Mole suffers puncture wounds in cat attack
By Joanna Fitzgerald | Director of the von Arx Wildlife Hospital
An eastern mole was among the 91 animals admitted to the von Arx Wildlife Hospital at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida this past week. Other admissions include a Florida turtle, a marsh rabbit, an osprey and a red-bellied woodpecker.
Specialized Treatment
The eastern mole was injured in a cat attack. The mole suffered puncture wounds to her hips and abdomen which required administering antibiotics and pain medication twice a day and she was extremely stressed each time she was handled for treatment. Moles spend their entire life underground, so hospital staff needed to provide a habitat that allowed the mole to dig and forage for insects similarly to what she would do in the wild.
The mole was placed in a large plastic bin filled with several inches of fresh soil. Insects were sprinkled on and under the soil to increase the chance that the mole would forage and eat on her own, which thankfully she did. Within a few days, staff was able to reduce the mole’s treatment to once a day and after receiving a full course of antibiotics the mole was cleared for release.
Cat Attacks A Growing Problem and You Can Help
While the mole survived the cat attack, many of the wildlife patients admitted to the von Arx Wildlife Hospital last week not so fortunate and were fatally injured by cats.
Please, ensure the safety of your cat and protect wildlife by not allowing cats to roam free. Cats that roam are easy targets for predators such as coyotes and dogs, they can be killed by cars and are susceptible to diseases, many of which are fatal.
Prezi by Wildlife Rehab Specialist Colleen Cosgrove
Recent Releases — 27 Animals Returned Home This Past Week
- 4 Florida softshell turtles (Click for more info)
- 4 grey squirrels
- 2 brown pelicans
- 3 eastern screech owls
- 2 royal terns
- 3 eastern cottontails
- 1 laughing gull
- 1 pied-billed grebe
- 1 Virginia opossum
- 3 mourning doves
- 1 red-shouldered hawk (Click for more info)
- 1 Florida box turtle (Click for more info)
- 1 peninsula cooter
- 3 common grackles (re-nested)
- 1 chuck-will’s-widow
Wildlife Volunteers Needed
Many part time visitors to Naples are leaving just as the wildlife hospital enters our busy spring and summer season leaving us in need of additional volunteers. Volunteers are vital in helping us continue our work to protect Southwest Florida’s wildlife.
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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