April 23, 2008 > Ohlone Humane Society: Be a wildlife detective Ohlone Humane Society: Be a wildlife detective By Angela Hartman When I tell people that I volunteer at the Ohlone Humane Society Wildlife Rehabilitation Center as a wildlife care rehabilitator, I always get the same inquisitive look. "You volunteer doing what?" After I explain what it is I always get the same response; "I had no idea there was such a thing as wildlife rehabilitation." Of course wildlife rehabilitation is not your average everyday subject; it is truly a unique profession. So why would the wildlife in the Tri-Cities need wildlife rehabilitators? Everyday injured and orphaned wildlife come to our hospital for care. When wild animals get sick, injured or orphaned, they need a place to go for medical help; they depend on assistance from wildlife rehabilitators. Wildlife rehabilitators are trained, skilled and licensed people who provide care to sick, injured or orphaned wildlife in need. We have received orphaned ducklings whose mother was killed by a car, a Red Tailed Hawk who has a bullet injury to her wing and a nest full of baby birds that fell from a tree while it was being trimmed. Caring citizens and trained wildlife rehabilitators are the solution to a wild animal's second chance at life. Our reward is when we release a rehabilitated animal back to the environment to live the healthy life they deserve. Every volunteer and caring citizen who walked through our doors in 2007 made an enormous, positive footprint on our planet. About 1,200 wild animals in your community were given that second chance at life. We had an animal release rate in 2007 higher than any pervious year. Some of those animals included owls, squirrels, hawks, raccoons, reptiles, and hundreds of California native birds of all species. 2007 was our most successful year at the wildlife center. We want to share our success. To celebrate, we will have open house on Saturday, April 26, where we open our doors to the public for a behind-the-scenes look at our wildlife hospital. The Ohlone Humane Society Wildlife Rehabilitation Center invites you to.... Be a Wildlife Detective! Open House Event Saturday, April 26 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 37175 Hickory St., Newark Admission is free All ages are welcome. Learn about our local wildlife, take a behind the scenes wildlife hospital tour, listen to Native American story telling, make a bird feeder, discover Owl Puke, or play our wildlife detective game and win a prize. Directions: Take Thornton Avenue and turn onto Hickory Street. Drive straight until you see Door to Door Storage. Look for the yellow OHS sign and follow the road to the wildlife center. Parking is available in the Door to Door Storage parking lot. Parking is limited so please carpool. Got Donations? The items listed are from our wish list: Ceramic Pet Food Bowls Unscented Laundry Soap Unscented Bleach Hardware Store Gift Cards Pet Store Gift Cards New Towels Paper Towels and Toilet Paper Heating Pads Wild Bird Seed Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Latex Gloves Heat Lamps Floor Mops, Dust Pans & Brooms Bottled Spring Water and Canned Soda - For our hard working volunteers For more information, call (510) 797-9449 or email us at ohswildlife@yahoo.com. The Ohlone Humane Society Wildlife Rehabilitation Center is in their 10th year of helping orphaned and injured wildlife in the Tri-Cities.