Spring Arrivals
by Kevin Mack, PAWS Wildlife Naturalist

It was a long time coming, but spring has finally arrived at the PAWS Wildlife Center. New patients have been arriving daily, and seasonal staff members, new volunteers, veterinary externs and animal care interns have all been brought on board to help meet the ever-increasing demand for care. As the center fills with orphaned baby wild animals and injured adults, we enter our most challenging time of year. In the coming months we will provide for the daily physical, psychological and medical needs of hundreds of animals representing dozens of different species. The following photos show just 10 of the patients we have received in recent days. They should give you an excellent idea of the diversity with which we will be working throughout the summer months.

This Barred Owl arrived at PAWS after being found on the ground in a Seattle park. He required sutures to repair a laceration on his right leg and additional care to heal a soft tissue injury in his left leg. He was returned to his home fully healed after a two-week stay at the wildlife center.

Recent construction in Seattle's Magnuson Park caused the destruction of a Townsend's Mole nest chamber. These burrowing mammals house their young in grass-lined nurseries a foot or more below ground level. One youngster is currently in care at PAWS Wildlife Center.

At PAWS the little mole is fed every 2 hours. Moles are a unique native mammal and they are beneficial to the northwest ecosystem. They are excellent at breaking up and aerating soil which is of great benefit to native plants. Unfortunately, many people dislike moles because the mounds of dirt they push to the surface contrast starkly with the non-native grasses that most of us use to create our lawns.

This young Killdeer fell out of a tree, nearly landing on the head of the person who brought her to PAWS. This was a bit puzzling as Killdeer nest on the ground, and this bird is far too young to fly. It is likely that the bird's finder had unknowingly interrupted a bird of prey that was about to make a meal of the little Killdeer.

This infant Raccoon and three others were removed from an attic by a concerned homeowner. If you are having a conflict with animals denning in your attic or crawlspace, please call PAWS at 425.787.2500 817 before taking any action. There are many options to encourage an animal to relocate that will not result in abandonment of the young.

This photo was taken after the young Raccoon had been in care for two weeks. Note how much thicker his fur has become.

This young, hungry Steller's Jay is currently recovering from a leg injury.

An adult Steller's Jay is also currently in care, recovering from injuries he suffered when he was struck by a car.

PAWS recently received an injured Black Bear. This is the 51st Black bear that the wildlife center has received since 1986.

X-rays of the bear showed that he suffered a fracture and dislocation in his right rear leg during a fall from a tree.

His injuries required surgery, and he will likely need several weeks of cage rest to heal. These photos were taken during the bear's intake exam on Friday, April 25. Here, PAWS Veterinary Technician Jean Leonhardt monitors the bear under anesthesia.

This young Wood Duck was found running around in a panic near I-5. His mother and siblings were nowhere to be found. It is likely he got separated from the flock by traffic as his mother marched her brood to water.

Native Band-tailed Pigeons have young leaving the nest right now. This fledgling ran into a bit of trouble during her early attempts at flight when she ran into an outdoor cat. When she arrived at PAWS she had several lacerations and was missing many of her tail feathers. After a thorough wound cleaning and a round of antibiotics she is healing well.

This young Snowshoe Hare and his sibling were found in a driveway in Redmond. A dog may have disturbed their nest burrow.

This young Bald Eagle was in shock when he was found sitting next to a busy highway off-ramp.

Other than some abrasions on his feet, no serious injuries were detected during the eagle's initial examination. His shock may have been the result of head trauma suffered during a collision with a vehicle. He is responding well to care.

paws.org | Support PAWS | Volunteer | Adopt | Co-exist with Wildlife | Report Animal Cruelty

Please direct questions or comments to info@paws.org. Wild Again and other PAWS services rely on your donations. Please give to PAWS.