ONE VOLUNTEER SPEAKS
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9ht_qXGtcM[/youtube]In another area of this blog, I mention Jack, the little baby hummingbird I found on a cold, late Saturday night in Pershing Square in the heart of downtown Los Angeles.
The people at the http://www.californiawildlifecenter.org/ were kind enough to call me back at midnight, after I had left a plea for them about Jack’s (really my own) plight. They encouraged me to bring Jack to them first thing the next morning so they could complete his rearing, nourish him, and eventually set him free.
I will never forget the kind woman, who after twenty minutes of counseling and direction to its remote location in the hills east of Malibu, advising me gently, “Don’t be too disheartened if the little bird doesn’t make it.”
She was preparing me for the possibility but what she did not know was that as she was telling me, I could hear the feisty little bird “humming” in the tiny camera box that was to his home this night. That hum was the sound of his wings. He’d rise to the top of the box and I’d hear him plop to the bottom when he reached the top sooner than expected in its darkness or perhaps his little wings were just too untrained which is probably how he got himself into this pickle to begin with.
You can read more about him in the blog “Nature.”
This particular blog is not about my experiences with animals but their valiant efforts at saving the wild life that is so endangered even if the species is not. I am quoting from one of the volunteers, who I met as a result of Jack. I must say here that it is a commentary, and definitely my own, that of the six people I met as a result of Jack and his eventual release, FIVE WERE WOMEN. It says something about women and their capacity and ability, and if that’s sexist, let it be and let someone say the same thing about my sex (male) and I would thank them.
Here are two pieces of information along with a link to a video. Please read, keep it in mind, and enjoy the video:
Our hospital is over-flowing with hummingbird, squirrel, and duck babies!!! We are also spending 10 to 12 hour days doing Marine Mammal rescue…so many sick seals and sea lions on the beach…and soooo many dead sea birds! It’s really sad. The algae and bacteria in the water is very bad and we go on 7 to 8 rescues or more each day…
We are so swamped with rescue calls at the beach, we can’t get to all of them…and so many oiled and dead birds…it’s very sad…the sea lions are really taking a hit right now too with algae poisoning…they are anywhere from 100 to 200 lbs. and all of the females are pregnant now…it’s so critical to get to them early, or they and their babies won’t make it…and rescuing animals THAT big is tough…they are so strong and fast…
You might put a little note on your blog for people heading to the beach as it warms up…if they see birds, seals/sea lions or their babies on the beach to give us a call…the Hotline number is: 310-458-9453 or the Wildlife Center at: 818-222-2658. That would be a HUGE help because that’s the only way we find out about them other than calls from the lifeguards…they can always tell a lifeguard too because they all have our number.
We came upon this little Northern Elephant Seal while out on rescues yesterday…during our assessment of him, he made it pretty clear he wanted to get to know me a little better!!! We always try and check to see if the inside of their mouth is pink and with this guy, it wasn’t a problem…Check out this short video of the baby elephant seal…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9ht_qXGtcM
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