Kingston hosts wild animals on Saturday

This Saturday afternoon at 2 pm, a free program in Kingston will introduce four “animal ambassadors” from the Mercer County Wildlife Center. All are permanent residents there because for one reason or another, they can’t be released back into the wild.

Shown here from the last such visit, the turkey vulture can’t fly. But s/he provided a fascinating close up look at an animal we usually see in fields or by the side of the road, making a meal of dead animals. (photo by Tari Pantaleo)

A barred owl and two more (alive!) Center residents kept the vulture company. This Saturday, the focus will be on hawk family members.

The event, sponsored by the Kingston Greenways Assn., is open to all and appropriate to all ages. It promises to tell those who attend “more about these species, their interface with our world, and what to do and NOT do should you come upon wildlife in need of help.”

The one-hour presentation will take place at the Mapleton Preserve/D&R Canal State Park, 145 Mapleton Road. For more information, phone 609-750-1821 or see www.kingstongreenways.org.

Information about the county’s Wildlife Center appeared earlier in this blog. A state and federally licensed facility that cares for injured, ill and displaced native wildlife, it is located on Rt. 29 in Hopewell. More information about the Center can be found at this website:
http://nj.gov/counties/mercer/community/wildlife/.
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The ‘call of the wild’ for volunteers

Volunteering at a wildlife center is very different from volunteering at an animal shelter or sanctuary. It's not about cuddling, petting or socializing, but about doing things for and with wild animals while still assuring they stay wild. Then when eventually released, they're still suspicious of humans and don't need them for food or security.

The Mercer County Wildlife Center, on Rt. 29 near Lambertville, has been the subject of a couple blog posts here, most recently late last month/year. Now the center has announced its annual orientation sessions for prospective new volunteers: Sunday, January 30, 10-11 am and Saturday, Feb. 5, 10-11 am, both at the center.

Highlights from the orientation press release follow:

MCWC, which treated 2,300 birds, mammals and reptiles in 2010, is seeking volunteers to care for animals brought to the Hopewell Township facility.

The Center's staff and volunteers care for native wild animals who are injured, ill, or displaced, and provide medical treatment and a temporary refuge to prepare them for release into an appropriate wild habitat. Staffed 365 days a year by one full-time licensed wildlife rehabilitator and two full-time assistants, the center receives more than 11,000 phone calls annually.

To work directly with the animals, volunteers must be at least 18 years old, have had a current tetanus vaccine, and attend either of the two orientation sessions. They must commit to a weekly four-hour shift from April through October (the busiest season). This is necessitated by feeding schedule requirements and housing demands of the animals.

The Wildlife Center is located on Route 29, about three miles south of Lambertville and 12 miles north of Trenton. To register for either orientation session or for more information, phone Jane Rakos-Yates, volunteer coordinator, at 609-883-6606, ext. 103. On the Web: www.mercercounty.org.

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An owl's Christmas story

Twas the night before Christmas . . . and shortly before closing on that dark winter day, staff members at the Mercer County Wildlife Center were presented with a new patient, one needing quick, emergency medical attention.

(follow the link below for the rest of this story – a place worth knowing about)

http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/science-updates/mercer-county-wildlife-center-hospital-for-patients-with-fur-or-feathers
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