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University Daily Kansan / Thursday, December 5, 1991
Beth Rowlands. Lawrence senior and volunteer at Wildcare, feeds an American Kestrel. The bird would not survive in its natural habitat because of contact with humans.
Wildcare provides refuge for wild animals
Bv Ezra Wolfe
An unknown hunter was blasting federally protected birds out of the sky near Clinton Lake in early October. As a result, eight wounded migrating Franklin Gulls fell near Kevin Maxon's home.
Special to the Kansan
Maxon captured the weak and bleeding birds and brought them to Wildcare, KU's state certified program at Maloal Hall that attempts to heal and then release injured wild animals.
Kim Money, 1990 KU graduate and Wildcare volunteer,
was on duty when the birds arrived. One of the gulls was
examined by a veterinarian who said that it had a broken wing but that it appeared healthy enough to survive.
"It had been bleeding, but the blood had dried and the wing was sticking to its body," Money said.
wildcare will accept almost any kind of wild animal. Last year, about 800 animals were brought in including bats, barn swallows, a woodpecker, all kinds of snakes and turtles, hawks, owls and a bobcat.
The animals at Wildcare are tended to veterinarians, staff members and about 35 volunteers. For space and financing, Wildcare depends on the Animal Care Unit, which keeps animals on campus that are used for research.
Nancy Schwarting, Wildcare director and the only fulltime staff member, said she worked with the volunteers to help save the animals.
Many wild animals brought to Wildcare are killed immediately because they would not survive their injuries.
"A lot of animals have broken bones and with a large budget, we would be able to save them. But we have a sheostring budget," she said.
Wendi Groves/KANSAN
Schwarting said that about 50 percent of the animals brought in either die or are killed, and about 45 percent are released into the wild. A very small percent survive and go to educational programs or zoos.
Richard O. Prum, ornithology curator at the Natural History Museum, identifies a bird as a Hermit Thrush to Michelle Rosen, Wildcare volunteer. The bird was picked up because it was unable to fly.
The sign on the door to the Wildcare animal room explains the feelings and hopes for all the animals that are to be rehabilitated.
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The history of liberty is the history of the limitation of governmental power, not the increase of it. Wilcox
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