Greetings Friend of Wildlife,

     2017 is coming to a slow close. This year has been a record breaking year for WERC. We have had more bobcats in our care than any other time in our nearly 30 year history! It started last autumn with two males and continued with three females, then three more baby boys this spring. A total of eight have passed through our doors since last year’s Wildlife Fest. Feeding these bobcats has been quite expensive, on top of our regular operating expenses. Your contributions have been more important than ever in maintaining our bobcat program this year. Click here to contribute to our Bobcat Team!

     As I sit and write this message to you, we are in the midst of an end of August heat wave, with temperatures soaring in to the 100-degree range. Our amazing Animal Care Volunteers are taking special measures to provide extra cooling to the animals in our care and our Educational Ambassadors. Wildlife generally handles extreme temperatures better than we humans do, by limiting physical activities and resting in a shady place during the heat of the day. However, we like to give a little extra help to those animals in our care by providing gentle mist showers and occasional frozen water bottles for them to relax near. Our educational Turkey Vulture, Zorro, especially enjoys his mist showers, and will spread his wings to make sure he catches every drop of water that comes his way!

     I hope you are all enjoying your summer and looking forward to fall. Our 22nd annual Wildlife Fest is fast approaching in October. I hope to see many familiar faces and new faces there this year. Please join us as we celebrate our local wildlife and support WERC at our yearly fundraising event.

With much gratitude,
Joy Joyner
President, Board of Directors

---

Virginia Opossum as seen when rescuer Colleen arrived - click for larger version

Opossums Are Not Trash - by Colleen Grzan

     The misfortune of this opossum was very nearly a loss to our ecosystem. The adult female was found in a trap set up next to some residential garbage cans, either for the weekly sanitation crew to pick up or because someone was trying to catch a nighttime trash marauder.  The crew contacted WERC and our staff brought it back to the Center.  There, she was treated for fleas and an abrasion on her snout.  She spent a week in a large outdoor enclosure being fattened up on natural foods. The feisty female was released at a prime location, where she will be safe from traffic and have access to a flowing creek and wild berries.
     Though often vilified as vermin, i.e. rats, the misunderstood opossums are truly remarkable animals that survive on an omnivorous diet of fruits and berries, slugs, insects such as roaches and beetles, frogs, snakes, small rodents, and carrion, aka road kill.  You could call them night-time sanitation engineers.  In other words, they are a real benefit to us—a non-toxic method of environmental clean-up at no cost to the taxpayers

---

A Temporary Guest

     Say hello to the Western Tanager. This male struck a window in northeast Morgan Hill and was on the ground for a bit longer than what would be expected. The resident contacted WERC and the bird was given an exam. No visible trauma was found, so he was set up overnight for a little rest and TLC.
     The following day the bird was alert and active, ready to go back to where it came from. Often when a bird strikes a window, they need a little time to recuperate in a safe place, away from predators, where they can 'sleep it off'.

Male Western Tanager - click for larger version

---

Bobcat Mum Diary - by Paula Pyke

    Bobcat Mom, or should I say Mum for me, seeing as I moved from England not more than 3 years ago.  A real once in a lifetime opportunity. One that has been a talking point of family and friends, far and wide, enjoying my weekly updates - giving them an insight into our work.
     When I joined WERC, I was thrilled to have this amazing opportunity of working with injured and orphaned wildlife.  My first week I met an injured Golden Eagle, that several weeks later was released. I didn't expect anything to top that.  But this time last year I was asked if I would be prepared to be a 'Bobcat Mom'.  What did this mean?  The aim was to give our five orphaned kittens encouragement in playing, keeping them exercised, fit and well, all in preparation of their eventual releases, without them becoming familiar with humans.

     It meant dressing up in a disguise, putting on a hood with only eye and mouth holes, a full body zip-up outfit,knee pads and thick Kevlar gloves, to spend time with our young Bobcats, crawling on the floor, encouraging them to play with cat toys, honing their eventual hunting skills.  Wasn't long though before my Tuesday sessions as Bobcat Mom became one of the most rewarding times of my life.
     One by one our five bobcats were given their freedom. Release sites were located and surveyed for suitability.  The worry of whether each cat would happily leave their carrier and wander off into their exciting new world.  Each release was a huge mix of relief, sorrow and happiness.  We had succeeded as 'mom', we had given these once tiny orphans a fighting chance to survival in the wild, right where they are meant to be!

Bobcats Oakley and Meadow - Click for larger version

Follow us on Facebook for up to date news and events