Those who love their pets tend to enjoy all animals. Our animal owners are no different. Check in on News-Herald staffers Robin Palmer and Cheryl Sadler as they share their own animal tales and announce upcoming events in Lake and Geauga counties.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Operator of wildlife rehabilitation center up for CNN Heroes award
MARGARETTA TOWNSHIP — The operator of a local wildlife rehabilitation center has made it to the top 25 in a nationally recognized contest, CNN Heroes 2013.
Back to the Wild operator, Mona Rutger, was one of 10,000 nominations recognized by the CNN contest honoring “everyday people changing the world.”
The top 10 nominations will be announced in September and will receive $50,000. The winner will be named on Thanksgiving day, landing $250,000 for their cause.
Description from The Associated Press: A zoo near Adelaide, Australia announced the birth of five cheetah cubs on Tuesday. The cubs were born in October 2012 at Monarto Zoo but the announcement was delayed to give the cubs time to grow and settle into their new home. (Jan. 15)
Earlier this week I learned about an animal cause dear to the heart of one of my fellow Twitterers, Jamie Lynn Natole. She told me she found out the wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center Back To The Wild is nearing closing because of a lack of funding, so she created a page on indiegogo to help.
"Many residents in the surrounding areas depends on Back To The Wild for a variety of reasons and it would be a complete shame if she were to have to close doors and re-home all her animals," Natole wrote in an email.
WHO ARE THEY?
BACK TO THE WILD® is a Wildlife Rehabilitation & Nature Education Center located in Castalia, Ohio that is currently receiving over 2,500 injured, orphaned and displaced wild animals each year. Every effort is made to return an animal "back to the wild," however, if the animal is permanently disabled and not releasable, it may be kept for use in educational programs under special Federal and State permits. However, there are no tax moneys or government funds available to assist the center, so our costs and the success of the center are possible thanks to many volunteers, gifts, and donations.
Since 1990, Back to the Wild has rescued more than 40,000 animals, returned more than 26,000 to the wild and have admitted more than 50 bald eagles. The center has educated more than 1 million children and adults since opening its doors 22 years ago.
WHY IS AN ORGANIZATION LIKE BACK TO THE WILD® NEEDED?
Wildlife rehabilitation is a much-needed service in our community, as there are very few licensed centers throughout Ohio. Calls are received daily from frustrated citizens who are relieved to finally find someone who can help in a wildlife crisis. Before reaching this center, they have first contacted local police and fire departments, veterinarians, wildlife agencies, and park districts; only to find that none of these places are equipped to care for an injured wild animal.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY DON'T GET FUNDING?
If Back To The Wild® doesn't receive funding they will be forced to shut down operations. This means not being able to care for any more animals or educate us and our children about these great creatures. This is not an option. Animals need our help more than ever. They don't know how to avoid cars, or what to do if they get hurt. Do you know what to do or who to call when they get hurt? Or when they move into our homes when they can't find their own? That's why we need an organization like Back To The Wild® to help educate, and assist us with our local wildlife.
WHERE WILL THE MONEY GO?
All money donated from this campaign will go directly to help Back To The Wild® and they will use the funds at their discretion.
OTHER WAYS YOU CAN HELP:
There are other ways you can help! Volunteer!
You can also donate straight from their website via Paypal!
Other items that can be donated:
Birdseed
Grain (for ducks and geese - no corn, please)
Dog & Cat food (dry only)
Formula (non-human)
Pine Bedding (no cedar - cedar is toxic to some animals)
Full wishlist can be found here.
_____________________________________________________________________ Personal Note: I remember them have a HUGE impact on us as grade school kids bringing in all they had to educate and teach us to respect and care for animals, nature, and their natural habitats.
I think raising a few hundred dollars is the least I can do to help out this very imporant program in our community.
Natole's campaign ends on Aug. 11, and she's only raised 15 percent of her goal. If you have the means to donate and are looking for a cause to support, check out Natole's fundraising page and consider clicking the pink contribute button.
Animal Crackers: Groundhog eating an ice cream cone
In honor of Groundhog Day tomorrow, here's a groundhog who just loves this ice cream come (but then again, who wouldn't love an ice cream cone?).
-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl
Make your day a little more bearable with a weekly feature on Pets Unleashed: Animal Crackers. Think of it as a mid-week snack that just might crack you up. Send an email or tweet with your suggestions for future Animal Crackers.
A lion's roar isn't so ferocious when he's just an itty bitty baby. Thanks to Danielle Capriato for sharing this with me.
-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl
Make your day a little more bearable with a weekly feature on Pets Unleashed: Animal Crackers. Think of it as a mid-week snack that just might crack you up. Send an email or tweet with your suggestions for future Animal Crackers.
Animal Crackers: Teddy Bear, the talking porcupine, likes pumpkin, too!
I had no idea that porcupines could make noise like this, nor that they were so adorable. Thanks to Danielle Capriato for sending me this guy.
-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl Make your day a little more bearable with a weekly feature on Pets Unleashed: Animal Crackers. Think of it as a mid-week snack that just might crack you up. Send an email or tweet with your suggestions for future Animal Crackers.
Baby animals of any species are adorable, but there is something incredibly precious about these bear cubs that appear to be about the size of a cat. (Found via Super Punch's Video roundup)
Say it with me now: awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!
-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl Make your day a little more bearable with a weekly feature on Pets Unleashed: Animal Crackers. Think of it as a mid-week snack that just might crack you up. Send an email or tweet with your suggestions for future Animal Crackers.
Animal Crackers: Baby wombat takes his first steps
Queensland Parks and Wildlife in Australia recorded this awesome footage of a baby wombat "taking its first, slightly wobbly, steps out of its burrow with its mother." How sweet!
-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl Make your day a little more bearable with a weekly feature on Pets Unleashed: Animal Crackers. Think of it as a mid-week snack that just might crack you up. Send an email or tweet with your suggestions for future Animal Crackers.
I have a feeling that not all lions are this playful or friendly, but this video is pretty cute.
-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl Make your day a little more bearable with a weekly feature on Pets Unleashed: Animal Crackers. Think of it as a mid-week snack that just might crack you up. Send an email or tweet with your suggestions for future Animal Crackers.
This little guy puts on a hat and dances. I don't know why, but I'm glad he's doing it.
-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl Make your day a little more bearable with a weekly feature on Pets Unleashed: Animal Crackers. Think of it as a mid-week snack that just might crack you up. Send an e-mail or tweet with your suggestions for future Animal Crackers.
Photographer David Slater was in a national park in Indonesia and befriended some macaques. After setting up his camera on a tripod, he left for a few moments, and returned to find the macaques taking photos.
I love that the animals seemingly posed for the photos. Did they understand the purpose of the camera?
I went to the zoo over the holiday weekend and shot a few videos to share.
African Elephant Crossing at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo: A look at the female elephants in the five-acre African Elephant Crossing at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Moshi, the most independent of the herd, needed some coaxing to cross from one side to the other. The African Elephant Crossing opened in May.
Baboons look for food at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo: The hamadryas baboons explore their habitat for food at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. The zookeepers hid their food in boxes and bags for them to look through to find the food.
Animals at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo: Take a look at some of the animals you might see at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. This video includes swans and cygnets (baby swans), a joey (baby kangaroo), a tortoise, sulfer crested cockatoos, camels, a zebra, a giraffe, a polar bear and a spectacled bear.
-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl Make your day a little more bearable with a weekly feature on Pets Unleashed: Animal Crackers. Think of it as a mid-week snack that just might crack you up. Send an e-mail or tweet with your suggestions for future Animal Crackers.
Animal Crackers: Ducks blown off their feet by wind
I feel so sad for these ducklings who just can't stand up to such strong wind.
-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl Make your day a little more bearable with a weekly feature on Pets Unleashed: Animal Crackers. Think of it as a mid-week snack that just might crack you up. Send an e-mail or tweet with your suggestions for future Animal Crackers.
Apparently kangaroos like to visit this cemetery in Australia, and someone captured a boxing match on video:
-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl Make your day a little more bearable with a weekly feature on Pets Unleashed: Animal Crackers. Think of it as a mid-week snack that just might crack you up. Send an e-mail or tweet with your suggestions for future Animal Crackers.
Springtime is baby animal time. Say it with me now: Awwwwwwwwww!
-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl Make your day a little more bearable with a weekly feature on Pets Unleashed: Animal Crackers. Think of it as a mid-week snack that just might crack you up. Send an e-mail or tweet with your suggestions for future Animal Crackers.
A man who visits Echo Park in Los Angeles has developed a good friendship with a goose who lives in the park.
I can't embed the video, so you'll have to click here to watch a segment that appeared on the "CBS Evening News" about the man and the goose. It's really sweet, and pretty incredible that a wild animal has gotten so close to a human.
Make your day a little more bearable with a weekly feature on Pets Unleashed: Animal Crackers. Think of it as a mid-week snack that just might crack you up. Send an e-mail or tweet with your suggestions for future Animal Crackers.
Punxsutawney Phil's 125th anniversary and groundhog facts
The winter storm blowing through the United States apparently won't disrupt Punxsutawney's Groundhog Day plans. (My question: What happens if the snow is too thick for Punxsutawney Phil to get out of his hole?)
From The Associated Press:
PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. — A day before Punxsutawney Phil gives his annual Groundhog Day weather forecast, his handlers say the show will go on despite a winter weather warning.
The National Weather Service is calling for as much as seven inches of snow in Punxsutawney, followed by a possible mix of sleet and freezing rain overnight Tuesday into Wednesday morning when Phil "forecasts" either an early spring or six more weeks of winter.
The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club Inner Circle’s spokesman Luke Webber says nothing will prevent Phil from celebrating a milestone since his first appearance in 1887.
Webber says Wednesday "is our 125th anniversary of Punxsutawney Phil, and his fans will come out. The hotels are well-booked."
Several thousand people are expected for the daybreak celebration about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.
If you're interested in tomorrow's winter-weather prediction, you might have some interest in Jeffrey L. Frischkorn's post on the Outdoors blog with some facts about groundhogs. Click through to learn more about our furry, burrowing friends.
Make your day a little more bearable with a weekly feature on Pets Unleashed: Animal Crackers. Think of it as a mid-week snack that just might crack you up.
For the next month, I hope to get everyone in the holiday spirit.
This week, I bring you turkeys, turkeys and more turkeys!
Turkeys gone wild (from National Geographic):
Top 5 favorite things about turkeys, from Discovery Networks:
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