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Loki, the Great Horned Owl

Loki, the Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center’s Great Horned Owl, who for 20 years served as W.E.R.C.’s educational animal ambassador, passed away February 26 of a heart attack.

At schools, science camps, and community events, Loki helped educate thousands of local children and adults, providing the public with a close-up view of wildlife and enthralling all with his intense gaze and throaty whoo-hooting. As a regular participant on W.E.R.C.’s floats, Loki was a crowd-pleasing favorite during Morgan Hill’s Fourth of July festivities.

Loki’s “second job” for many years was foster-fathering orphaned baby Great Horned Owls, to prevent the owlets from becoming imprinted on their human caretakers, which is what had happened to him 20 years ago. Loki was found on the ground in April 1988, when he was a 2-3 week old nestling, and was raised for a week at the finder’s home. By the time Loki was brought to a licensed wildlife center, he had already imprinted on people, refusing to associate with the owl foster-mother and other orphans. Imprinting is a species-specific type of learning during a critical early period where the bird’s social attachment and identification are established. An imprinted raptor is not releasable; it will not thrive in the wild since other owls recognize its difference and refuse to allow it to establish a territory, which is necessary for hunting and breeding.

Loki joined W.E.R.C. soon afterward, with permission from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, as the organization’s very first educational animal, quickly becoming a favorite of volunteers and staff.

As the “Face of W.E.R.C.”, Loki appeared on numerous television programs and news broadcasts, on the stage, and in newspapers. It is Loki’s illustrious image that is emblazoned on W.E.R.C.’s logo. He was awarded City of Morgan Hill Proclamations by Mayors John Sorci and Dennis Kennedy, who honored him as the personification of W.E.R.C.’s mission to rehabilitate local wildlife and release them, healthy and wild, back to their natural habitat.

The legacy of Loki’s life is the thousands of hearts he has touched through the years, enlightening a generation of children, and promoting the peaceful coexistence between civilization and our native wildlife.

Introducing Clarabelle, W.E.R.C.’s newest educational animal ambassador!

The female Acorn Woodpecker was an orphaned nestling that was brought to another wildlife facility for nurturing. However, the location of the bird’s original group was unknown and so she could not be returned to the wild. When an Acorn Woodpecker is found injured or orphaned, it is extremely important to the rehabilitator that the bird is returned within two weeks to the exact colony from which it came, since its place in the commune will be filled by another woodpecker. Any later than two weeks and the displaced bird will be rejected and chased away from the food source, and will starve to death.

Look at the picture and you’ll see why the species is often called clown-face, with its boldly-patterned black, white, and yellow face and body and a perky red “cap”. For you youngsters who didn’t grow up in the 50’s, Clarabell was the clown on the golden-oldie children’s program, “The Howdy Doody Show”.

Bobcat Gabby has    GONE WILD!

UPDATE: 2008 below

On June 30th, 9-month-old Gabby was released to a rural area west of Morgan Hill. The location is a prime bobcat habitat, lush with trees and brush for shelter, varied water sources, and a bounty of small rodents to hunt.

Other bobcats have been sighted in the vicinity. The release was witnessed by Gabby’s surrogate moms, who had worn a costume and mask to feed and interact with him. Also attending were the winners of the Bobcat Release at W.E.R.C.’s BBQ-Auction fundraiser. Gabby is the bobcat shown in our video playing with his surrogate mother.

Since 1984, our center has rehabilitated thousands of animals. We patch them up, set broken bones, give physical therapy and hand-feed babies every 20 minutes. We clean, house, and provide them with special diets. Then we release them back to their natural habitats, healthy and wild.

The need for our services is more crucial than ever. As our community rapidly grows, wild animals are forced into closer contact with humans, often with tragic results. Without your help, we may be forced to turn away these patients or even more sadly, to end our live-saving work. W.E.R.C. receives no federal, state or county funding, and is not allowed to charge a fee to care for wildlife. Our center is supported solely by your contributions. We stretch every dollar and pinch every penny until it screams. We have wonderful sponsors who help provide veterinary care, food, printing needs and other donations…but it’s not enough.

Your donation will have a real impact at W.E.R.C.! Every dollar you generously contribute will help save lives and make a significant difference in the quality of life around us. The next time you hear a chickadee in your garden, watch a red-tailed hawk riding the wind, or see a bobcat meandering on a distant hill, remember, your contribution to W.E.R.C. helped ensure the continued presence of our local native wildlife for future generations.

Please be as generous as you can. We need you to help us carry on our work. Thank you!

UPDATE 2008
Bobcat Gabby has GONE WILD!

In June 2007, 9-month-old Gabby was released to a rural area west of Morgan Hill. The location is a prime bobcat habitat, lush with trees and brush for shelter, varied water sources, and a bounty of small rodents to hunt.

Other bobcats have been sighted in the vicinity. The release was witnessed by Gabby’s surrogate moms, who had worn a costume and mask to feed and interact with him. Also attending were the winners of the Bobcat Release at W.E.R.C.’s BBQ-Auction fundraiser. Gabby is the bobcat shown in our video playing with his surrogate mother.
Update: In January 2008, Gabby was sighted near the area where he was released! When people approached, he ran away and back into the forest. This behavior validates W.E.R.C.’s Bobcat Program which ensures that the orphaned bobcat learns to behave wild and fearful of humans.