Raccoon Release a Success!
Here are photos from our latest raccoon release!
These four raccoons were brought to us in April from about two hours west of us here in Hays, Kansas. Their mother was found dead.
Once they arrived, they were bottle fed every couple of hours for about three weeks. They were a full-time job, but they made very sweet noises and were as cute as can be. They were handled with care, though, because raccoons can carry disease
s that are transmitted to humans.
Gradually, they were weaned to solid food, then introduced to native food. They grew from the size of a small hand to the size of a cat very quickly. We took care to avoid handling them as often as possible because we did not want them to be accustomed to humans. We did not want them to learn to be dependent on us.
After a few weeks, we took them out of their pen to explore and learn to climb in one of our outdoor pens. They "found" eggs donated by our chickens for the occasion, and explored the outdoors with their natural curiosity.
As they got older, it was clear their natural instincts to be wild were developing. They avoided human contact and had learned to climb and find their own food.
On release day, we put the juvenile raccoons in a carrier and drove them to an isolated area near a stream. Here, they will catch and eat crawfish and frogs, among other natural foods. It is important for us to choose release sites near water and away from homes.
The raccoons emerged from the carrier with curiosity, and eagerly forged a path through tall grass to
begin their new life.
It's always exciting to release wild animals into the wild who would otherwise have not had a chance at life. Each of these animals plays a vital part in our ecosystem.
We're fortunate that we have the volunteers, donors and support to make it happen. To care for these four raccoons took the dedication of volunteers, but it also cost about $300 for all of their care. That's a small price to pay to make a difference! We appreciate your donations!
Once they arrived, they were bottle fed every couple of hours for about three weeks. They were a full-time job, but they made very sweet noises and were as cute as can be. They were handled with care, though, because raccoons can carry disease
s that are transmitted to humans.Gradually, they were weaned to solid food, then introduced to native food. They grew from the size of a small hand to the size of a cat very quickly. We took care to avoid handling them as often as possible because we did not want them to be accustomed to humans. We did not want them to learn to be dependent on us.
As they got older, it was clear their natural instincts to be wild were developing. They avoided human contact and had learned to climb and find their own food.
The raccoons emerged from the carrier with curiosity, and eagerly forged a path through tall grass to
It's always exciting to release wild animals into the wild who would otherwise have not had a chance at life. Each of these animals plays a vital part in our ecosystem.
We're fortunate that we have the volunteers, donors and support to make it happen. To care for these four raccoons took the dedication of volunteers, but it also cost about $300 for all of their care. That's a small price to pay to make a difference! We appreciate your donations!
Posted by Jessica Braun at 6/17/2009 1:42 AM 
Categories: Animal Rescue,Western Plains Animal Refuge,Wild Animal Rehabilitation
Tags: raccoons baby raccoons wild animal care Western Plains Animal Refuge animal rescue animal babies wildlife rescue
Categories: Animal Rescue,Western Plains Animal Refuge,Wild Animal Rehabilitation
Tags: raccoons baby raccoons wild animal care Western Plains Animal Refuge animal rescue animal babies wildlife rescue
I loved your story. I am a huge amimal lover.
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That was inspiring,
Keep up the good work!
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