Injured Wildlife

For the umpteenth time in 14 years, I came across yet another turtle attempting to cross a road. I was driving on Ashburn Village Blvd. when I spotted a large turtle heading in the direction of the ball field. I pulled over to coax her off the road and onto the grassy embankment. I have no idea where the body of water is in that area…

As I approached her I realized she was a snapping turtle, generally regarded as an invasive species for their indiscriminate appetites. It became obvious she was recently, if not a moment before, hit by a car as blood was just starting to pool. The injuries were horrific. I thought she was dead but as soon as I lifted her, she turned her head toward me.

I immediately contacted the Wildlife Center, but as usual, my call rolled into voicemail. My past experience told me it could be days before anyone returned my call as the phones are typically monitored by volunteers.

I then called The LifeCenter’s Critical Care unit in Leesburg. They are a partner practice to TLC and located within the same building. They will accept small injured wildlife, including birds. If the injured animal has a good chance to survive, TLC will stabilize the animal then turn it over to an experienced and licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Unfortunately, this turtle was too badly injured and suffering so they chose to euthanize her. She weighed close to 30 pounds.

TLC
Animal Critical Care
165 Fort Evans Road, NE
Leesburg, VA 20176

703-777-5755
www.tlcvets.com/emergency

So, if you ever find yourself with a similar injured animal situation and you want to help – first and foremost, make sure it is safe to handle and move. An injured animal in pain will strike blindly if able. Always put your safety first.

 

Thanks for the info and for rescuing the turtle.....

 

I just want folks to know they have an option when they come upon an injured animal. Not everyone stops to remove an animal from the road but if you do and you find the animal is still alive, even if it's a bird with a broken wing, you can help. But injured animals can be dangerous, so take precautions and use the proper tools to transport it.

Baby Opossums Cling to Lifeless Mom​

This woman was late to work — and her bosses couldn't be happier she was.

A staff member at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center at the Wisconsin Humane Society was driving to work when she noticed something unusual by the side of the road. Pulling over, she found a deceased opossum.

Fortunately, the staff member knew to check the opossum's pouch. Even if opossum moms die, their babies can still be alive; too often, opossums are hit by cars and their babies are left for dead while still alive and tucked into mom.



Sure enough, mom wasn't alone. The worker carefully lifted mom's body, babies and all, and placed her into a cage. She then prepared to leave.

But she was stopped just in time. "Before she left, Crystal heard the signature sound of a baby opossum in distress — it's a sneezing-barky-cough sound — next to her car. "Two babies had been separated from the mom, and cold and scared, they crawled off of her. One was on the curb, and there was a second one in the grass next to the road."



Saved in the nick of time by their lucky squeaks, the little opossums were scooped up and placed in the transport cage with their mom and siblings. Heartbreakingly, they ran right back over to their dead mom and crawled back inside her pouch.

When the unusual party arrived at the center, rescuers gently removed the babies. They were "cold, scared, dirty and wet," the center wrote, and two had already died, but five more were hanging on.

The center quickly bathed and fed them, and tucked them into a makeshift pouch. While it's a far cry from being with mom, these cute little babies now have a bright future, thanks to the work of a kind stranger.

Read more here https://www.thedodo.com/woman-saves-baby-opossums-1202643475.html

Additional information regarding opossum rescue http://www.opossum.org/orphans.htm