Summer 2017

SUMMER 2017

National Geographic Photographer Joe Sartore Visits SWCC

From the Founder

Wild in Your Yard

Learning a New Language

by Niki Julien

© Photo by Joe Sartore

ABOUT US

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outhwest Wildlife rescues and rehabilitates wildlife that has been injured, displaced, and orphaned. Once rehabilitated, they are returned to the wild. Wildlife education includes advice on living with wildlife and the importance of native wildlife to maintain a healthy ecosystem. Education and humane scientific research opportunities are offered in the field of conservation medicine.

Sanctuary is provided to animals that cannot be released back to the wild.

Board of Directors Anne Ruddy — Chair Linda Moore — Assistant Director Mike Wilson Michael Sapp Dr. Mark Finke Ann Siner

SWCC Staff Linda Searles — Director Linda Moore — Assistant Director Kim Carr — Animal Care Director James O’Brien — Veterinary Tech Lynne Cataldo — Animal Care Specialist Niki Julien — Education Director

Contents From the Founder page 3 Learning a New Language page 4 Wild in Your Yard page 5 Why We Do What We Do page 7 Joe Sartore: A Rare Gentleman Page 8 Other Ways to Help the SWCC Page 11

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Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center

FROM THE FOUNDER

Dear Friends of Southwest Wildlife,

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ummer is always challenging for us, but the record heat we have recently experienced has especially intensified the demands on our volunteers and staff. Our main focus is to keep the animals cool and healthy. Therefore, in addition to the usual animal keeping tasks, a typical summer day at SWCC includes cooler repairs, replacing old shade screens, distributing ice blocks, fixing misters, and implementing animal welfare checks.

The vet hospital remains busy as orphans continue to arrive, which means there is a lot of formula making, laundry, and cleaning to be done. In additional to all the orphan-related work, there are the arrivals of injured animals and the performance of subsequent veterinary procedures.

On the wildlife education front, we recently welcomed Nikki Julien as our new Education Director.

Nikki has been doing a fantastic job recruiting and training new docents and creating new wildlife programs, so stay tuned for our fall programs.

We foresee lots of fun and exciting special events!

In this issue, we are touching on the topic of Living With Wildlife in hopes of educating people on how to co-exist with their wild neighbors. We hope to dispel the many myths and old-wives’ tales in favor of accurate information.

Many of the animals that come to SWCC were removed from their habitat, injured, displaced, or orphaned because people had inaccurate information. When we have the opportunity to educate

people, they are more likely to take actions that will resolve the conflict in a manner that benefits all. This means that, when possible, the wild animals remain in their natural habitat while the homeowners are at peace with their presence and able to enjoy them.

As always, we thank all of our dedicated volunteers, docents, staff, and especially our donors. Without each and every one of you, we could not provide life-saving services for our wildlife. Wildlife rehab takes a village, with each of us doing our part to make it all come together.

Thank you,

Linda Searles

Bobcats enjoying an ice bath

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Learning a New Language

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am an interpreter. I came to Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center to learn a new language.

For over 20 years I have interpreted plants at gardens and on nature trails—I spoke for the trees. I learned the names and ranges and habits of ponderosa pines and prickly pear. I have educated adults and kids on the secrets of sustaining saguaro, how to concoct creosote salve, and planting for pollinators. Plants, the ecosystems they built, were my subject matter, my content discipline, the object of study. But this is content.

What I really learned from learning about plants was learning about people. People have their misconceptions and their passions, their knowledge and their notions. And in planting a garden or in protecting a mesquite bosque, those who interpret the land can open the door for people to not just learn about it, but to care about Niki with one of the SWCC education bobcats, Catalina it. And this is where the skills of being an interpreter come in to play.

I took my skills of interpretation--my fluency in speaking for the trees--and applied it to the job of speaking for a different natural resource--wildlife. I am learning bobcat aloofness, the tortoise head bob dance, the beak clack of Great Horned Owl and translating it into words that humans can understand. As John Muir, the famous Scottish naturalist wrote, “I’ll interpret the rocks, learn the language of flood, storm and the avalanche.

I’ll acquaint myself with the glaciers and wild gardens, and get as near the heart of the world as I can.”

Like Muir, here at SWCC we also share our love of nature heart to heart with guests. Interpreters balance the scales of providing information in an entertaining way. Our tour guides introduce guests to the faces they see before them in a way that connects their lives to the lives of the wildlife. Leo’s face is not simply the pink nose and a distinctive pattern of spots. Nor is it the admissions by guests that his piercing eyes make him seem suave and handsome.

Hearing Leo’s story, we feel pity for his past but we are inspired too— that happy endings can happen to us all—human and animals alike.

These are the stories that show through the faces at SWCC, this is the language that connects us all.

Niki feeding Leo the leopard

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Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center

© Photo by Niki Julien

© Photo by Niki Julien

BY NIKI JULIEN, DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION

The Wild in Your Yard

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s humans continue to build homes near wild areas, human-wildlife encounters are almost certain to continue to increase. Part of Southwest Wildlife’s mission is to provide wildlife education, as this is the best way to mitigate the potentially negative impacts of such encounters on humans, their pets, and our wildlife. With adequate education, we can successfully co-exist with wildlife.

What attracts wildlife?

Wild animals are attracted by food, water, and/or shelter. Food may include birds, rodents (mice, rats, and rabbits), small unattended pets, and poultry or other domestic birds, as well as pet food.

Birdfeeders attract birds, but they also attract other wildlife such as squirrels, rodents, and other small prey animals. All of these, in turn, attract predators. Seed dropped from bird feeders or quail blocks, in addition to seed pods dropped from trees, will attract javelina to your yard. Water in pools, birdbaths, fountains, and pets’ water dishes is also an attractant.

Rooftops, attics, the area beneath decks, and any other small space, including thick brush, can make an attractive shelter. Unattended yards offer places where animals can bask in the sun in the winter or hang out in the shade during the summer.

Javelina killed by rodenticide

he sees each year that were accidently poisoned by their owners.

In addition, poisons such as rodenticides (rat poisons) do not break down in the bodies of the animals that originally ingested them. They continue to kill as they enter the food chain. For example,

if your cat were to catch a mouse that had been exposed to rodenticide, your cat would be poisoned as well.

Also, please be aware that glue traps and fly strips don’t just kill insects. They also kill snakes, lizards, Gila monsters, birds, and small mammals.

Unintended Consequences A veterinarian once said that what most people do not understand is that if a package has a picture of a mouse on it, that doesn’t mean the contents will kill only mice—it will kill everything. He went on to tell me how many pets

Lizard caught on a glue trap intended to catch insects

Continued

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Box traps Box traps may be a more humane way to remove wild animals from your yard, as the trapped animals can be relocated. However, unless you have the background to properly relocate these animals, they will have a very low chance of survival.

In addition, box traps frequently create orphans when adults are trapped and removed because the homeowners are unaware that they have young that depend on them for survival. Instead, please contact SWCC for help in mitigating wildlife conflicts without having to remove the animal or for professional assistance if removal becomes absolutely necessary.

Preventing Conflicts The best ways to prevent human-wildlife conflicts are to remove attractants from your yard and/or to prevent access to it: • Don’t leave uneaten pet food out; when your pet has finished eating, remove it • Don’t leave small pets unattended or tether pets • Contain garbage • Remove low, thick brush from around your property • Remove fruit, seed pods, or nuts that have fallen from trees and/or cactus • Install motion-sensing lighting around your home • Consider exclusion: use fencing and/or other means to keep wildlife out (visit coyoteproject. org and coyoteroller.com)

The Director's dog Hatch visiting with resident mountain lion Tocho. Note the small mesh hardware cloth attached to the chain link fencing to help keep rattlesnakes out of the mountain lion enclosure.

The most important way to prevent conflicts is to never feed wildlife, as a fed animal is a dead animal. Animals that are fed will lose their natural fear of humans and associate humans with food.

It is in the best interest of wildlife for them to retain their natural fear, so they won’t approach humans or become problem animals.

It is illegal to feed wildlife in Maricopa and Pima counties in Arizona. Birds and tree squirrels are exempt from this prohibition, but feeding these animals can attract larger predators that may, in turn, become problems.

SWCC as a Resource SWCC can help you learn about how wonderful our wildlife

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is and how to live with our wild neighbors. Keep your camera and binoculars close, so you can enjoy the wonders and magic of nature.

Please feel free to call or email us with questions about how to live with wildlife.

Keep in mind that most all human-wildlife conflicts we see have at least one of these two things in common: the wildlife have been fed by humans and subsequently become dependent or there is a dog involved, as it often triggers a natural defensive reaction from the wild animal as it may see the dog as a predator. In our next issue, we will address how to reduce conflicts between your pet and wildlife.

Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center

Why We Do What We Do SAVING OUR WILDLIFE ONE LIFE AT A TIME

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JOEL SARTORE – A RARE GENTLEMAN

BY KRIS WHEATON

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he squealing began when an email to SWCC popped up in late February. The subject line read: “Potential National Geographic Photo Ark photo shoot.” Joel Sartore, perhaps the best-known wildlife photographer on the planet, was in Arizona, and there was “a gap in Joel’s schedule… in 3 days.” “If this would be a good fit,” he might want to come out to photograph some animals. More squealing followed!

Kim Carr and I met Joel Sartore last year when he spoke at the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (NWRA) gathering. We were already big fans and had cyber-stalked him for a few years, following the progress of the Photo Ark. Associated with National Geographic, the Photo Ark is Joel Sartore’s one-of-a-kind photographic journey to “document species before they disappear – and to get people to care while there’s still time.”

Now, here he was – in Arizona!

And here we were – squealing!

Kim’s response to his assistant, Rebecca Wright, was prompt.

“Just to receive an email from you

is exciting… even if Joel doesn’t actually come out to our center… we love, love Joel’s work and have his books and know all about the Photo Ark.” Prompt, but maybe not quite calm and collected!

Nevertheless, her charming response did the trick. In two days

Joel Sartore would arrive and there was a lot of work to do to get ready!

Since I couldn’t be there for the afternoon he arrived, I had to hear all about it later that evening.

What I recall most was Kim telling me she felt like she’d known “Joel” all her life. He was just so normal – polite and considerate. I could hardly wait!

When I arrived early the next day, Joel Sartore was in the neonatal room in the clinic. With a huge grin, I walked in. There sat the acclaimed photographer with wet hair, a laptop perched on the small counter, answering emails. I introduced myself. He smiled and responded, “Oh, I’m glad you’re here.

Kim said I should ask you.” Oh my gosh! Me? Ask me?! What could I share with him?

“Do you have an adjustable wrench?” he said. “Actually, two adjustable wrenches.” What?!

Hold on. This was not the conversation I had pictured.

Reading the puzzled look on my face, he clarified.

The hot and cold water was reversed on the neonatal sink. It wouldn’t take a minute to fix it if I could just find him those wrenches.

It turned out that, along with being a world-famous National Geographic photographer, Joel was a guy who could wash up in a sink, call granola and tap water breakfast, recycle everything, and spend the night in a horse trailer Continued

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Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center

© Photo by Joe Sartore

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with mice in the walls – gratefully declaring it a better sleeping experience than many he’d had in the past.

No, this was not what I expected! Nor was the long, rewarding day that followed. Joel Sartore was an engaging portrait of humility and hard work. Surprisingly hard work! Over the next nearly 12 hours, it took at least two (and sometimes three or four!) of us, to keep up with him.

For the Photo Ark, Joel is capturing on film as many species as possible. Against a clean background of black or white, the animal stands out, without distraction. Each portrait invites the viewer’s attention and thought.

The photographs are beautiful and simple, but, they are not simple to create.

With Joel’s polite guidance, we modified the indoor/outdoor runs in the barn. These runs are made up of concrete blocks and chain link and normally house injured animals or smelly young javelina. With the addition of black wall panels and floor mats (later replaced by white ones), the space was transformed into a photo studio. Strobes were placed above and at the front of the enclosure and a small piece was cut out of the chain link gate near the ground to allow camera access. To photograph the animal at their eye level required Joel to lie on the concrete with his camera aimed through the opening. He declared it perfect!

We were very proud.

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We also set up a tiny room in the barn where videos could be taken of some smaller animals.

Picture three people in a 4 by 8 ft. space with lights, cameras, and a table upon which sat a fox in a box.

Very exciting, especially when that fox was Frank, who is a lightning fast escape artist!

With the animals calmly cooperating (even fox Frank!) and the set ups going smoothly, there was no break. For as long as the spell held and the photos flowed, we worked. One after another, a skunk, foxes, several javelina, then a bobcat, and even a porcupine posed for their portrait. The spell was finally broken when Sangria, a small coyote with a big attitude, debuted for her portrait session. She was determined to eat Joel’s camera lens, and nothing would deter her! I think we were all grateful to that coyote! It was finally time for a break – and food!

We were quickly back to work setting up with white backgrounds. Another 4 hours or more rolled by and only one animal was left to photograph – a mule deer buck. The setting sun called an end to that photo session. It was too dark to finish.

Why does Joel Sartore work so hard? He is a man with a passion – he is “saving species through the power of photography.” “I want people to care, to fall in love, and to take action,” he says.

Joel is a rare gentleman, and now that he’s part of our wild family, he’s welcome to come out and plumb, or take photos, anytime he’s in town!

To learn more about Joel Sartore, the Photo Ark, and his latest project Rare: Creatures of the Photo Ark, a new PBS series, visit these sites: Follow the Joel and the Photo Ark on Facebook and Instagram https://www.facebook.com/thephotoark/?fref=ts) and https://www. instagram.com/joelsartore/ Go behind the scenes of the Photo Ark - http://www.pbs.org/ wgbh/rare/ and watch Joel in action in the upcoming PBS series RARE: Creatures of the Photo Ark, which premiered July 18 at 9/8C. Join Joel as he travels to Madagascar, China, Spain, Cameroon, and New Zealand in search of the world’s rarest creatures to photograph for the Photo Ark. The journey is tough, but the chance to add species on the brink of extinction to the Ark makes it all worth it.

Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center

Other Ways to Help SWCC Amazon Smile…

SWCC Wish List

It is easy! All you have to do is go to Amazon Smile when you are purchasing from Amazon and search for Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center. Amazon will make a donation to SWCC based on the amount of your purchases.

Visit our web site and see what we need on our wish list. Then visit Amazon Smile and donate them to SWCC!

Adopt an animal Visit our web site and adopt an animal as an alternative gift .

Become a Wild Family member Become a part of our Wild Family monthly giving program and support Southwest Wildlife’s mission to Save Our Wildlife, One Life at a Time! When you sign up to join our Wild Family with a monthly gift, you’re providing a consistent, reliable stream of income that we can count on – like family – to always be there when an animal needs help. Visit our website to learn more: www.southwestwildlife.org/donate/ wildfamily/

Scout projects

My Sisters Closet When redecorating or cleaning out your closet or attic, take your highend items to My Sisters Closet or My Sisters Attic. Request that SWCC benefits when the items are sold!

Other Ways to Donate • Stock donations • Planned Giving • Land donations • Create a legacy through endowments or memorials

It’s a privilege for us to work with Boy Scouts wishing to complete projects to fulfill their Eagle Scout requirements. These projects are a huge benefit for both Southwest Wildlife and the Scouts. For more information, contact us at: scouts@southwestwildlife.org.

THANK YOU! Thanks to the My Sister's Charities for putting on Dinner with Wolves Thanks to For Those Without a Voice and an anonymous donor for a new truck Thanks to Chris Hock of North Valley Pump and his buddy Roger for a 2000 gallon water tank

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