Rescuers urge residents to take action when severe weather threatens wildlife
LINWOOD, Kan. (KCTV) - As severe weather season makes an appearance in the metro, one organization is giving community tips on how to keep wild newborns safe.
Operation Wildlife says that with severe weather in the forecast, the most common calls volunteers field are flooded rabbit nests and squirrels that have been blown from their trees. However, quick action can have life-saving effects in both instances.
If rain has filled the nest of a cottontail rabbit, organization leaders said residents can pull the bunnies out of the nest, dry them off and put them near a heating source. Nesting material should then be pulled out of the nest and placed in a paper bag to dry out. Water can then be sopped up out of the hole so dry nesting material can be replaced.
Rescuers noted that roofs can be made for burrows on flat land out of lawn chairs, wheelbarrows or half a dog kennel. Bunnies should always be returned to the nest as the mother comes back twice a day to feed - early in the morning and around dusk. However, dead rabbits should not be replaced.
Operation Wildlife indicated that it does not matter if humans touch the endangered rabbits, as the mother already knows their scent.
As for squirrels that have been blown from their nests, organization said they should be placed in a shoebox with a soft rag at the bottom and no lid. Babies should be kept warm. The shoebox should be stapled to the side of a tree so the mother can retrieve the baby and predators can be kept away.
For extra measure, rescuers indicated that residents can play squirrel distress calls through their phones to activate the mother’s instinct to find her baby. Squirrels do sleep at night, so babies should be brought inside after dark and kept in a dark, warm and quiet place. They should not be fed, as this can cause sickness or even death.
If winds blow hard enough, Operation Wildlife noted that the mother will find somewhere safe to stay and try again in the morning. If babies have not been reclaimed by their parents by noon the next day, residents can call rescuers at 785-542-3625.
For more information about what to do if a wild animal in need of rescue is found, click HERE.
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