And Away We Go!

Lots of changes are happening at Wolf Hollow. We have more interns arriving and more animals as well. Last year, which is the first year I was there for "baby season", we got our first raccoons in around late April. Not having seen any come in, I was beginning to wonder if we were ever GOING to see any. I came in Saturday morning and made just such a comment only to have 2 rehabbers say, exactly at the same time so it kind of sounded like surround sound, "We have in two." These are older than the ones we got in last year and therefore have a bit more personality. Wanting to take pics instead of taking part in the feeding process, I left the feeding of the two up to my friend Michael.

Needless to say, the one that had to wait its turn wasn't too happy and made sure EVERYONE knew it!


Since Sedna is now gone, and I am hoping to be able to post an update on her release very soon, the otters are now in residence during daylight hours in the wet pen. Now, having this HUGE wet pen to themselves, I went out to see the new setup, fully prepared to be mobbed when I walked in. I opened the door and......nothing. I closed the door and.....nothing. I made my way around the pen, wondering where they could have gone off to, as we don't have water in the pool yet. And then I saw them......

They were crashed out in this doghouse. WHEW! Thank goodness they are out in the wet pen and aren't inside the indoor mew for most of the day. I mean, I was beginning to worry that they felt too confined in the indoor mew. And yes, I AM being sarcastic!! Ah, well, they seem content.

A Loon arrived in the early afternoon. We haven't had one in while I have been there and MAN are they a pretty and feisty bird!


But hey, I will take "feisty" over "lethargic" any day when it comes to animals and their behavior during their stay with us. This bird was fine and was released later the same day. One bird who ISN'T feisty is another of my favorites and one that we, again, haven't had in while I have been a volunteer and that is an Osprey.

They aren't sure what's wrong with it except that it can't fly. It could be a broken bone which can only be seen on an x-ray or muscle damage. He was lethargic enough that I could get close enough to him for a head shot without him seeming to upset.

I must admit that getting to work up close and personal with the raptors is one of my favorite things about volunteering at Wolf Hollow.

I got to do something this past Saturday that I have never gotten to do before. I got to give electrolytes to one of our baby seals and then take them out for a swim in the "big seal" pools! This being my first time "tubing" a seal, there are no pics, but here is my "seal swim" pictorial.

First you take out one seal baby to the island in the center of the pool. And yes, that's me in all my grungy glory.

Yep, it's Seaweed! Doesn't he look all grown up without his preemie fur?!

Then you bring out the next seal baby, as one should always have a "swim buddy". Her name is Kelp!

Then you hope they both hop into the pool on their own accord. Seaweed went in right away. We all know how much he loves the water! Not so with our little Kelp girl!

"If she doesn't go in the water in 5 minutes, hop back over and push her in!" Those were my instructions and it was something I REALLY didn't want to have to do. So we all stood there trying to "will" her into the water. But she had to check it out first.

After finding out that yes, she could indeed blow bubbles in the water, she made her way into the pool without my help!

Getting them back out went exactly how you would expect. Kelp practically threw herself in my arms and Seaweed took FOREVER to get ahold of. He was NOT happy about his swim time being cut short!

Well, that's all for now. I am going to post some pics mid-week of one of my favorite places here on the island......South Beach! Til next time....