| |
“I had a tree cut
down on my property and we found a family of raccoons
that are injured.”
That simple statement hardly prepared the rehabilitator
for what she found – a mother raccoon crawling
beside the downed tree, back legs and tail amputated,
skull and back sliced, yet growling and snapping,
trying to protect her babies. Inside the tree, one
dead baby cut in half and two others badly injured.
Needless suffering. The tree had two very large holes
in the trunk. Had the homeowner or the tree service
taken a few minutes to look inside before cutting
the tree, or before starting the chainsaw, the massacre
could have been avoided.
This is breeding season, and natural cavities are
“prime real estate” for many bird and
mammal species, ideal nurseries. It is also the season
when homeowners “spruce up” their properties,
pruning dead branches and felling old trees. Done
early in the season, we destroy potential nest sites.
Done later, we may destroy whole families.
Dead trees and natural cavities are rare in suburban
communities, and where they exist they are almost
certainly used. Before calling a tree service to fell
or prune a tree, check for holes of any size (the
entrance to a chickadee’s nest cavity is little
more than an inch in diameter). Check also for nests
in the branches. If you find a wildlife nursery and
need information, call a wildlife rehabilitator (www.pawr.com).
They will appreciate your thoughtfulness, and so will
our wild neighbors.
|
|
