Mark and Aneth McCarthy with Snowball, an albino Burmese python.
Protecting Exotic Species Is All In A Day’s Work At
McCarthy’s Wildlife Sanctuary
Story and Photos by Callie Sharkey
With a focus on the rescue, rehabilitation and release of wild animals, McCarthy’s Wildlife Sanctuary is a nonprofit that melds all facets of this important mission. The eightacre facility started out as a small, private space for Mark McCarthy and his exotic animal collection.
“At the time, in 1990, there were very few houses,” McCarthy said. “I talked to the neighbors beforehand, and they are my best ally. They never complain — and it gets loud here sometimes.”
The noise level isn’t due to loud music, but the sounds of exotic wildlife ranging from lions to lemurs. The sanctuary is a permanent home for more than 150 animals, in addition to a wide
array of temporary creatures there receiving treatment for injuries before heading back into the wild. While McCarthy’s Wildlife Sanctuary works with many species, the rescue, rehabilitation and release process is for native animals only. Every year, the facility handles countless squirrels and birds, but this past season proved to have some surprises in store. “We received an otter who was completely nonresponsive,” Office Manager
Larry the Nile crocodile was illegally raised in someone’s bathtub before finding a new home at McCarthy’s.
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september 2019 | wellington the magazine