerly preparing for the next busy season. In addition to an endless list of smaller tasks, they are deep cleaning the ICU kitchen, repairing enclosures, and reorganizing supplies, all while continuing to perform daily intake exams and care for existing patients on site. It’s a job that is never done, and CWC is very fortunate to have a staff of dedicated technicians who are up for the challenge.

Basking in the Sun

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By Cori Carlson, Administrative Coordinator

Release back to the wild
Photo by Spencer Orloff, finder

A California State Park employee brought a female adult Western Pond Turtle to the California Wildlife Center in late June of this year. Her top and bottom shells were cracked, chunks of shell were missing, and she showed signs of an infection. The ranger found the turtle in the road with injuries consistent with a sudden impact trauma, such as being hit by a car. This was CWC’s first turtle patient of the year.

Western Pond Turtles are California’s only native freshwater turtle. The adults grow up to 6 to 8 inches in length, but the baby turtle is only about the size of a quarter. Ranging from the Puget Sound in Washington to Baja California in ponds, streams, lakes and wetlands, these medium-sized turtles have a brown or black upper shell with light specks of color. Their lower shell typically is black and yellow. They often are spotted near water, but they also need places to bask in the sun. Sometimes, the turtles stack themselves on top of one another to keep warm.

After the turtle’s injuries were cleaned and the damaged tissue and non-vital parts of the shell removed, our veterinarian prescribed anti-inflammatory medication and antibiotics to help the infected area heal.

CWC always works hard to provide our patients with an environment that closely resembles their home. In this case, our technicians set up a turtle pond outside our intensive care unit. Each day the turtle was taken out to her pond and each evening she would return to her enclosure furnished with heat lamp in the ICU. Her outdoor retreat was especially important because this species of turtle only eats underwater. They are omnivores, eating insects, fish, tadpoles, frogs, algae, lily pads, tule and cattail roots.

While birds, fish and bullfrogs are the main predators of Western Pond Turtles, they also face other threats such as habitat destruction, disease, fire, flooding, and droughts. The loss of only a few adults can have a significant impact on the population, because the female turtles do not reach maturity until close to 10 years of age.

Over time, new, healthy tissue grew repairing the damage to the shells and allowing the turtle to return to the wild 22 days after being admitted. The same California State Park employee released the turtle back into the Santa Monica Mountains to bask in the sun, safely away from the roads.

A Second Chance for Orphaned Squirrels

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California Ground squirrel orphan in care
Photo by Jennifer Brent

Every spring, California Wildlife Center takes in orphaned baby squirrels, some just weeks old. Many people associate baby squirrels with those who live in trees. We also receive young California Ground Squirrels. We have admitted 39 so far this year. You can recognize them by the gray and brown fur on their backs with specks of lighter gray mixed in. These squirrels can be found living in farmlands, fields, chaparral, grasslands, cities and suburbs from central Washington state south to Baja, California. When these young squirrels arrive at CWC, they start off in our Orphan Care Unit.

The infant squirrels are initially fed a specialized formula using a syringe. When they graduate to eating solid food, they receive a variety of vegetables, fruits and nuts similar to their diet in the wild. At CWC their main diet includes lettuce, zucchini and monkey biscuits (a crunchy bite chock-full of protein and vitamins). They also receive sunflower seeds, nuts, occasionally pieces of corn on the cob and fruit.

Some of the predators of the California Ground Squirrel include raptors, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, gopher snakes and rattlesnakes. While the adult ground squirrels are resistant to rattlesnake venom, the young ones are not. Snakes will sometimes enter burrows at night while they are sleeping. The female squirrels are very protective of their young. The clever squirrels have figured out that if they chew on rattlesnake skin and lick their bodies and the bodies of their young, they will smell like snakes and make it difficult for the snakes to find them.

As their name implies, California Ground Squirrels live in burrows they dig in the ground that can range from 5 feet to 35 feet long. Sometimes these squirrels live alone, while other burrows house multiple squirrels and their babies. Our technicians provide the squirrels with make-shift burrows to sleep in using a tissue box or plastic igloo. Each group at CWC is made up of 4-6 squirrels. These groups remain together until they are old enough to return to the wild.

Case Study: Cottontail Caught in Fence

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Dr. Guthrum Purdin, Veterinatian

Desert Cottontail Release, Photo by Brittany Moser

Late in January, a Desert Cottontail Rabbit was found with his head stuck under a fence and brought to a local vet clinic. The doctors there gave him some IV fluids and he was quickly transferred to our wildlife hospital’s ICU. When the Cottontail first arrived at CWC, he was highly stressed and disoriented with a swollen face. There was also a small wound behind the left ear. Initially looking very ill, the Rabbit was given oxygen and moved to a warm incubator until stable enough for a thorough exam.

Rabbits have very sensitive, fragile skin and getting trapped like this can be very damaging. The pressure directly injures skin and muscle cells, but even worse, it restricts blood flow which can lead to a spreading necrosis or death of the surrounding tissue. It may take several days for the full extent of the injury to develop. Antibiotics, pain control, and anti-inflammatory medication were started, the wound was cleaned and dressed. By this time, he was standing and looking much brighter. The Cottontail was set up in a comfortable warm enclosure for the night and we settled in to wait and see how the injury would progress.

By the next morning, his appetite was great. He was up and alert, and actively trying to run away from his caregivers—just like a Rabbit is supposed to. As the days passed, and as feared, the injury behind the ear got larger and two big new wounds developed on the middle of the head and the back of the neck. The original wound was especially deep, and there was concern the Rabbit might lose his ear. During surgery, the dead tissue was all removed and afterwards, pain control meds increased.

Fortunately, rabbit skin, while fragile, heals incredibly fast. The wounds were cleaned and disinfected at first daily, then every other day, then once every three days. The Cottontail was scarfing up his food, scampering away when people checked on him, and generally looking like everything was normal, despite the severity of his injuries. It took less than four weeks for this rabbit to go from looking like he was at death’s door to being fully recovered and able to be released. Amazing! If you find yourself in Woodland Hills and see a Desert Cottontail Rabbit out nibbling grass in a field, it might be this very one. Good luck, little bunny…and stay clear of fences!

Warm Weather Friends

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By Cori Carlson, Administrative Assistant

Two Western Fence Lizards, Photo by Heather Patrice Brown

In Spring, we all expect to see lots of baby squirrels and baby birds. But here in Southern California, as the weather warms up, we also start seeing more activity from our local lizards. One of the most common species found in the Santa Monica Mountains is the Western Fence Lizard, appropriately named because they are often spotted running along fences. California Wildlife Center (CWC) admitted seven of these small reptiles last year. The majority of these patients were injured by a house cat or wild predators. In the past, we have also admitted lizards who were unintended victims of glue traps. While these lizards are being rehabilitated at CWC, our technicians provide a diet of mealworms, flies, fruit flies and crickets similar to what they eat in the wild.

Growing up to 8.4 inches in length, Western Fence Lizards are covered with gray, tan and brown scales. This camouflage, though, hides a secret which earned them the nickname “blue-bellies.” Adult males have bright blue patches on their stomach and neck which makes them stand out to females and helps attract mates. You will often see male Western Fence Lizards doing push-ups to show off their handsome colors and warn away other males during mating season.

Cold-blooded, these lizards regulate their body temperature by moving in and out of the sun. This is why we see them out during the day often sunning themselves on paths, rocks, and fences. Unfortunately sunbathing also can make them an easy target. An encounter with a domestic pet or natural predator can result in lacerations or puncture wounds. To help protect themselves from these injuries, the small lizards have fast reflexes (maybe because all of those push-ups) and are able to drop their tail to escape predators and regrow it within 3-5 weeks.

Western Fence Lizards are more than just good food for our local predators; they are directly beneficial to humans by lowering the occurrence of Lyme Disease. When infected ticks feed on these reptiles, a protein in their blood kills the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, cleansing the tick of the disease-causing microbes.

CWC has already received our first two Western Fence Lizards of the year. As we head into one of our busiest seasons, we are ready to admit many more. To keep our reptile friends healthy (and out there contributing to the health of humans), keep cats inside and consider alternatives to pesticides or glue traps in your garden.

Snakes, Friend or Foe?

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By Jennifer Guess, Senior Wildlife Technician Supervisor

A Gopher Snake who had been caught in netting being tube fed
Photo by Heather Patrice Brown

On an average year California Wildlife Center sees up to 150 different species come through our doors.  Although most patients are avian and mammalian, we also see a fair share of reptiles.  Over the years CWC has admitted eight different species of snakes alone.

Snakes come to CWC for a variety of reasons.  Some are caught in garden netting.  This usually causes constriction wounds, lacerations, swelling, abrasions, and in the worst cases, death.  Others are caught in glue traps, which can cause emaciation, dehydration, and abrasions (and death, unless we remove them).  Glue trap snakes usually have a good prognosis if brought to CWC early enough.  Some snakes are hit by cars, which can cause severe trauma to various parts of the face/body, and most of the time are fatal.  Unfortunately, we also see snakes that have been intentionally harmed by the public, usually out of misplaced fear.

Snakes in the Southern California area do not eat anything bigger than a ground squirrel.  Because of this, snakes would rather retreat from confrontation but will become defensive if threatened.  The vast majority of snake bites in humans occur because a person tries to capture or kill a snake.  When left alone snakes present little to no danger to people.

Snakes are a very important part of the ecosystem.  They are both predator and prey.  Snakes help keep rodent populations in check.  Without predators, rodent populations (and the diseases they can carry) quickly get out of control.  Snakes are also an important food source for many large raptors, some mammals, and even other snakes.  In fact, the California Kingsnake has a natural immunity to rattlesnake venom, and they are known to kill and eat rattlesnakes.

A San Diego Night Snake caught in glue trap
Photo by Jenn Guess

Knowing a little bit about snake habits and habitats can help everyone coexist peacefully.  Snakes tend to hibernate in dens over winter.  They will venture out in spring when the daytime temperatures reach about 60 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.  In the early spring snakes will be active at any time of the day.  Snakes do not like temperatures over 90 degrees Fahrenheit, so during the summer snakes will come out in the cooler hours of dawn and dusk, and sometimes at night.

The same Night Snake after being removed from the glue trap
Photo by Jenn Guess

Snakes like to wait out the hot hours of the day by finding cool, dark places to hide.  Piles of cinder blocks, plastics, wood, branch clippings, overgrown vegetation, etc. provide the perfect shelter for snakes.  Keeping your yard free of clutter and debris will help deter them from staying on your property.  Piles of debris also attract rodents.  If you have a rodent population around your house, then you will also attract snakes.  Never use poison to try to control rodent populations.  Poisons may kill some rodents, but it unfortunately kills off the predators that keep rodent populations under control.

Since snakes are a natural part of the Southern California ecosystem, there is a chance that you will cross paths with one.  If you see a snake slithering through your property, bring pets inside and leave the area for an hour.  There is a good possibility that the snake is just passing through.  Always be careful when lifting up objects that are left outside unattended.  Although the vast majority of snake species in Southern California are harmless, it is always better to err on the side of caution when dealing with snakes.  Give them a wide berth, and they will do the same for you.

Slow Down for Wildlife

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By Heather Patrice Brown, Development Manager

Owls like this Western Screech-Owl are common victims of car collisions
Photo by Cambria Wells

As I drove south on Las Virgenes on the morning of August 18, I passed a very sad sight: three raccoons who had been hit by a car, lying in the road. This was not the first of these incidents I had encountered on my daily drive to work.

Las Virgenes/Malibu Canyon is no stranger to wildlife hit and runs since it is a major artery between the Pacific Coast Highway and the 101. In 2018, it made the news when one of the local mountain lions, P-23, was hit and killed.

According to a study completed by UC Davis, there are 7,000 collisions with wildlife in the State each year, but this study only looked at large species like deer and coyotes. A second research project by Culture Change revealed as many as 400 million animals nationally are killed by vehicles annually, not counting the insects that hit windshields.

So far this year, California Wildlife Center (CWC) has treated 28 animals who have been hit by cars.  The number does not incorporate patients with suspected but unconfirmed auto injuries. These cases include hawks, owls, rabbits, squirrels, coyotes, snakes, opossums, and ducks. Only half have survived due to the severity of their injuries, which may include head trauma, bone fractures, lacerations, soft tissue damage, and internal bleeding.

Mule Deer does who are hit by cars in the spring often leave orphaned fawns
Photo by Cambria Wells

One patient, a juvenile Red-Tailed Hawk, was hit by a car on the 101 freeway on February 18. He had suffered a collar bone fracture, a nose abrasion, eye trauma, a wound to his back, and a chest injury. California Wildlife Center staff had to repair this last laceration surgically. The other wounds were treated topically, and the Hawk had to sport a wing bandage while his collar bone healed. After a week, staff noticed the hawk was improving, and two weeks later, he was well enough to move to an outside aviary for physical therapy to regain his strength. A little over a month after he arrived at CWC, the Red-Tailed Hawk returned to the wild. We can only hope he has learned to fly higher over roads and freeways.

The easiest way to prevent unnecessary wildlife injuries and deaths due to automobile collisions is to slow down, especially if you are driving in areas known to have lots of animals such as canyon and mountain roads. Pay attention to road signs that warn about possible crossing locations. Many species are more active at dawn and dusk, so be alert, particularly since the reduced and changing light can make it more difficult to see.

If you hit a wild animal or see one in a collision and they are still alive, contact CWC (310-458-9453), or your local animal control agency for larger animals like deer and coyotes. If you see a deceased wildlife victim of an accident, you can report it to CROS, the California Roadkill Observation System (https://www.wildlifecrossing.net/california/). CROS uses the collected data to inform projects to help reduce wildlife collisions.

If we all slow down and keep our eyes open for wildlife, hopefully, we can reduce these avoidable tragedies.

San Joaquin Kit Fox Gets Help at CWC

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Kit fox captured by biologists with ESRP. Biologists quickly recognized that something was wrong with his lower lip. A knitting needle is used to safely assess the injury and the rest of his mouth – the metal is soft and allows him to bite down without biting any fingers! Photo credit, Erica Kelly (ESRP).

On September 15th, we were contacted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to assist with an injured adult male San Joaquin kit fox. These endangered foxes are part of a study managed by the California State University, Stanislaus’s Endangered Species Recovery Program (ESRP) where they document the health and survival of kit foxes in their native range. The biologists also noticed that he had lost over a pound and a half since they last found him in November 2019 and were concerned about the extent of the injury and how it would affect his survival.

While we were waiting for our new vet to start next month, we contacted Dr. Curtis Eng of Western University of Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Eng – who volunteers his time at Pasadena Humane – was able to coordinate an immediate triage and treatment time for this special patient with Drs. Pyrdek and Hardy. While we receive hundreds of wild animals from Pasadena Humane each year, this was the first time we had brought them a patient.

Once we arrived at Pasadena Humane, Drs. Pyrdek, Eng and Hardy, assessed the kit fox and suspected the injuries to be due to a previous traumatic degloving incident in which the skin of the lower lip was pulled away from the gums. He also had an infected, broken upper canine and these injuries were likely preventing him from hunting prey and eating normally. The doctors felt that surgical removal of the broken canine and cosmetic repair of the degloved skin would improve this kit fox’s quality of life and give him a second chance back in the wild. One interesting fact about kit foxes is that they are the only wild canid to live underground throughout the year. This unique survival strategy helps them stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Researchers with ESRP suspect that this kit fox’s injuries were from a badger that may have attacked him while sheltering in his den.

Directly after the operation, he was taken to CWC for rehabilitation and assigned Wildlife Technician, Cambria Wells, to be his caretaker and monitor his recovery and help him gain some weight back. CDFW and ESRP also wanted to be certain that he could capture his main dietary staple, the kangaroo rat, and that he could fully open his jaw. Over the course of 12 days, we kept a close eye on his sutures, his body weight and body condition, and his demeanor. Luckily for us, he was an easy patient with a quick recovery and a great appetite! During his stay at CWC, we had daily communication with Drs. Pyrdek and Eng, the biologists with ESRP, and CDFW. Their advice was instrumental in his quick recovery!

Our patient shortly after being released, wearing a special collar that will allow biologists to track his movements post-surgery. When the study is over, his collar will be removed. Goodbye and good luck!!Photo credit, Tory Westall (ESRP).

While two weeks seems like a short time to recover from such an injury, kit foxes are monogamous and form pair-bonds that last a lifetime. It was important to get his injuries treated as soon as possible so that he could be released back into the wild and return to his mate, where they had just finished raising pups. That day finally came on September 28th and he was picked up by a CDFW biologist and returned to his territory and his mate. His mouth was healed, he gained over a pound, and was full of energy! Thanks to programs like ESRP and their partnerships with rehabilitation centers, the USFWS, and CDFW, the future for these amazing little foxes looks bright!