MEDFORD, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — A wildlife refuge in South Jersey is throwing a baby shower for 4,000 orphans.
That’s about how many abandoned or injured animal offspring Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge is anticipating will need their help in the year ahead. So, in preparation, the nonprofit is asking the public to drop off items.
“Paper towels, dish detergent, laundry soap, bleach — anything that would help stockpile our needs for that upcoming baby boom,” said Heather Evans, assistant director of wildlife rehabilitation and volunteer coordinator.
Other items on their wish list:
• 39-gallon garbage bags
• Paper towels
• Ziploc bags (most used are gallon- and quart-size)
• Tissues
• Puppy pads
• Cotton balls
• Amazon gift cards
• Clorox wipes
• Dawn dish soap
• High-efficiency “HE” laundry detergent
• Bleach
• Scrub Daddy sponges
• Orange baby food
• Green baby food
• Peanut butter
• Kaytee mouse and rat food
• Aspen bedding
• Quickie Sponge Mop refill 3” x 9” (Type S)
• Disposable waterproof shoe covers
• Disposable waterproof isolation gowns
“Our job with each and every one of those animals is to do our best to rehab and get those babies back out into the wild where they belong,” Evans said.
The refuge is expecting to be pretty busy in a week or two, as squirrel kits start coming in, she said.
“We are absolutely seeing babies earlier than normal. We would typically get our first set of baby squirrels in mid-March. We started getting them in mid- to late February. We haven’t seen them just yet this year, but we definitely know they are coming,” Evans said.
The wildlife baby shower takes place Saturday, Feb. 11, 1 to 3 p.m., at Medford United Methodist Church (2 Hartford Road in Medford, New Jersey). Admission is free for everyone with a gift from their wish list, or a $5 minimum cash donation, accepted at the door.
There will be light refreshments, crafts for kids and appearances from animal ambassadors. More information is at the Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge website
Animal ambassadors
Cedar Run’s 60 animal ambassadors permanently live at the refuge because they cannot be released into the wild for one reason or another, said Tracey Bloodworth, director of development and communications.
“We have all different types of animals — from snakes to turtles to owls, and we have a bald eagle.”
That bald eagle — her name is Hallie. She was hatched in 2004 and delivered to Cedar Run in 2005. Because of a wing injury, she is not able to fly, and she can’t protect herself, said Bloodworth.
She got hurt “when she was a nestling, and a group of crows — or what they call a murder of crows — came and kind of bullied her out of her nest. And she was found on the ground with wing injuries that later were irreparable,” Bloodworth said.
Hallie uses a ramp to access her favorite perch.
Bloodworth said all of the 60 wildlife ambassadors are native to New Jersey, except for a 6-foot ball python named Mozart. She was found under a piano in the ’90s and surrendered to the refuge.
“She sleeps under the turtle shell that is in her enclosure. She is the only non-native resident here, but she is a great educator especially for her species, between seeing what is native and what is not,” Bloodworth said.
Keeping wildlife wild
Cedar Run’s Evans says it is very important not to keep wild animals as pets. In New Jersey and Pennsylvania, it is illegal.
“Keeping our animals wild is really important, because not only is it dangerous for them, it can also be dangerous for us,” Evans said.
“Once we make them our friends and they get used to us, they don’t see us as a harm, which means they don’t see our dogs, our cats, or even our pet parrots as harmful. That may be a detriment to them, because they love us, but they can walk up to your neighbor, that neighbor might not love them so much, that neighbor's dog may not love them so much, and it does them a huge disservice.”
They could be injured or killed.
One example is Sassafras, a white-tailed deer brought to the refuge in 2003.
“She was actually found on the side of the road with a leash and collar on, because somebody had raised her as a pet,” Bloodworth said. “She was unable to be released because at that point she had become imprinted.”
A lot of the ambassadors have been raised by good Samaritans, said Bloodworth. “The intention is really great, but they don’t know what to do when they find injured and orphaned animals.”
Both she and Evans say anyone who encounters an injured or newborn animal in the wild should call a licensed wildlife professional.
“Best case scenario is that they leave the animal where it is at, get on their cell phone and give us a call. We can always walk them through the next best steps,” Evans said.
“If it is best to intervene, we can give them that information on how to safely pick up that animal and how to transport it. And if that is not the best course of action, we ask them to stay, wait and watch.
“We always want to do what is in the best interest of the animal. And sometimes, as humans, it is hard to leave a baby where it is at, but sometimes that is what is best.”
