Find an animal? Call us before taking action
By Joanna Fitzgerald | Director of the von Arx Wildlife Hospital
A common ground dove was among the 83 animals admitted to the von Arx Wildlife Hospital at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida this past week. Other admissions include a grey kingbird, three Florida snapping turtles, a least bittern, a black-and-white warbler and a marsh rabbit.
If you find an animal you feel needs assistance and the animal isn’t in imminent danger, please call the hospital at 239–262-CARE before taking action. Staff will evaluate the situation and determine the best course of action.
The common ground dove was found in Immokalee by a roofer. He found the dove while working on a gutter. Von Arx Wildlife Hospital staff members were alerted to the situation when the man called to let us know he was bringing a bird in and was only a few minutes from the wildlife hospital.
Of course, we greatly appreciate the caring the dove’s rescuer showed; he believed the baby needed assistance and stepped in to help but hospital staff would prefer people call for information and advice prior to taking action. Many times, a situation involves a healthy baby animal whose parents are foraging nearby. If we can move the baby out of harm’s way, the parents can continue raising their baby.
That was the case with this young common ground dove — it was a healthy fledgling that had just ended up in a precarious situation. Several factors made it impossible for us to try and reunite the fledgling dove with its parents. The dove will be cared for at the hospital until it is fully flighted and able to fend for itself.
If you find an animal you feel needs assistance and the animal isn’t in imminent danger, please call the hospital at 239–262-CARE before taking action. Staff will evaluate the situation and determine the best course of action.
Recent Releases — 21 Animals Returned Home
- 1 raccoon
- 1 southern toad
- 2 eastern cottontails
- 1 laughing gull
- 1 Virginia opossum
- 5 northern mockingbirds
- 2 common grackles
- 1 brown thrasher
- 1 mourning dove
- 1 blue jay
- 1 swallow-tailed kite
- 1 northern cardinal
- 1 red-bellied woodpecker
- 1 red-shouldered hawk
- 1 common grackle
Opportunities to Help
Please visit the Conservancy website at www.conservancy.org to view all of the amazing volunteer opportunities at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Volunteers are needed more than ever during our incredibly busy summer season. Your volunteer time, memberships and donations are vital in helping us continue our work to protect Southwest Florida’s water, land, wildlife and future.
Joanna Fitzgerald is director of the von Arx Wildlife Hospital at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Call 239–262–2273 or see conservancy.org.
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