SPCA, Continuing to Serve: Wildlife Rescue Stories
There have been so many terrific wildlife rescue stories happening, that we decided to put them together on the same page!
Tree Swallows Find Adoptive Parents
This comes to us from SPCA Serving Erie County’s Wildlife Department’s James Sevigny, Licensed Veterinary Technician and Wildlife Rehabilitator
June 22, 2020 — On June 17, two baby birds were dropped off at the SPCA Serving Erie County’s Wildlife Department. At first, we thought they might be Northern Mockingbirds, a common bird in the southern United States. After a few days, however, they started making noises… and immediately we could tell they were Tree Swallows! Tree Swallows are beautiful iridescent blue aerial insectivores (meaning they catch bugs in flight). While we have raised these birds successfully in the past, aerial insectivores are extremely challenging patients and we make every effort to reunite them with their parents, or to find wild foster parents if a reunion with their parents isn’t possible.
After we figured out what these little birds were, we called Celeste Morien of Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge. Celeste was able to identify a few nest boxes with tree swallow nestlings of a similar age. After getting permission from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, I brought the birds to Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge on June 22. Together we decided which nest the little birds would go into. The first nest had six baby birds already and we decided that the parents had enough mouths to feed! The next nest only had four babies, and while the babies were a little bit older, we decided that this nest offered them the best chance. We gingerly placed them in the nest box with their new siblings and closed the door. Within a few minutes, BOTH parents had entered the nest box to feed their new blended family!
Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtles Find Refuge with SPCA Wildlife Department Volunteer
This comes to us from SPCA Serving Erie County’s Wildlife Department’s James Sevigny, Licensed Veterinary Technician and Wildlife Rehabilitator
June 24, 2020 — On January 7, three baby Eastern Spiny Softshell turtles were seized by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) from a person in Chautauqua County who had illegally collected them out of the wild to keep as pets. In New York State it is illegal to keep any native wild animal as a pet. Like most aquatic turtles, Spiny Softshell turtles hibernate through the winter, so the DEC entrusted the SPCA Serving Erie County’s Wildlife Department with the care of these adorable reptiles until they could be released in the spring.
After getting a thorough physical exam, the three turtles were placed into home foster care with wildlife rehabilitator and turtle expert Shelby Priester who took care of the little guys until the weather and water temperature was just right to give them the best chance for survival in the wild.
Typically, wildlife is released to the same place it was found, but we didn’t know where these guys came from. We reached out to the Roger Tory Peterson Institute in Jamestown, New York who have been monitoring turtle populations in the area for several years. Fortunately, they knew of the perfect spot for release.
On June 9, wildlife rehabilitator Shelby Priester, SPCA wildlife veterinarian Dr. Karen Slote, and Roger Tory Peterson Institute staff Jonathan Townsend and Twan Leenders met in Jamestown to release the turtles. Watch the video here.
This story illustrates how many different individuals, agencies, and organizations come together to help these turtles: from the DEC officer who rescued the turtles, through the vets and wildlife rehabilitators of the SPCA Serving Erie County’s Wildlife Department who took care of them, to the staff of the Roger Tory Peterson Institute who assisted with their release… We thank everyone for their help!
Snapping Turtle Rescued From Drainpipe
This comes to us from SPCA Serving Erie County Animal Cruelty Investigator / Animal Rescue Officer Tyler Robertson:
July 3, 2020 — A snapping turtle was found stuck inside a drainpipe in Clarence. Employees from the Town of Clarence Highway Department assisted in cutting the pipe to free the turtle. The turtle was transported back to the SPCA Serving Erie County’s Wildlife Department where he got a clean bill of health. He was released near a body of water where he was originally found shortly after.
Crafty Fox Rescued from Underneath Porch
This comes to us from SPCA Serving Erie County Animal Cruelty Investigator / Animal Rescue Officer Tyler Robertson:
July 3, 2020 – With the assistance of Amherst Animal Control, Officer Heine and I worked to rescue this fox who had been eluding them all week. The fox went under a porch on Robin Road and the homeowners were quick to make a phone call noting the fox’s location. The fox was transported back to the SPCA’s Wildlife Department for assessment. He was released shortly thereafter. Watch his release here.
