Other Feature Stories

Black Magic

A rare black phase of the Eastern gray squirrel was admitted for care last fall. He was raised with two normal gray squirrels, but we had to locate a release area inhabited by black squirrels in" order to provide the best opportunity for his survival. To date, all black and all white phase squirrels admitted for care at our facility have come from Osceola County, Florida.
After our last newsletter was mailed, we heard from Debbie Ticknor, who had turned in the white phase orphaned squirrel, Frosty, two years ago. When Frosty was ready for release in February, 2007, Ron drove to the Ticknor residence with Frosty inside her wooden, hand-made bed box, climbed up an extension ladder, and hung the box in
a sturdy oak tree. At the time, five other white squirrels had been observed in the neighborhood. To this day, Frosty remains on the property where she has prospered. Debbie Ticknor informed us that she sees the rare black squirrels in her neighborhood as well, so that was the piece of information needed to secure a relatively safe release spot for Black Magic. As this newsletter goes to print, we are in the process of arranging for the release of beautiful "Black Magic".

Funny Business

Several years ago, in order to release one evening, Ron and I grabbed up four striped skunks which were raised at the Center having been orphaned as babies. I always insist on administering booster vaccinations as well as ivermectin prior to final release, knowing full well that we will inevitably be the recipients of skunky weapons of mass destruction. I always advise Ron to don clothing that he is willing to throw out after the preordained assault. Even though we man aged to evade a direct hit when catching the grumpy skunks and giving them shots, the mist from the skunk
volleys settled on us and our clothing. None-the-Iess, we loaded our charges and took them to the property where we had permission to release. The skunks ran into the woods with one emitting a final shot of indignant rage which landed on the carrier but missed us. As we wearily climbed back into the van reeking of skunk musk, I remembered that we desperately needed ice for a volunteer party the following day. Ron offered to go into the local grocery store to purchase the bags of ice. So he gallantly went in to run the errand while I sat outside on the tailgate of the van. In a few minutes, Ron came out with the purchased bags of ice, and I asked how it went. "OK, I guess. The guy in line in front of me said to the cashier, "Lady, you've got a skunk loose in here." I raised my hand and said, "It's me."

Many years ago, when Ron and I were able to take vacations (prior to 1994), we were merrily making our way through the state of Montana from Glacier National Park to Yellowstone. We had a cheap Styrofoam cooler packed with ice, sodas, and sandwich fixings on the back seat of the little rental car, which we had leased from a company called "Rent A Wreck". Ron was behind the wheel while I sat in the passenger seat enjoying the scenery on the two-lane highway. Suddenly, not far ahead, a chubby little prairie dog came waddling out into our lane, quite oblivious as to the impending threat upon his life. I remember yelling to Ron something like, "Oh, Ron, no.", but he was already applying the brakes hard while jerking the steering wheel deftly around the little critter who was now frozen with fright in the middle of
the lane. The cooler on the back seat of the car rocketed forward through the air, hitting our seats, and spewing the icy contents all over us. Soda cans, ice, a jar of mustard, along with fruits, candy bars, and sliced bread sprayed everywhere as though someone had begun a one-sided food fight.

"Would you look at that?!" Ron said to me while laughing, "The little stinker is fussing at us." And sure enough, the prairie dog was jumping up and down angrily on the roadway while barking at us as if to say, "Come on back here, and I'll give you what for."
I told Ron that I was grateful that he had been driving at the time as I was unsure if I would have been able to miss the sassy, little rodent. He sure was spunky.