‘Does my heart good’: A peek into wildlife rehabilitation in Southern Utah (2024)

ST. GEORGE — From hatchling owls to escaped minks, Southern Utah’s wildlife rehabilitators often don’t know what to expect each day when they clock into work.

Astrea’s coat is a stark white, which made her easy to spot after she escaped the fur farm, said Lauren Ross, a senior specialist in lifesaving and care at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary’s Wild Friends facility in Kanab.

The albino mink was raised by the farm for her fur, which is used for coats, scarves and fake eyelashes among other products. And Ross said the ambassador animal helps Best Friends educate the public about the industry.

“She’s an excellent ambassador because she’s a great example of what the fur looks like on them and their personalities and why we shouldn’t have fur farms,” she said. “And that they (fur farms) are still in existence because that shocks people.”

Elle Greer, the assistant manager of small animals, told St. George News that Wild Friends “is kind of like two departments in one.”

Wild Friends is licensed by the state and federal governments as a wildlife rehabilitation and education center, according to its website. So, while staff rehabilitate and release wild animals, like golden eagles, others receive care if necessary and are often put up for adoption, like snakes, ducks, chickens or pigeons.

However, Greer reminds Southern Utahns to research a species before adopting it, particularly exotic animals, which have sometimes been released into the wild.

“A lot of these invasive animals were exotic pets that people got, like the red-eared slider turtles, which are incredibly invasive all across the United States,” she said.

Myrtle, a ball python, arrived at the sanctuary with visible mouth rot caused by an injury — she was bitten by a rodent that was being fed to her, Ross said. After the bite, Myrtle’s previous owner believed a bacterial infection spread throughout her mouth.

For this reason, Ross said she encourages snake owners not to feed them live prey, as the reptiles are not always immediately hungry and can be injured by rats living in their enclosures.

Since that time, Wild Friends reported on Facebook that Myrtle has recovered and is available for adoption. Best Friends said the snake is “very easy to work with and sweet-tempered.”

The facility is also home to various education animals, like Patagonian cavies that were rescued from a Puerto Rican zoo in 2023.

Cavies look similar to capybara but are a close relative of guinea pigs, Ross said. The species is typically found in the Argentinian grasslands and is considered threatened by habitat loss.

“They’re different from our other education animals because we usually do native wildlife, but it is kind of a cool example of the work that Best Friends does. … It’s good to be able to talk about more global issues of conservation,” she said.

Ross said she loves that every day as a wildlife rehabilitator is different. And Greer said the job is rewarding, especially when they can improve an animal’s quality of life.

“We’re here to be a home for them as long as needed,” Greer said. “But that doesn’t mean we don’t always have to continue improving how we can best work with them and get to know each individual.”

Enoch Wildlife Rescue

The Enoch Wildlife Rescue recently opened near the Enoch Animal Shelter, but its co-founder and CEO, Martin Tyner, has been rehabilitating Southern Utah’s native wildlife for decades. He told St. George News that his most unexpected case would be considered “boring” to most people.

“A baby wood rat that was smaller than a peanut,” he said. “Nobody ever sees them, and so I have — in my 57 years — cared for two. So, that’s pretty rare, and people look at me and say, ‘Why are you caring for a baby rat?’ Because it’s native Utah wildlife just like everything else and it has its purpose in the wild.”

Tyner and his wife Susan have cared for various species, including owls, squirrels, hummingbirds and raptors. Similar to Wild Friends, Enoch Wildlife Rescue is unable to rerelease some animals. These animals and Tyner’s personal falconry birds are sometimes used as wildlife ambassadors, like Scout the golden eagle, Belle the Harris hawk, Helen the peregrine falcon or Wingnut the prairie falcon.

“We travel the country doing educational programs to help raise money for the wildlife rescue,” he said, adding that outreach is one of the most important aspects of his work.

“I will have rescued significantly more animals just doing one program than I will with an entire year of wildlife rescue because education is really the key. … They get to see how beautiful the animals are and how intelligent they are,” he said. “And I can describe the values of them and why they’re important to have. So, when people go out into the wild and they see these animals, they won’t hurt them.”

Tyner said wildlife rehabilitation isn’t an occupation but his life.

“Someone’s got to take care of these critters,” he said. “And, you know, I’ve had the good fortune of working with sick and injured native wildlife for 57 years. And the reward is that every time I can take an eagle like this (Scout), and release it back to the wild, that’s one more eagle in the sky. And it just really does my heart good.”

What should Southern Utahns do if they find an animal in need?

A person who finds an animal that needs help should contact a nearby wildlife rehabilitation center as soon as possible, Greer said. If unsure who to call, individuals can visit AnimalHelpNow’s website and enter their ZIP code to find the closest facility.

Tyner said he’s on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“So if somebody calls up and says, ‘There’s an injured eagle on the freeway.’ Or you know, ‘We’ve got an injured jack rabbit that’s been run over — there’s two babies, can you help?’ … Most of the time, people will bring them to us, but we do run and rescue, especially if it’s an apex predator.”

Ross said that waiting could make the animal’s situation worse.

“There are a lot of injuries and stuff that are involved that are not able to be fixed by the time that we get them, and that’s why they’re kept on (as education ambassadors) versus, like, if they’re brought in right away,” she said. “We also see a lot of issues with people feeding animals, and if they’re fed the wrong diet, that can cause a lot of issues later on in life.”

People should handle wild critters with caution and wear gloves, as there is always a risk of bites. For instance, while a small percentage of bats have rabies, they all have the potential to have rabies, so it’s especially important to avoid getting bitten. When capturing injured birds, would-be rescuers should contain the wings to avoid injuring themselves or the animals.

To transport the animals, Ross said to place them in a box with a towel and air holes, a crate or a carrier.

“Put them in a warm, quiet place to relax because stress kills these animals,” she said. “So like, holding them in your hands the whole time, petting them, listening to the radio, air conditioning — all that stuff are all high stressors.”

Those who stumble across a baby animal should leave it alone, Tyner said.

“Do not pick it up; do not bring it home,” he said. “And if you’re concerned, then you call me, you call fish and game, you call the park service, you call someone … with the proper expertise to make the decision.”

“Far, far too often,” people approach Tyner with hatchlings that have been fed improper meals, like bread or milk, which make them sick, he said. And sometimes, by the time they begin receiving appropriate care, they’re in critical condition.

“The truth of the matter is birds — all birds — outgrow the nest before they can fly,” he said. “That’s completely normal. They end up on the ground before they can fly and as long as they’re not in a life-threatening situation, mom and dad will continue to care for them.”

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