Rehab centers crucial to rescued wildlife
(Courtesy photo) A young cedar waxwing at American Heritage Wildlife Foundation gets up close with the camera shortly before its release back into the wild.
(Courtesy photo) Young raccoons were orphaned two months ago and delivered to American Heritage Wildlife Foundation. They will remain for several more weeks. Their diet consists of fruits, vegetables, fish, eggs and more.
(Courtesy photo) The native striped skunk is often misunderstood and not appreciated as a valuable asset to a healthy ecosystem. These amazing creatures will travel, like gypsies wandering in search of insects to consume. They will dig up the underground wasp nests. They have poor eyesight and are a perfect size for all predators to consider them a snack, which explains why their defense mechanism is so powerful. They are reluctant to spray however because it takes time to "recharge." Please do not aim for these animals on the highway. All five orphans were taken in for care at Amer…
(Courtesy photo) Over the years, American Heritage Wildlife Foundation has cared for tree squirrels and ground squirrels, including pine squirrels, fox squirrels, gray squirrels and northern flying squirrels. This image is of a young fox squirrel when it was released.
(Courtesy photo) A pileated woodpecker female juvenile at American heritage wildlife foundation, where she spent about two months in recovery after some sort of trauma.
(Courtesy photo) Waterfowl chicks are often brought in for care at American Heritage Wildlife Foundation. These little ducks and geese are usually out for their first adventures with mom when they get separated from the group. Many rescuers do the right thing and search to find the family unit. Other rescuers do the other right thing and deliver them to AHWF for care. Some think they can raise the wild animal alongside the dogs, cats, children and then just release the animal back into the wild where it wil become wild again. Long-term survival is rarely accomplished this way. Call 208-266-14…
Clark Fork — It is illegal in Idaho to keep a wild animal for long-term rehab, which is why rehabilitation centers like American Heritage Wildlife Foundation are crucial to rescued wildlife.
“If you have rehabilitation facilities in your area, there's absolutely no need for you to do that,” said AHWF founder and president Kathleen St. Clair-McGee in regards to people keeping wildlife for long-term care. “In the end the animals the one that suffers because it can't survive long term. It doesn't recognize its own kind. It's had improper nutrition from the start, that kind of thing. When you have organizations in the area like the Panhandle does, there's no reason that anybody has the need, or should feel the need, to take care of an animal.”
AHWF received its nonprofit status in 2001, and is the only nonprofit organization in the Idaho Panhandle with the state and federal permits to care for mammals and birds, caring for small, non-game mammals, such as raccoons, weasels and squirrels, as well as several other species.
The organization works closely with the other two entities in the Panhandle — Birds of Prey Northwest in St. Maries, and Mystic Farm Wildlife Rescue in Sagle. The organizations don’t compete with each other because each specializes in a particular area, but they do refer to each other all the time, St. Clair-McGee said.
This year alone, AWHF has taken in and provided care for 36 different species. So far this year, volunteers have released skunks, crows, mallard ducklings, three different species of squirrels and various songbirds. Current patients include a pileated woodpecker, raccoons, northern painted turtle, young osprey and a young great horned owl.
“I've got raccoons and reptiles, so pretty much everything you can imagine, we are licensed and permitted to take care of,” St. Clair-McGee said.
The organization also has permission to construct large enclosures for bears, but is short on funding to get the enclosures constructed. When they do, AHWF will be one of only a handful of facilities that accept bears in the nation. Right now, St. Clair-McGee said, the closest bear rehab facility is several hours away.
There are a few misconceptions about AHWF, St. Clair-McGee said. First of all, the facility is not a zoo. To maintain the permits, it is actually illegal for them to treat the animals as if they are there for viewing, she said. The board members are proponents of sustenance hunting, she said, and they like fisherman — particularly when they bring fish to the facility for the animals who enjoy a meal from the local waters. AHWF also does not have the permits to keep animals for education. But they do have educational opportunities.
Last year, AHWF held nearly two dozen different activities and outreach events, St. Clair-McGee said. The group holds library presentations, and recently received some grant money to do school presentations. So if there's a school that's interested in having AHWF come out, they should contace AHWF. The classroom programs have fun activities for the children to learn with, while the library presentations consist of PowerPoint lectures for people to learn about their “native neighbors,” she said.
“And that's what it's all about, is so that everyone can learn what's here, identify what's here and find a way to cohabitate, because a healthy ecosystem is one that incorporates all native species,” St. Clair-McGee said.
AHWF is 100-percent volunteer run and community supported, meaning it receives no state, county or federal funding, St. Clair-McGee said.
“Last year was just incredible,” she said. “We had actually over 4,000 volunteer hours. Our season never stopped. We ended up wintering animals, which is not uncommon, but the quantity of animals that we had last year was crazy.”
The budget for animal care is “well over” $10,000 each year, she said. Because the organization is completely supported by the community, St. Clair-McGee said there is a “multitude” of way people can donate and support AHWF, all of which are listed on the website at ahwf.org.
AHWF also has a few events coming up. First, Pints for a Cause will be held from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 6 at Idaho Pour Authority. Stop in for brew and help a local wildlife. IPA will provide appetizers and music, and AHWF and Mother Earth Brewing will have raffle items to be won. Last year, supported by Ninkasi, AHWF raised about $300. This year Mother Earth Brewery is the supporting the cause.
A comedy show and silent auction is scheduled for 6 p.m. Sept. 16 in the Columbia Bank Building, where professional comedian Brad Upton will be performing Tickets are $20 for an individual and $30 per couple. Silent auction items this year will include artwork by Teresa Fisher, an Xbox Band Hero, Evans Brothers Coffee gift basket, Squeeze Inn gift certificate, Disneyland tickets, Loaf & Ladle gift certificate, wildlife photographs by Paul Felter, and more. Tickets are available at A Shear Inspiration, Sandpoint Superdrug, Sandpoint Chocolate Bear, Monarch Market, North Idaho Animal Hospital, Fry Creek Animal Clinic, Fiddlin’ Red’s Music, Evans Brothers Coffee Roasters and AHWF.
The organization’s Adopt a Highway clean up for its section of highway 200, milepost 57-59, is scheduled for Sept. 24. Those interested in helping with the cleanup should be at the facility, 59895 Highway 200, at 9:30 a.m. For information, call 208-266-1488.
In October, AHWF will again hold a scarecrow contest at Hickey Farms, Sandpoint’s first pumpkin patch. Fill out the application, pay a $10 entry fee, and bring your scarecrow to the farm. The public will vote on their favorite each week. This is a fun and unique way to promote your business, school group or organization, St. Clair-McGee said. It will be seen by hundreds of patrons and promoted on the AHWF facebook page.
Information: ahwf.org or 208-266-1488.
Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.