wing - liberty wildlife€¦ · human/wildlife interactions. clearly, education was going to be a...

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F a l l 2 0 0 9 Visit us online at www.libertywildlife.org A publication of Liberty Wildlife Wing B EATS An Education Solution Wildlife Ambassadors and Human Educators Pack a Powerful Message by Terry Stevens “In the end, we conserve only what we love. We will love only what we understand. We will understand only what we are taught.” hese words from the Senegalese naturalist Baba Dioum are the raison d'etre for Liberty's Education team. Liberty Wildlife has grown to be one of the most success- ful wildlife rehabilitation facilities in the nation. With a release rate of nearly 50% and an intake of around 4,000 animals per year, we have a positive impact on nearly 2,000 native and migratory animals annually. Is this impressive? You bet! But early on, Dr. Orr and the staff found that five types of injuries were occurring to the wildlife time and again: gunshot wounds, automobile collisions, window collisions, electrocutions, and poisoning. What these things had in common was that they were all caused by human activity. Realizing that since we, as a species, were the root cause of most of the injuries that Liberty Wildlife wound up treating year to year, we felt we must get people to adjust their behavior. If we could mitigate our negative impact on the world around us, we would reduce the overall number of harmful T Education Solution - cont. page 3

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Page 1: Wing - Liberty Wildlife€¦ · human/wildlife interactions. Clearly, education was going to be a large part of the solution. The education team at Liberty Wildlife came along a couple

F a l l 2 0 0 9

Visit us online atwww.libertywildlife.org

A publication of Liberty Wildlife

WingBEATS

An Education SolutionWildlife Ambassadors and Human Educators Pack a Powerful Messageby Terry Stevens

“In the end, we conserve only what we love. We will

love only what we understand. We will understand only what

we are taught.”

hese words from theSenegalese naturalist Baba Dioum are the raison d'etre for Liberty'sEducation team. Liberty Wildlife hasgrown to be one of the most success-

ful wildlife rehabilitation facilities inthe nation. With a release rate of nearly50% and an intake of around 4,000animals per year, we have a positiveimpact on nearly 2,000 native andmigratory animals annually. Is thisimpressive? You bet! But early on,Dr. Orr and the staff found that fivetypes of injuries were occurring to the wildlife time and again: gunshotwounds, automobile collisions, window collisions, electrocutions, and

poisoning. What these things had in common was that they were allcaused by human activity. Realizingthat since we, as a species, were theroot cause of most of the injuries thatLiberty Wildlife wound up treatingyear to year, we felt we must get people to adjust their behavior. If wecould mitigate our negative impact on the world around us, we wouldreduce the overall number of harmful

TEducation Solution - cont. page 3

Page 2: Wing - Liberty Wildlife€¦ · human/wildlife interactions. Clearly, education was going to be a large part of the solution. The education team at Liberty Wildlife came along a couple

The Future Belongs to Those Who Believein the Beauty of Their Dream

Eleanor RooseveltRecently, I was reminded of threeimportant things. As I write them out in black and white they seem so obvious that I am not sure why I needed reminding. None of this will be news to you, but just in caseyou also need reminding, I will passthem on.

Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue, and the dreams that you dare

to dream really do come true.Lyman Frank Baum

The first one was: Don't be afraid to dream big dreams. These dreamsmight at first seem to be ludicrous,like the idea of taking on a huge project - building a center to help usfulfill our mission. At first it seemedimpossible…. but we persevered.Then soon it only seemed to beimprobable, but still we persevered.Eventually, slamming it with enoughinstitutional and personal will is propelling it to an inevitable success.After finalizing our change in locationand obtaining building permits, wewill finally be on our way. And, thisis just the beginning of where dreamingbig dreams could come into play.

No one has the right to rain on your dreams.

Marion Wright EdlemanThe second important reminder is that

no one has the right to limit yourdreams, nor should you ever surrenderyour dreams. It has always been ourvision at Liberty Wildlife, not justmine, but ours, to be able to “nurturethe nature of Arizona” beyond ourwildest dreams to get our message outto everyone possible, to assist all andany native wildlife when needed --not just popular and charismaticwildlife, but all wildlife -- to providenot just a little education, but as muchas we possibly can. We will stand firmhere. In this issue you will learnabout the owls in Arizona and realizehow blessed we are with a resourceboth beneficial and beautiful. Youwill learn that something as numerousand necessary as bats can be so fragile,so in peril, and so in need of anawareness of their plight. Educatingeach of you regarding something assimple as your coffee drinking habitscould lead to huge benefits for manyspecies of migrating birds. A smallchange can make a very big differencefor both the birds and the humans.

Commitment precedes vision. High Eagle

The third reminder was that whateverwe do, it should be done to the best ofour ability, with the best people, usingthe best strategies, garnering the bestoutcomes. Also in this issue of Wing-Beats, you will learn that we do indeedhave the best volunteers on the job,from our Education, Daily Care,Medical Services, Hotline, Rescue and

Transport, and Orphan Care depart-ments to our participating veterinari-ans, Board of Directors and WildlifeGuardians. The commitment of ourvolunteers is highlighted here throughthe endeavors of a few standoutsspotlighting some of their accomplish-ments that go beyond the call of duty.Of course, that doesn't mean therearen't others with just a little less timeto give but the same heart, the sameenergy, the same commitment - thesame dream. Our staff rises to everyoccasion under less than perfect conditions and with limited resources-- there's no complaining. Everyone is dedicated to supporting the mission.Read about our Research andConservation group that professional-ly addresses calls from corporations,agencies, and the public to assistwhen wildlife interfaces negativelywith civilization and rectify problemsbefore they occur.And, please don't miss our retail catalog and Special Event entrie -- thefunds raised here allow us to do whatwe do so well. Our centerfold presents,as always, stunning wildlife photo-graphed by Liberty Wildlife volunteers.Remember: Dream big dreams, allowno one to limit them, do the best youcan with the best you've got to get thebest results.

I have learned that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams,

and endeavors to live the life he hasimagined, he will meet with success

unexpected in common hours.Henry David Thoreau

F R O M T H E D I R E C T O R ’ S C H A I R

Dream Big Dreams

2

Megan MosbyExecutive Director

Liberty Wildlife’s future home -- original rendering by Pirate Design

Page 3: Wing - Liberty Wildlife€¦ · human/wildlife interactions. Clearly, education was going to be a large part of the solution. The education team at Liberty Wildlife came along a couple

human/wildlife interactions. Clearly, education was going to be a large part of the solution.

The education team at Liberty Wildlifecame along a couple of years after the rehabilitation efforts started. At first, it

was a small team of people with no realtraining, just some of the volunteers whohad an idea: Get the general population tobetter appreciate the wildlife around themand perhaps they would treat the environ-ment with more care. That is still the coreprinciple behind the Education team today.

Borrowing some techniques and equipmentfrom the falconry world, some of our non-releasable birds were impressed into serviceas ambassadors to their species. Soon theybegan to make appearances at local schoolsand civic functions on a regular basis.Many people got their first exposure toLiberty Wildlife at the Tempe Arts Festivaland some would return every year to seetheir favorite bird and possibly buy a newT-shirt. It was also a great learning experi-ence for the volunteers holding the birds, asthey explained what the bird's injury was,why it was with Liberty Wildlife, and whatits role was in the environment of Arizona.Our tent always had one of the largestcrowds at the festival!

The real organization of the Education teambegan in the early 1990s. At that point webegan to actually train the people whowould be going in front of the public, dis-playing the birds, and talking about whatLiberty Wildlife was and what we did forthe state of Arizona. Formal classes werebegun and hands-on bird handler trainingwas initiated to better present a professional

look to the education message. The teambegan to hone their presentations and wearshirts that identified them as volunteers forLiberty Wildlife. And always, the safety ofthe birds came first!

Fast forward to 2009. The Education team,currently under the direction of long-timevolunteer Linda Scott, has about 40 members, all of whom are experienced anddedicated volunteers. They have gonethrough a long, sustained training processinvolving the biology of the birds they will handle and display, public speakingtechniques for various sized crowds ofdifferent backgrounds, and both theoreticand hands-on handling skills for each of thebirds they are qualified to take to a presen-tation. They come to know the birds personally through hand feeding them and through practice with senior volunteerpartners. They can often judge the healthof the bird perched on their glove, just by sitting with it for a few minutes. Thiskind of bond is critical for a safe, smoothpresentation at which neither bird nor volunteer sustains injury or even ruffledfeathers. It is to the credit of the Educationteam and all the volunteers at the facilitythat we still have some of the same birdspresenting in the education group todaythat began their careers as wildlife ambas-sadors in the 1980s!

The role of the Education team has grownand evolved over the years, along with theteam itself. From several dozen shows anda few civic functions and fairs in the earlyyears, to over 525 presentations last year,the Liberty Wildlife Education team is in high demand in the Valley of the Sun -- and

Education Solution continued from page 1

3

Learning about wildlife

Education event

photo

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artic

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Terr

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Education Solution - cont. page 7

WingBeats is an annual publication of

Liberty Wildlife Rehabilitation Foundation

issued to supportersof the Foundation.

Editorial staff: Megan Mosby, Gail Cochrane, Terry Stevens

Contributing authors: Robert Mesta,Nina Grimaldi, Tanya Wyman DVM

Photo editor: Lesley GuentherNewsletter design: Cindy Gort

Annual Report design: Zara GortCover photo: Golden Eagle

Education Ambassador, Phoenixphoto by Terry Stevens

Reprints of articles may be possible with written permission.

For more information please contact:WingBeats Staff, Liberty Wildlife

P.O. Box 14345, Scottsdale, AZ 85267

Wildlife Hotline (480) 998-5550

Visit our website at www.libertywildlife.org

Copyright © 2009 Liberty Wildlife Rehabilitation

Foundation

Printing provided by SRP

Zone Tail Hawk feathers photo by Lesley Guenther

Page 4: Wing - Liberty Wildlife€¦ · human/wildlife interactions. Clearly, education was going to be a large part of the solution. The education team at Liberty Wildlife came along a couple

In this business we try not to assignhuman characteristics to animals -- aprofessional no-no related to what wedo, but sometimes the facts defy this'scientific' notion. One such story follows.

Many have heard the tale of the goosethat was shot out of the air, landing inthe lake dying, while its mate flewdown and stayed with it as the rest of the flock migrated on along theirpredetermined path. The mate stayedas long as the wounded bird was aliveand then very reluctantly flew off inhopes of catching up with the flock.An urban myth …who knows? Thefollowing story, however, is well documented.

Liberty Wildlife volunteer, Claudia,was dispatched to a lake in the farwest part of the Valley to assist in thecapture of what appeared to be aninjured Canada Goose. Geese, andwater fowl in general, are difficult tocatch because they can fly, swim, andrun. They have to be in pretty badcondition to be rounded up. This particular goose had fallen prey to the insidious effects of monofilamentline. It seems every body of water

contains this wildlife hazard. It silentlysnakes around beaks, necks, wings,and legs. If the strand is allowed toremain, it can cut into tissue damaging

ligament, muscle, and bone. Aroundthe neck or beak it can cause slowstarvation. As it tightens it cuts to thebone, often resulting in infection andultimately death.

This goose was lucky, as the situationwas noticed early and dealt withbefore too muchdamage had beendone. Our rescuevolunteer and a parkranger were able tomake the capture. Inorder to limit anystruggling, the goosewas wrapped in asheet held togetherwith duct tape so thatit could make the tripacross town toLiberty Wildlife without further damage.

Because of the fast action, the triageprocedure found that the injuries wereminimal. The monofilament line wasremoved and the injuries treated. Inmost situations it is best to get the animal in and out as soon as possible.

This goose was ready to bereleased in less than aweek. Here's where thestory gets better.

Our dedicated volunteergathered up the recoveredgoose and trekked backacross town to the lake.Upon arrival she noticedthat, as before, there wereabout 200 geese arrangedin what looked like four“family flocks” scatteredaround the lake, all doingthe Canada Goose thing …swimming around lookingfor food, preening, and

hanging out.

The park ranger was there for therelease and two folks from the public

stopped by to see what was going on.As always with Liberty Wildlifereleases, they were invited to stickaround to watch the successful culmi-nation of the rehabilitation process.They were given a brief educationabout what Liberty Wildlife does andwhy.

Claudia opened the carrier andreleased the goose into the water.Perfect. Looking around the lake atall the geese, he gave an inquisitivehonk … fine … a good sign. Thenfrom across the lake a goose in one ofthe “family flocks” started to honk.First it was one little “honk” whichwas followed by a response from ourreleasee. One contagious “honk” led to another “honk,” and to theamazement of the onlookers the gooseconversation turned into a chorus ofcalls and responses. The interestingpart is that only one group got into it.There was silence from the other threegroups. “HONK, HONK, HONK,”blasted back from the vocal family,and then an excited response washeard from our guy. With a flurry of activity the calling flock across thelake began to assemble on the shorewith much flapping and excitement.Waddles, flaps, and honking created a sense of urgency. No mistake aboutit, this was a purposeful gathering of the geese.

4

The Homecoming by Megan Mosby

“No mistake about it, this was a purposeful gathering of the geese.”

Released Canada Goose

photo

s this

page

by Te

rry S

teven

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Page 5: Wing - Liberty Wildlife€¦ · human/wildlife interactions. Clearly, education was going to be a large part of the solution. The education team at Liberty Wildlife came along a couple

Sending wildlife home is our goal at Liberty Wildlife. You too can play apart in this glorious job. Support our annual fundraiser presented by theLiberty Wildlife Guardians.

What: Wishes for WildlifeWhere: Our new venue at the Fairmont Princess, Scottsdale, AZWhy: To help support the mission of Liberty Wildlife,

“to nurture the nature of Arizona”When: April 17, 2010

6:00pm View Educational Ambassadors, Silent Auction, Raffle

8:00pm Live Bird of Prey Show - Part 18:15pm Dinner9:00pm Live Bird of Prey Show - Part 2

Release of rehabilitated Great Horned Owl9:30pm Live Auction9:45pm Live Bird of Prey Show - Part 3

Check www.libertywildlife.org or call Peggy at (480) 998-5284 for detailedinformation about how you can participate and help send more wildlifehome.

The releasee started to paddle straight inthe direction of the vocal ones -- healedinjuries forgotten -- as fast as he could withabsolutely no interest in the silent groups.When the paddling wasn't fast enough, helifted his heavy body out of the water withwings beating furiously against the surface.He became airborne, then landed just off-shore from the honkers. He hit the water,running, flapping and sort of flying, allmotion modalities engaged simultaneously,until he found himself swallowed up in the

middle of the welcome homecelebration. Okay, I know I have just stepped over the line of “scientific,” but that is what thecrowd of people saw across the lake.

It was clear that this group waseagerly accepting our rehabbedgoose back into the flock. It wasclear through the tears in the on-lookers' eyes, without a word beingspoken, that this goose had beengiven a second chance and was

home, back where he belonged with family.And, it was clear to the humans that theyhad witnessed something special. Nourban myth here.

It is enough to say that we will always tryto return an animal to its home territory if it is safe and possible. This is just one suchstory. But there are others that lead us tobelieve that they know ... somehow theyjust know.

Happy to be home

“Liberty Wildlife's manyaccomplishments are

generated by the talentedand compassionate staffand volunteers, from ourEducation, Daily Care,

Medical Services,Hotline, Rescue &

Transport, and OrphanCare departments,

to our participating veterinarians,

Board of Directors,Wildlife Guardians

and generous donors.”

WWiisshheess ffoorr WWiillddlliiffee

5

Page 6: Wing - Liberty Wildlife€¦ · human/wildlife interactions. Clearly, education was going to be a large part of the solution. The education team at Liberty Wildlife came along a couple

Over 300 dedicated folks donate toLiberty Wildlife the greatest gift of all:a bit of themselves. For several hourseach week they give their time, energy,talent, sweat, humor and a personaltouch. Thousands of animals wouldsuffer every year without the help ofthese wonderful people. We are sograteful!That being said, there are some individuals who have embraced theLiberty Wildlife mission and spendmany hours working outside of anordinary volunteer position to helpwildlife and the people who helpwildlife. Four of these greatly valuedindividuals are recognized here.

Peggy Cole has been a tremendousasset to Liberty since she started in thefund raising area 10 years ago. Shecame to help out with Wishes forWildlife in 1999 and has been at itever since. Peggy is the president ofthe volunteer group, Liberty WildlifeGuardians, that creates Wishes forWildlife, our annual benefit. Thisevent, and the people behind it, raiseover half of our operating budget.The Liberty Wildlife Guardians workthroughout the year to procure dona-tions and supporters, and Peggyshoulders the bottom line responsibility. She also rolls up her sleeves andworks hard at the facility, where she isa talented and enthusiastic educator.“My passion is education,” shedeclares. “The feedback you get frompeople at presentations is inspiring, be it from the folks at the retirementhome, the kids at the detention center,the special-needs kids, or the 2ndgraders at the local elementary school.The response is overwhelming. Thereis a connection people make withthese animals. I think everyone canrelate to the idea of getting a secondchance.” Peggy is a Program Coordinator andleads many education programs. Shealso volunteers one day a week hand

feeding theeducationbirds, includ-ing the GoldenEagle, Apache.She will soonbe able to takeApache andthe othereagles out to wow thepublic.

Anothervolunteerwho has made a huge impact on theorganization is John Glitsos. Johnstarted in Rescue and Transport andquickly became known for being will-ing to go out anytime and on shortnotice to pick up an injured animal.He signed up for the education classes,where he eagerly absorbed the naturalhistory material. His enthusiasm forwildlife shines through in his educationpresentations where skills he has builtin his “other” life serve him well.Here is John's quote from a recentScottsdale edition of the ArizonaRepublic: “I spent my life as a Fortune500 president thinking that the envi-ronment was what I drove through toget to the office. Volunteering hasprofoundly changed my environmen-tal perspective. It has made a hugedifference in my life. I am so passion-ate about this.” John has charmedand educated folks far and widethrough his service to the LibertyWildlife Education program.

Recently John has been working outof the limelight using his softwarewriting skills. He has set up a data-base tied to a badge system to countvolunteer hours. This will allow us toquantify the incredible support wegain from volunteers. The first monthof counting indicated 3,600 hours ofvolunteer work. John also has put oureducation scheduling and volunteerapplication processes online. The Rescue Mapping program Johnwrote drastically reduces the time ittakes us to rescue a raptor. Our hot-line volunteers often make many callsto find a volunteer who can go pickup an injured animal. John's programallows the hotline volunteer to enterthe address of the injured animal ontheir computer and pull up a mapshowing the rescue volunteers thatlive in the vicinity and are available togo on rescues that day. This improvesour rescue response time, and savestime and mileage for the rescue volun-teers. John's level of involvementwith the organization and his uniquebackground came together with brilliant results.

Claudia Kirscher has volunteered atLiberty Wildlife for five years. Shecurrently works as the daily care teamcoordinator one day and hand feedsthe education birds on another. Keeping volunteers on the same pageas far as diets and specialized care, as well as training new volunteers iscritical if we are to give the animals

Volunteers with a Missionby Gail Cochrane

John Glitsoswith Red-tailed Hawk, Acoma

Peggy Cole with American Kestrel, Elliott

Claudia Kirscherwith Barn Owl, Henry

Volunteers - cont. page 86

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Education Solutions continued from page 3

Libby, Education Ambassador

The greatness

of a nation

and its moral

progress can

be measured

by the way

in which its

animals

are treated.

Mahatma Ghandi

7

beyond! Sure, we still do school presenta-tions, and no, we don't charge for the presentations. (Although we do ask for a donation to cover the expense of the program, it is NOT required!)In addition to the usual publicand private schools, a fewyears ago we began visitingtwo of the youth detentioncenters in the area. Thesehave become some of ourfavorite education offeringseach year, and the volunteerswho present these programsget as much from the contactas the students do. We also have severalschools where the students put togetherunique activities such as read-a-thons thatraise funds for Liberty Wildlife. Last year,the world's largest mining company,Freeport-MacMoRan, provided a grant thathelped fund our educational activities,including two trips to New Mexico andTexas with a traveling team of birds andeducators. Thus, the Liberty Educationteam brought their environmental messageto many schools in these neighboring states.A total of 20 programs were presented tostudents and adult groups in a little overseven days and 1,500 miles. In addition, wecontinue to provide training for workers atseveral large power companies in Arizonathrough our Research and ConservationDepartment. This supportive effort has

been working well formany years and hasdecreased the number ofelectrically injured birdscoming in for medicaltreatment.

From our collaborationwith ScottsdaleCommunity College andthe CNUW (Center forNative and UrbanWildlife) program, to new partnerships with anumber of schools in thePhoenix area, includingan effort to collaboratewith the ArizonaAgribusiness & EquineScience Charter HighSchool, we never stopadding to what we

accomplish. Another school in the SouthPhoenix area is also working with us tosupplement their already fine environmen-tal curriculum with a joint effort to include

our Class-to-Field program.Here we work with the schoolto develop a plan to provideinformation and resources tothe teachers prior to our visitwith our feathered educators.The students are involvedfrom the outset, and after following the outline forseveral weeks, the classes

go out into the field to make real-timeobservations of wildlife to support whatthey have learned in the classroom.

The bottom line has always been that seeingwildlife in person has immeasurably moreimpact than any two dimensional graphic.A picture in a book or a video on TV (evenin hi-def!) cannot provide the same visceralconnection you get from looking into theeyes of a Great Horned Owl or feeling thewind from the wings of a Bald Eagle. Wehelp provide the connection to nature that a lot of kids miss in today's world. And theEducation team volunteers enjoy doing itmore than anybody will likely ever realize!

Phoenix, Golden Eagle Education Ambassador

“The bottom line has always been that seeing

wildlife in person has immeasurably more

impact than any two dimensional graphic.”

photo

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by Te

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Page 8: Wing - Liberty Wildlife€¦ · human/wildlife interactions. Clearly, education was going to be a large part of the solution. The education team at Liberty Wildlife came along a couple

Bats in Perilby Megan Mosby

the best care possible. Claudia is phenomenal in anticipating issues and solving problems, and has been a model for the day team coordinatorrole. A natural teacher, talented inworking with the raptors, she is also a Program Coordinator, going on a variety of education programsthroughout the season.She realized how beneficial it wouldbe for volunteers to meet one anotherand share the experience of observingwildlife in their natural setting. Sheexplains, “We all hope to see our rehabilitated birds once again free.”Claudia began sharing her passion forkayaking on the lower Salt River withother volunteers, organizing paddletrips several times each summer. Afounding member of the Desert RiversAudubon, Claudia knows the Saltwell and can point out nesting sitesfor Barn Owls, Ravens, numerouswaders, and, her favorite, Bald Eagles.She also has organized winter birdingfield trips. “I feel it is important forvolunteers to see the birds in the wild,exhibiting normal behavior as

opposed to what we see in captivityduring rehabilitation. We become better caregivers.” Claudia learnedabout Liberty Wildlife when she metAnne Peyton, another exemplary volunteer, on an Audubon ChristmasBird Count.

Anne came to Liberty 10 years agothrough a partnership with MaricopaAudubon to teach bird watching andnatural history to elementary students.She took training that prepared her toteach the four-week curriculum culminating in a bird watching fieldtrip. At the end of the field trip, shewas chosen to release a Swainson'sHawk. Hoisting the gorgeous bird up

toward the sky and watching it flyaway, she realized she was hooked.She signed up for more educationtraining and not long after was teach-ing the public about the wildlife ofArizona. She told me recently, “Mypersonal quest is to inspire 1,000 children with the passion that I feelfor wildlife.” Education is a crucial part of theLiberty Wildlife mission, and Annehas embraced it heart and soul. Shewas soon making the 65 mile roundtrip from her home to the facility three days a week to work with theeducation birds. She became a tophandler when she got signed off onthe eagles and began taking them outon programs. A Program Coordinator,Anne also teaches incoming educationvolunteers during the fall classes. Anne states, “Every day with theseanimals you learn something new. In10 minutes a raptor can take away allof your assumptions and completelysurprise you.” The capacity of humans to care aboutand dedicate themselves to wildlife issimilarly amazing.

What's the truth about bats?

Historically bats have been maligned… falsely accused. They have beenthe victim of negative myths. Thetruth is that bats do not get tangled inyour hair. Bats do not all carry rabies.Bats are not blind (they see as well ashumans). And bats aren't stupid or inept, as the reference to a battyperson or one with bats in his belfrymight infer. The truth is that bats arefurry, flighted mammals worth waymore than their weight in gold.

Almost all of the 46 species in the U.S.(there are 28 in Arizona alone ) fallinto two categories -- those that feedon insects (70%) and those that live onnectar and fruit. There are a few batspecies that eat amphibians, other

birds, and small mammals, and yes,there are the vampires, none of whomlive in the U.S. The myth is that vampire bats suck the blood out of a victim. The truth is that they makea small incision in their prey, usually a cow or another kind of livestock,and lap

a small amount of blood withoutmuch notice by the donor … hardly a Dracula kind of figure.

Bats make up nearly one-fourth of allthe mammals on earth -- and they arein serious trouble.

What's the problem?

The problem is that due to a littleunderstood condition, hibernatingbats seem to be dying in huge num-bers. It is estimated that 1.5 millionbats have perished in the Northeasternparts of the U.S., with the fatalitiesadvancing rapidly down the Easternseacoast and toward the Midwest.Many of the species are alreadythreatened and endangered due tohuman related activities, including

Brown Bat

8

Anne Peytonwith female Bald Eagle, Sonora

Volunteers cont. from page 6

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9

What you should do if you find a bat

on the ground

1. Put a laundry basket orbox gently on top of the batto contain it while you gethandling equipment (dust-pan, gloves, tape, and boxwith holes punched in it).

2. Put on relatively heavywork gloves.

3. Using a dust pan or sim-ilar item, gently scoop thebat into the box or contain-er.

4. Seal the top tightly withtape.

5. If you are in Arizona,call Liberty Wildlife at (480) 998-5550 to seek help.

6. If not local call yourstate Game and Fishagency.

7. Keep everyone fromtouching it.

8. If the bat has beentouched, be sure to get thename and contact informa-tion of anyone who hadphysical contact with it.

9. Keep the bat in a dark,ventilated area until it canbe delivered or picked upby a rescue and transportvolunteer or a state agent.

persecution, habitat loss, and death frompesticides. This new, mysterious plaguemight be all it takes to snuff out locally thisvaluable and poorly understood animal.Some scientists believe that the disaster could reach the WestCoast in a few years. Theyare not sure how it spreads,why it spreads so quickly, oreven how the caves becameso toxic. What they don'tknow outweighs what theydo know, but the reality is that the magnitude of thispotential loss is staggering.

It is believed that the culprit is a newly discovered fungus, Geomyces destructans,which is believed to cause a conditioncalled white-nose syndrome (WNS). Thename is derived from the white fungus thatis found on the muzzle, wings, and ears ofhibernating bats. It is believed that WNSsomehow interrupts the hibernation patternof the bats, causing them to leave the cavesto search for food that isn't available in thewinter. This greatly depletes the body fatnecessary to complete hibernation andresults in starvation. Mortality rates insome caves can be 90%-100%. Since batsreproduce slowly, birthing only one or twopups a year, the ability to spring back fromthis devastation is unlikely.

Why does this matter?

The natural history of bats reveals why this is so important to us. The fruit andnectar eating bats play an important role in pollinating plants like the saguaro cactusand agaves. These plants in turn playmajor roles in the desert ecology. Obviously,this pollinating capacity is critical to farmerswhose crops benefit from this activity.However, it is the loss of the insect eatinggroup of bats that will ultimately have thegreatest impact. It is predicted that thesemammals could be driven to extinction inthe U.S. if this decimating disease isn'tstopped.

Farmers stand to lose a billion dollars ayear because of crop devastation due to anincrease in insects. A single bat eats half ofits weight in insects in one night while alactating female easily puts away insectsequal to her full weight nightly. A colonyof 1,000 to 1,000,000 bats can devour tons of insects in a 24-hour period, or over 2.4

million insects a year, allowing farmers tocontrol crop pests without the use of pesti-cides. Also crucial is the containment ofinsects that spread disease in humans frommalaria to West Nile Virus. In another

environmentally sound effort,farmers at a shade grown coffee plantation in Chiapas,Mexico discovered that during the wet season, batsate more insects than did the birds that are so vitallyimportant in that process.Droppings have been foundto support bacteria used indetoxifying wastes, in

improving detergents and in the productionof gasohol and antibiotics. As with anyspecies, we will never discover the full benefits it provides if it becomes extinct.

What's being done to help the situation?

The biggest problem is the lack of goodinformation. Scientists are working asquickly as possible with the resources thatthey have. They agree that for now stop-gap measures are a starting place.Containment is the strategy. Many cavesare being closed to humans now in casehumans or even animals are responsible forthe spread of the fungus … a still unknownfact. In some places low-wattage heatsources are installed in caves with the hopethat the slight warmth will help save fatreserves and stave off malnutrition andstarvation. In bat caves where heat sourceshave been supplied, the mortality ratedropped to 8%. And, in case all else fails,island populations are being investigated--safe colonies -- should the disease spreadacross the Western Hemisphere extirpatingbats from the continent. How ominous.

On an individual level, adding bat housesin your own yard might help you with yourinsect issues, and it might provide fungusfree hibernacula for resident bat colonies.Ultimately we need to buy time and supplyour scientific world with the resourcesneeded to solve the problem that imperilsour furry and misunderstood friend.

“Farmers stand to lose a billion dollars a year

because of crop devastation due to an increase in

insects. A single bat eatshalf of its weight

in insects in one night ...”

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Photos This Page

The Wonder of Wildl i fe

Left (top to bottom)

1) Harris’ Hawks “Band of Brothers”Terry Stevens

2) Great Blue HeronAllen Spencer

Right (top to bottom)

1) Curve-billed ThrasherKenny Wilkins

2) Wild HorsesJohn Glitsos

3) Red-tailed HawkTerry Stevens

1 0

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1 1

Photos This Page Left (top to bottom)

1) American Kestrel Terry Stevens

2) Bald Eagle in winterTerry Stevens

3) Rescued RaccoonsTerry Stevens

Right (top to bottom)

1) Great Horned Owl family Barb Del’Ve

2) Golden EagleTerry Stevens

Page 12: Wing - Liberty Wildlife€¦ · human/wildlife interactions. Clearly, education was going to be a large part of the solution. The education team at Liberty Wildlife came along a couple

Out on the patio you watch the sunrise, it's another beautiful morningwith just a hint of dew. You haveyour hands wrapped around a largesteaming cup of your favorite coffee,the aroma of that dark roast rises andyou inhale deeply just before that firstsip. Ahhhhhhhh. After a few more,you lean back, close your eyes and listen to a backyard concert of birdsongs: nature's symphony. A cup ofcoffee and a bird song -- it doesn't getmuch better than that. Traditionally, coffee grows under theforest canopy of sun-filtering shadetrees, where it matures slowly, pro-ducing fewer bean berries, which concentrates the natural sugars, result-ing in a richer flavored coffee. The ecosystems created under theseshade trees support a diversity ofmulti-layered plants that provide foodand cover for wildlife and insects, soilreplenishment from leaf litter, andprotection from water runoff and soilerosion. Additionally, these plants area source of fruits, vegetables, nuts,and medicines.The worldwide demand for coffee hasled to the development of sun tolerantcoffee varieties to increase production.Unfortunately, most of these varietiesrequire the clear cutting of forests thatare replaced by full-sun monoculturesof densely planted and intensely man-aged coffee plantations, with the soleobjective of producing as much coffeeas possible with no regard for theenvironment. The operation of theseplantations requires the heavy use ofchemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbi-cides, and fungicide. Soil erosion,toxic runoff, and soil acidificationrequire the constant clearing of newland for planting, making this type ofoperation unsustainable. The ultimateby-product is abandoned lands uselessto both man and animals.There are over 200 species of”neotropical migrants,” birds thatbreed in a variety of natural habitatsand backyards in North America and

migrate to winter under the forestcanopies found in Mexico, Centraland South America, and the CaribbeanIslands. Many of our warblers, tanagers, orioles, and thrushes dependon these South American forest habitats for cover and food, and inturn control harmful insects with their constant foraging.

There are approximately 7 millionacres of coffee producing lands, and60% have been cleared of their foresthabitats and replaced by full-sun coffee plantations. The loss of theseforests has caused an estimated 50%decline in bird populations over thelast 25 years. Full-sun plantationssupport 95% fewer bird species thantheir shaded counterparts. Reducedbird counts in North America can beattributed to deforestation in SouthAmerica. Shade grown coffee, also referred to as“bird-friendly” coffee, is grown onsmall farms that promote the growthand conservation of native forest habi-tat. Coffee plants are interspersedunder a shielding canopy of nativetrees. These farms are essentiallysmall ecosystem islands that are secondonly to tropical rainforests when itcomes to biodiversity. They providerefuge for over 150 species of residentand wintering birds, which equalsmore than two-thirds of the birdspecies known to occupy nearbyforests. Next to tobacco, coffee plantsare sprayed with more chemicals thanany other crop consumed by humans.Shade grown coffee, on the otherhand, is usually organically grown

and chemical free. This chemical freeenvironment not only protects birds, it also protects the health of local farmowners and ultimately those thatdrink the coffee, the consumer. In many areas of South America,shade-grown coffee farms are the onlyforest habitat that remains, makingtheir protection and promotion criticalto the preservation of hundreds ofbird species. These farms are usuallysmall family operations or communitycooperatives fighting to compete withthe large full-sun corporate plantations.Organically grown shade coffee repre-sents only 1% of the $30 million dollarU.S. market for coffee beans. The philosophy of shade grown coffeebrings ecology, economics, and culturetogether to promote increased biodi-versity and bird habitats along withhealthy farmers and environments,while providing families and commu-nities with a sustainable economy. Next to oil, coffee is the most valuablelegal export in the world, with NorthAmerica accounting for over 33% of its consumption. Thus, coffeedrinkers can influence coffee cultiva-tion strategies and contribute to birdconservation by purchasing coffeebrands that are produced from shadegrown plants. So sit back and savor that cup ofshade grown coffee and enjoy yourfavorite bird songs knowing that withevery cup you're helping to conservethe birds in your backyard. It doesn'tget much better than that.

1 2

Barn Swallows

photo

by B

arb D

el’Ve

You can help migratory birdsby investigating the conditionsunder which the coffee you drinkis grown. The following organi-zations have excellent websitesthat address these concerns aswell as sell shade grown coffeebeans: Tree Frog Coffees, PeaceCoffee, Counter Culture Coffee,Poverty Bay and Café Sombra.

A Cup of Coffee and a Bird Songby Robert Mesta

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Depending on which “expert” you happento be reading at the time, the number of owlspecies worldwide runs from about 130 to222. That's quite a disparity, even for birdexperts. The number of North Americanspecies is a matter of more agreement, mostcounting 17 on this continent, 13 of whichcan be found in Arizona. This makes usZonies the lucky landlords to more owlspecies than nearly any other state! So howcome you haven't seen many in your back-yard?

Most owls are nocturnal (active mainly atnight) or crepuscular (active at dawn anddusk) so they have a circadian clock that is opposite of us humans. It’s natural forthem to be out and about doing owlishthings when we're done with our outsideactivities, so our chances of seeing one ofthese reclusive birds is minimized. Theirmain skill is stealth and they are very goodat their job.

Owls come fromtwo families, theStrigidae and theTytonidae. TheStrigids comprisethe bulk of theowl species inNorth Americaand include allowls except theBarn Owl, theonly member ofthe Tytonids.Although owlscome in manyshapes and sizes,

as night-time hunters they share manyadaptations. Better than average nightvision is to be expected in any nocturnalspecies, and most owls have this trait.Many owls have extraordinary night visioncapabilities, able to hunt prey in very lowlight intensity. But, as everything in natureinvolves a trade-off, for this wonderful lowlight acuity, owls have given up the abilityto move their eyes within their heads. Tomake up for this lack of ocular mobility,they have a few extra vertebrae, givingthem the ability to swivel their heads over270 degrees in each direction. This head

turning sometimes leadsto comical postures!

Another adaptation common to most owls is highly acute hearing.Although the ears of owlsare not readily visible,they are very effective.The Barn Owl has some of the best (and most tested!) hearing of anyanimal on the planet.Though they can actuallyhear a narrower spectrumof frequencies thanhumans, they have beenhoning their hearingskills for many millionsof years. Owl ears areasymmetrically placed onthe sides of their heads, the left ear beingplaced at a different level above or belowthe eye line than the right, and oriented toacquire sounds from different heights anddirections. This arrangement allows them tomodulate the intensity of incoming soundsfrom top to bottom by bobbing their headsup and down. At the same time, they candifferentiate the arrival time of sounds bypanning their heads left to right. They canthen form mental cross-hairs in their brainsand target the source of sounds, perhaps amouse skittering through the leaves.

If you're going to use sound to locate yourprey, and to continually update the positionof a moving target, minimizing the soundsyou generate is vital. Owls have a variety of “stealth” features, including soft feathersthat cover almost every square millimeterof their bodies. The smooth surfaces pre-vent noise-causing vibrations as they passthrough the air. These same owls usuallyhave a unique fringe or comb-like structureon the leading edge of their primary feathersthat aerodynamically dampens soundswhen the molecules separate over the air-foil formed by their wings.

One of the lesser known talents of manyowls is their ability to form three

WMDs - cont. page 16 1 3

Barn Owl

Weapons of Mouse Destruction:Arizona’s WMDsby Terry Stevens

“Better than averagenight vision

is to be expected in any nocturnalspecies, and most

owls have this trait. “

Great Horned Owl

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Veterinarians rely on several toolswhen trying to reach a diagnosis on asick or injured animal. They use thephysical exam, blood work, and last,but definitely not least - imaging.“What is imaging?” you might ask.Imaging encompasses anything withwhich the veterinary team can obtaindiagnostic pictures: x-rays, CT scans,MRIs and ultrasound are all usedwidely today. But what is the mostrecognized and most used imagingtechnique? You guessed it - x-rays!

Radiology (x-rays) is one of the back-bones of diagnostic work at LibertyWildlife. X-rays allow us to treat moreprecisely and accurately by giving apeek at the 'inside' of the injured andsick. Among the most common radi-ographic findings at Liberty are subtlefractures to bones, unexpected bullets,strange objects in the digestive tract,and organ enlargement. Before x-raysbecame available, few of these findingswould have been discovered or treatedproperly.

Of course, that does not mean that x-rays are without limitations.Radiographs give us a two-dimensionalpicture in shades of gray - densethings like bullets show up brightly,while less dense things like muscleshow up in varying shades.

Sometimes those areas of gray canblend together leaving the veterinaryteam scratching their heads. It is like looking at those 'hidden image'pictures - the longer you stare, themore sure you are that you are seeingsomething! Besides the challenge ofinterpretation, the process of obtaininga radiograph can be tedious. Thepatient must be held in the correctposition for the actual exposure, thenthe film needs to be developed in aspecial processor; the entire procedurecan take up to three to five minutesper radiograph. Once the radiographis developed, it is assessed to makesure the positioning and exposurewere good enough to make a diagnosis.If they are not, the whole procedurestarts all over again. A good set oftraditional radiographs could takeeven experienced wildlife handlersand veterinarians 10 or more minutesto complete - definitely not an ideal

situation for an injured animal.In the last few years, digital radio-graphy has become available in theveterinary world. For those of us who have had the pleasure of years of working with traditional x-rays,digital radiography is like magic!Because the images are digitized, they can be viewed within seconds of snapping the picture. If the animalis incorrectly positioned or if theexposure settings are not quite goodenough to make a diagnosis, the picture can be retaken immediately.This is much less stressful for thepatient (and the handler!). Most digital radiography machines areequipped with programs that allowthe veterinary team to 'play with' theimages - they can be enlarged, light-ened or darkened, measured andinverted. This digitized informationcan be easily stored on discs oremailed to specialists for more in-depthconsultations. Image quality is alsogreatly improved when compared totraditional radiographs; we are nowable to clearly see things that mightnot have even been visible before.There is definitely still some scratch-ing of heads - no matter how sophisticated the technology becomesit is still all shades of gray - but theimprovement is amazing.

Broken leg Real-time imagingPellet caused damage

Ready to shoot

1 4

A Peek Inside Radiologyby Tanya Wyman, DVM

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It is a good thing if you are an animal andyou don't spend much time at LibertyWildlife. Better to be released right backout to the wild, to reproduce and continueholding your place in the cycle of life. Butmany of Liberty's people have been aroundfor years, and it seems everyone has a“back in the day …” story.

In daily care, early volunteers tell that backin the day they cleaned all of the cages andfed all of the animals all by themselves!Now nine to twelve volunteers work everyday, just keeping the animals fed and thecages clean. Megan can tell “back in theday” stories of when just she and three orfour others did everything.

Well, times do change, and the organizationhas grown up to be a major force in the Valley for wildlife conservation andeducation. You can no longer just holleracross the way to communicate to the othervolunteers. We are fortunate to have over300 volunteers now, and this means HumanResources! With many more hands con-tributing, communication has become critical. Keeping track of the volunteers,their hours, their vacations, their variousroles, as well as communicating to everyonechanges in protocol, seasonal food quantities,animals that have been moved or released,upcoming programs, and generally keepinginformation flowing has become a majorissue. Luckily, talented people keep joining,bringing ideas and innovation along withthem.

These innovations help us operate moreefficiently, wasting less time and less paper.They help us communicate more effectivelywithin the organization, and to reach supporters with messages regarding ourmission and our needs. A few key folksbegan blogging for Liberty in '08, providingan insiders' glimpse of day to day activitiesat the facility. The blog has readers aroundthe globe, far flung fans of wildlife and thisfoundation. We continue to publish the e-newsletter Nature News, educating readersabout wildlife, fund raising events, and volunteer happenings. The WingBeats

newsletter reaches out to supporters of themission with stories and reports from thepast 12 months as well as super photo-graphs of our favorite subjects. WingBeatswill also be offered electronically this year.

Thanks to John Glitsos, we have a new volunteer database tied to badges that arescanned each time a volunteer comes andgoes. This allows us to keep track of thegargantuan number of hours logged bythese dedicated folks. We have put our volunteer manuals, each a monster in itself,on our webpage and new volunteers canread the material on their computer beforecoming for their first shift, saving lots oftrees. The scheduling of our education programs is now online, saving hours oftime at Liberty Wildlife and providing moreconvenience for the public interested in oureducation outreach programs. Volunteerapplications are also online, so volunteerscan spend their time at orientation lookingaround instead of doing paperwork.

We continue to update our webpage, work-ing closely with Cramer-Krasselt to ensurewildlife enthusiasts everywhere can accessinformation about Arizona's native animalsand the goings on at Liberty Wildlife. Andwe opened an online store in late '07, wheresupporters may buy T-shirts, hats, and totebags, or sign up for and pay for our benefitevents. Our first ever virtual Baby BirdShower debuted in the store this year,allowing many generous people to purchasefood and supplies for the Orphan Care areaof the facility, greatly benefitting thousandsof hungry baby birds.

All of this makes the organization stream-lined and efficient. The laws of survivalapply to a non-profit organization just as tothe raptor swooping after its prey. We planto be around in the future to continue thework of saving and promoting wildlife …just like “back in the day,” only better.

U P D A T E S

Improving the Productby Gail Cochrane

1 5

“The laws of survivalapply to a non-profit

organization just as tothe raptor swooping

after its prey. We planto be around in the

future to continue thework of saving and

promoting wildlife ... ”

Swan Foot, photo by Lesley Guenther

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WMDs continued from pg 13

1 6

Elf O

wl

Burro

wing

Owl

Flam

mulat

ed O

wl

Saw-

whet

Owl

dimensional spatial maps of their territories to guide them as they fly in limited light. Like blind humanswho “learn” the location of objectsand structures in their homes, owlscan remember where trees and otherobjects are in order to avoid them asthey fly at night. This might be whyowls that live in cluttered environ-ments, like forests, have relativelysmall territories. And yes, they do,unfortunately, occasionally collidewith something!When all of their abilities are combined,owls are a spectacular group of aerialpredators. And given the number ofdifferent types of owls, they are anightmare for a wide range of preyspecies.Beginning with the smallest of all, themost common owl in Arizona is theElf Owl. Only six inches tall, thisdiminutive insect eating bird is oftenmistaken for a moth or a bat. Mostlynocturnal, Elf Owls live in cavities intrees and cacti for an average of 4-5years in the wild.The next size owl in Arizona is theFlammulated Owl. Barely 7 inches tallwith small ear tufts, this secretive littleowl can live as long as 7-8 years.Another insect eater, the FlammulatedOwl is under extreme pressure due tohabitat loss.Moving up the size chart, next wefind the Ferruginous Pygmy Owl.One of only a few diurnal owls inArizona, this owl lives in mesquitewoodlands, and along with insects, it will eat small mammals and song-birds. Its habitat is also shrinking disturbingly.The Northern Pygmy Owl is anothermostly diurnal owl but can be crepus-cular at times. Their population has

actually increased in recent years.Larger, but not by much, is the Saw-whet Owl. Sporting a pronouncedfacial disc and possibly the mostasymmetrically placed ears of any owlin North America, the Saw-whet isone of the most common owls inforests to the north. Their preferredfood is small mammals, but they willalso hunt larger insects and smallbirds.Western Screech Owls are almostminiature versions of the GreatHorned Owl, only 8 inches tall. Theyare nocturnal but appear quite tolerant of human presence and activity.This might be why their population is apparently stable - for now.Another diurnal denizen of the desertis the Burrowing Owl. Once commonover a large part of the country, theywould appropriate the burrows dugby prairie dogs and live with themin relative harmony. The openings to their burrows are often decoratedwith different material, includingmammal dung, possibly to camouflagethe scent of their own presence. Theyoung Burrowing Owls mimic thesound of rattlesnakes to deter aggres-sors.Moving into the medium sized birds,we find the Long-eared Owl.Secretive, with prominent ear tufts,this strictly nocturnal owl is foundmost often in thick forests but willhunt in open areas such as prairiesand farmland. Because of deforestationand loss of riparian habitats, theirnumbers are declining.The next owl we come to is the Short-eared Owl. This is another of the diurnal/crepuscular birds that hasbarely discernable ear tufts and brightyellow eyes. Its flight is a mixture offlaps and glides that is described as

moth-like as it hunts small rodents. A long, slow decline in population hasit listed as either endangered, threat-ened, or of special concern in manystates.The Spotted Owl is one of the bestknown but least often seen owls inArizona. A bona-fide endangeredspecies, what we see here in upper-elevation forests in southern Arizonais often considered a subspecies but isalso threatened throughout its habitat.Their main diet consists of small to medium sized mammals like squirrels, rats, and gophers.The only Tytonid owl in Arizona is theCommon Barn Owl. A beautiful birdwith lots of white feathers with greyand amber splashes on the back andpoppy-seed dots decorating its bodyand wings, the Barn Owl is one of thepremier mousers on the planet.Ornithologist, Paul Johnsgard, esti-mated that one Barn Owl might eat11,000 mice in a 10-year life span.They are strictly nocturnal and canhave as many as six babies in a clutch.The largest owl in Arizona is also thestrongest and longest-lived owl inNorth America. The Great HornedOwl is found in almost every habitat,from the Arctic Circle to theCaribbean. Mainly crepuscular, theGreat Horned Owl is sometimescalled “The Tiger of the Sky” and cankill prey as large as a raccoon or a badger.Over the past 28 years, we have seennearly all of these owls come toLiberty Wildlife for medical care andrehabilitation at one time or another.Understanding these birds can help uslearn to live with this fascinating andbeneficial family of birds in whosebackyard we have chosen to live.

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The day always starts early, but with opti-mism we go out to meet the crew. It isspring, and another nest has been spottedon a power pole. This time it is a Red-tailed Hawk nest. When we get to the site,we watch the pair closely. They appear tobe feeding their babies in the nest. Birdsare amazing parents. The only problem isthat in this case they built their nest on top

of a transformer. The adjacent pole is saferand is a perfect place for a nest platform.The crew goes to work attaching the plat-form and then moves over to the nest. Theparents retreat to a safe position where theycan watch the action and voice their opposi-tion. Slowly the babies are removed andbrought down to us. We feed the babiesand give them fluids if necessary. Next the crew moves the nest to the new nestplatform. The parents are still circling,often screaming at us. Once the nest issecured, the crew places the babies back inthe nest. Then it's a mad dash to clear outand wait. We wait and watch. The parentshear their babies, but the nest is in a differentplace. They are cautious, but slowly theymake their way over to the nest. Success!We have managed to save the entire nestfrom electrical harm, and we have kept thefamily together. We always hope that theparents will return to the nest, but had theynot returned, we would have retrieved thebabies and raised them at Liberty Wildlife. “We” are the R&C Department, and “thecrew” is usually an APS or SRP crew. Youmight be wondering what the R&C depart-

ment is. The term is tossed around LibertyWildlife quite often, however most peopleare unclear who or what it means. R&C isLiberty Wildlife's Research andConservation Department. This smalldepartment is made up of several biologistswho are available to assist wildlife whenconflict between nature and humans happens. We work with utility companies,construction companies, environmentalconsultants, and state agencies. We do nestrelocations, we create artificial habitats forwildlife such as Burrowing Owls, and weconduct field investigations to determinethe cause of injury or death, just to name a few.We work very closely with APS and SRP.Both companies have an Avian ProtectionPlan that manages the coexistence of powerfacilities and wildlife. The programs are inplace to benefit all birds, but an emphasis is placed on raptors such as hawks, owlsand other large birds. This is because theirwingspans are large, and they encountermore problems with power lines. Both APSand SRP have worked hard to developdevices that help protect birds from electricshock. These devices include insulatedwires, plastic caps called raptor guards fortransformers, bushings and lightningarresters. They also have T-Perches thatthey place on poles. Since most birds liketo land on the highest possible point, theseperches provide a safe place to land.Perhaps the most unique device that thetwo companies have created is the nestplatform mentioned in the above story.Birds tend to build their nests in highplaces, and unfortunately this often ends up being a utility pole. They unknowinglybuild their nests on transformers, capacitorbanks, and other dangerous places. Thenest platforms can usually be attached to a nearby pole in a safer location, and thenests can be relocated to the platforms.The R&C Department is dedicated toresponding to any challenge pertaining tonative wildlife. Our goal is to develop andmaintain a successful cohabitation betweenour ever expanding urban landscape andthe wildlife that lived here long before us.

What is R&C, anyway?by Nina Grimaldi

1 7

Nest relocation

“Our goal is to develop and maintain

a successful cohabitation between

our ever expandingurban landscape and the wildlife that lived here long before us.”

Creation of Burrowing Owl habitat

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1 8

L I B E R T Y W I L D L I F E C A T A L O G

g G - Golden Eagle SweatshirtHanes Crew Neck 50% Cotton 50% Poly 7.8 oz in Deep Red$20 - Adult Sizes S, M, L, XL$22 - Adult Size XXL

g M - Great Horned Owl Tote Bag for your green shopping. Black canvas with gorgeous imageand Liberty Wildlife name and logo.Made in the USA$15

g A - Sandhill Crane Tee Gildan 100% Cotton in NavyAdult Sizes S, M, L, XL, XXL$14

g C - Sandhill Crane Long SleeveMen’s Tee Hanes Tagless 6.1 oz Preshrunk 100% Cotton in White$18 - Men’s Sizes S, M, L, XL$20 - Men’s Size XXL

g B - Frankie Blue Eyes TeeGildan 100% Ultra Cotton in Slate BlueAdult Sizes S, M, L, XL, XXL$14

g E - Golden Eagle TeeGildan 100% Ring-Spun CottonSoftstyle Preshrunk Jersey Knit Color - Sand$18 - Adult Sizes S, M, L, XL$20 - Adult Size XXL

g F - Eagle X-ray TeeGildan 100% Cotton in BlackAdult Sizes S, M, L, XL, XXL$14

g I, J - Baseball Cap With big brim and embroideredlogoI - Desert Sand (shown), J - Khaki$15

g H - Kid’s Quail TeeGildan 100% Preshrunk Cotton6.1 oz in TurquoiseYouth sizes S, M, L$12

g K, L - Visor Comfortable cotton visor withembroidered logo - AdjustableK - Desert Sand, L - Blue (shown)$15

g D - Sandhill Crane Long SleeveWomen’s Tee (not shown)Bella Baby Rib Knit, Contour Fit Preshrunk 100% Combed Ring-Spun Cotton in White$20 - Women’s Sizes S, M, L

Page 19: Wing - Liberty Wildlife€¦ · human/wildlife interactions. Clearly, education was going to be a large part of the solution. The education team at Liberty Wildlife came along a couple

Item # Item Description Size Qty Price Per Item Total

g N - Liberty Wildlife Charity CharmThis beautiful sterling silver charm ofthe Liberty Wildlife logo comes withblack cording for necklaces or clipson charm bracelets. Gift boxed for$50.

BILL TO:Name

Company

Address

City State Zip

Phone

SHIPPINGItem Total: Shipping Price:$0-25 $3$26-45 $5$46-65 $6$66-85 $7$86-105 $8$106+ $9Charms only $3

Subtotal $

Shipping $

TOTAL$

PAYMENT:o

Check (make checks payable to Liberty Wildlife) Check #

o

Credit Cardo

Visa o

Mastercard o

American ExpressCard # Exp. DateName on CardSignature

1 9

Sponsor a Liberty Wildlife education animal through our AWE Program. Youreceive a tour of the facility and get to meet your animal, as well as receive abeautiful full color book full of photos and facts on that animal and its species.

Sponsorships are offered for most education animals at varying levels of support. Visit www.libertywildlife.org and click on the “How Can I Help” link for more information.

Orders can be mailed or faxed to Liberty Wildlife,or visit our secure online store at www.libertywildlife.net.

Mail to: Fax to:Liberty Wildlife (480) 998-0230P.O. Box 14345Scottsdale, AZ 85267

SHIP TO:Name

Company

Address

City State Zip

Phone

Page 20: Wing - Liberty Wildlife€¦ · human/wildlife interactions. Clearly, education was going to be a large part of the solution. The education team at Liberty Wildlife came along a couple

My membership $____________

Gift membership $____________

Total enclosed $____________

My MembershipName_______________________________Company___________________________Address_____________________________City___________State_____Zip_________Phone______________________________Email______________________________

q

Contact me about volunteering

Gift MembershipName_______________________________Company___________________________Address_____________________________City__________State_____Zip__________Phone______________________________Email_______________________________

Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDPhoenix, AZ

Permit No. 4895

Liberty Wildlife Rehabilitation FoundationP.O. Box 14345Scottsdale, AZ 85267Wildlife Hotline (480) 998-5550Visit us online at www.libertywildlife.org

Printed on recycled paper

Printing courtesy of

Did you receive more than one copy of WingBeats?Help us to conserve by letting us know!

Join or renew!It is with your help that LibertyWildlife has furthered wildlife conservation through quality rehabilitation, education, and consultation services. Because ofyour support and your interest in aiding wildlife, we hope that we cancount on you to help us continuethese programs.

Maybe it’s a good time to add a giftmembership for a friend - or mayberaise your own membership level.

Fledgling level members will receivethe WingBeats newsletter electronically.Naturalists and above will receive apaper copy of WingBeats unlessrequested otherwise.

Cut along the dotted line and mailwith check to: P.O. Box 14345

Scottsdale, AZ 85267

Annual Membership q

$25 FledglingSupports the orphan care program

q

$50 NaturalistProvides funding for a school or youth education program

q

$100 GuardianProvides funding to support the activities of the Wildlife Guardians

q

$250 RehabilitatorProvides funding for medical supplies for wildlife in our care

q

$500 ConservationistProvides funding for majorequipment such as brooders

q

$1,000 Lifetime SponsorProvides funding for technologyto aid medical services andeducation programming

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