Helping animals during the war in Ukraine

Hey everyone! It's been a few months since I've gotten to address you all since from mid-March until the first week of June I was over in Ukraine and Poland, helping people and animals fleeing war. It was one of the most impactful and intense experiences of my life and I hope to convey it.

As a preface, my father was once a refugee fleeing Ukraine with his family from the Soviets during WW2, so when Russia began its invasion of Ukraine this February I knew I had to do something to help, anything. I must've sent out 20 emails to organizations on the ground providing veterinary support and finally, I found IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare). IFAW is one of those incredible organizations that show up in disaster situations with a plan, a team, and a drive. In early March, IFAW had plans to set up a veterinary tent at the busiest border crossing between Ukraine and Poland, where tens of thousands of people were crossing each day to safety. 3 days after making contact with IFAW, I was on a plane to Poland to be their vet at the refugee camp. Those first few weeks at the border were chaotic and I felt the full kaleidoscope of human emotions at the refugee camp. Bitterly cold and wet, we were operating out of and sleeping in a tent ~100ft from the border. There was a never-ending stream of people traveling west fleeing violence and brutality with their whole Lives packed into a few suitcases, often with a critter or two in tow. As Ukraine is a vast country, folks fleeing conflict zones had to travel hundreds of miles west to safety braving active war, dangerous roads, and waiting in border lines sometimes lasting over 48hrs. 90% of the refugees were women and children since men aged 18-60 are legally obligated to stay in the country in case they are called up for full mobilization. In this chaos of war, there were those of us who gathered from all over the world to support those in absolute need. Whether it was Irish volunteers serving fresh pizza to hungry mothers, Israeli nurses caring for sick refugee children, Sikhs from London who handed out top-quality winter jackets to cold elderly folks, or the big beautiful blue IFAW tent to take care of the animals, it felt like the World came together to stand with Ukraine.

The goal of our tent was to help people and help their animals through the border; dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, we saw it all. Wounds, dehydration, malnutrition, and stress were the most common issues for these animals. Operating out of a tent in a foreign country (Poland) was honestly quite tricky. Normally -and required by law- I first establish a client-patient relationship before really doing anything with an owned animal- but practicing medicine during war allows for liberties to be taken, and always for the best interests of the animal. Animals with severe dehydration and malnutrition got IV fluids and specialty diets, and those with wounds and injuries got pain meds, bandages, and splints. Those who were clinically healthy still got a vet check, food to go, clothing options for warmth, flea/tick preventatives, collars, and leashes, treats, and of course lots of love from the IFAW team. We really strove to be a one-stop-shop for refugee pets since we were just their lily-pad en route to their next destination. For Ukrainians crossing with pets, it was profoundly touching to them that our tent existed, since many of them were forced to abruptly leave their homes with little supplies for their animals.

I remember one night around 2 am, a woman crossed the border with her cat tucked into a messenger bag she had slung on her shoulder and she was just so incredibly worried that her cat had not urinated in 3 days, since leaving her home. I had made up a few "cat potty stations" in the tent, which were essentially large wire crates with a litter box and covered with a towel, and offered the woman to leave her cat in one for a few minutes; cats tend to shut down when they're stressed. The woman explained to me that her home had been hit by a Russian mortar and was destroyed; she was grateful that she was able to get her cat and flee when she could. Almost immediately after I placed the cat into the crate he started to explore the litter box and proceeded to pee his little heart out. The woman started to cry, finally experiencing some sense of control and relief in her Life. I started to cry with her; it had been around day 13 or 14 for me at the border and the extreme emotions I had been experiencing and bottling up finally became too much. That cat was perfectly healthy and it may seem trivial what I provided for him but the impact that it made on that one woman, made every second of my time there worthwhile. And her story was just one of so many. In total, over 1,500 animals came into the big blue IFAW tent at the border crossing during my 2 months there.

By the time we closed our tent at the border camp, the refugee crisis had stabilized and many more folks were returning to Ukraine than were leaving. Yet the war continues. Even as I write this, Russia continues its horrendous assault on Ukraine and like all wars, it's the innocent who suffers the most. Being able to help those innocents was an honor I will carry with me for the rest of my life. After leaving the border camp I traveled throughout Ukraine for several weeks, but that's a story for the next newsletter :)

DVM. Andrew Kushnir

Ecologist Talk- Road Mortality in Amphibians

Photo by Nicholas McCarney

As the snow and ice turn to wind and rain, typically cryptic animals become more abundant and prevalent. Before many birds migrate north, before many plants begin to bud, spring is the advent of the amphibians. These animals, although fragile to climate change, pollution, and other anthropomorphic stressors, are surprisingly tolerant to cooler conditions. 

For amphibians, just as with many animals, spring is a time for reproduction. In this case, it pays to be quick off the jump. The faster these animals arrive at pools filled with early rains and snowmelt, the more time they have to go through their aquatic larval stages and crawl onto the land before the summer sun and plants soak the precious water back up. 


For many frogs, salamanders, and other amphibians, this means crawling long distances to ideal breeding sites. Many times, this means crawling across fragmented habitat paved over by long stretches of asphalt that can make for uncomfortably high mortality rates in these slow moving and fairly defenseless creatures. 

Photo by Nicholas McCarney

I’ve recently been able to add salamanders and other amphibians to the list of animals covered under my spatial ecology research, and they’ve quickly risen to the top of the list as far as my favorite animals go. Salamanders are incredibly charismatic little creatures with a lot of diversity, even amongst species within the same genus. That charisma coupled with reclusive and hidden lifestyles makes them an incredibly rewarding study species to work with. 

Unfortunately, understanding their reclusive and cryptic lifestyles means understanding their fragility, especially when it comes to road mortality. Picture this: An early spring rain makes for a simultaneously deafening and silent woodland at night. These conditions bring out amphibians in the thousands. A dark stretch of road standing between these tiny animals and the pools they’re migrating to is a gamble they don’t even know they’re taking. 

Photo by Nicholas McCarney

Sure, many people watch out for animals on a regular basis, but how often are they looking for anything other than large animals that could damage their vehicles? With increasing development throughout the sensitive habitat these animals require, road mortality is a continuously growing factor of amphibian population decline. 

As indicators of healthy ecosystems, amphibians are important clues to contamination, drought, and stress levels of the parts of nature that keep humans healthy. However, quantifying the importance of organisms based on their importance to humans specifically is a bit indulgent. Perhaps understanding and conserving things simply because they have every right to be here as humans do could be enough. 

Nicholas McCarney,
Ecologist studying anthropogenic impacts on herpetofauna ecology

Nicholas has prints available at Nature Nerd Nicholas

Vet Talk- Sloths!

Article by Andrew Kushnir

I'm excited to be addressing you all again in the Swampin Newsletter, this time with a fun recap of a recent trip I had working at a wildlife center in Costa Rica! I had the pleasure of spending just over a month living at a center just outside the capital city of San Jose. And though ironically the most numerous species that presented to the hospital were opossums and raccoons (2 of my "bread and butter" species being a wildlife vet in San Diego) I also had the opportunity to work very closely with a number of other amazing species including squirrel monkeys, kinkajous, coatimundi, macaws, parrots, and SLOTHS! Sloths rapidly became some of my favorite animals to work with and I thought I'd share some fun things I learned about these critters with y'all!

Sloths are amongst the most unique critters on the planet and belong to the Xenarthran family; other members include anteaters and armadillos. Xenarthra translates from Greek to "strange joints," referring to extra articulations along the vertebral column and a fused pelvis-sacrum. We're all probably familiar with the slow pace of sloth-Life, but they can be surprisingly quick and deceivingly strong when they need to be! Armed with long claws and sharp teeth, I had to be very mindful of my limbs while handling them so as not to get bit. Ok, ok, so many amazing things about sloths!

1) Adults only defecate about once a week and will hold up to 1/3 of their body weight in waste material until "they go." Spending nearly their entire Lives in the forest canopy, sloths will make the arduous and perilous journey to the forest floor roughly once a week to "do their business." Once reaching the ground, they will wrap their limbs around the base of a tree with their bums touching the ground, and defecate away. This is easily the most vulnerable time in a sloths' schedule, since any would-be ground predator would find an easy target in an occupied sloth.

2) All species of sloth are considered "rod monochromats," meaning they completely lack cone cells in their eyes- these are the photoreceptor cells responsible for color vision. Thus, all sloths are colorblind! They also can only see poorly in dim light and are essentially blind in bright sunlight. They rely heavily on their phenomenal sense of smell and amazing spatial memory to navigate their way in the forest canopy.

3) Speaking of navigating through the canopy, sloths are known for effortlessly hanging upside down for prolonged periods of time- an ability that would cause most other mammals to experience some serious respiratory distress from the weight of our abdominal organs pressing against the diaphragm and onto our lungs. Well sloths solved that problem: just tape the internal organs to the ribs and hips! Like living internal hammocks, sloths have fibrinous sheets that passively hold their abdominal organs relatively in place so as not to compress the lungs when hanging upside down or inverted. And for animals that can hold 1/3 of their body weight in waste material, the stomach and intestines can become quite heavy!

Most of the sloths that presented to the hospital were young who were either found abandoned by mom or confiscated from folks who wanted a pet sloth. Unfortunately, making pets of wildlife is tragically common in Costa Rica despite it being illegal, and animals ranging from sloths to macaws are far too often pulled from the wild to be raised in people's homes. Luckily there are many centers in Costa Rica that not only rescue and rehabilitate wildlife, but also provide lifelong sanctuary to those that are deemed non-releasable. 

I hope you find this information about sloths as interesting as I do! Costa Rica is such a paradise and really anyone with a passion for wildlife would find it a perfect place to learn and explore. Wishing everyone well in 2022!

Dr. Andrew Kushnir

Vet Talk -Galápagos Research

This article was shared with us from Dr. Lewbart a Professor of Aquatic, Wildlife and Zoological Medicine at the NC State University of Veterinary Medicine where he works with a number of other Board Certified Specialists in Zoological Medicine that are on faculty. He performs research, clinical work, and teaches the next generation of veterinarians.

In June of 2013 Dr. Ken Lohmann at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) invited me to accompany him on a research trip to Galápagos to contribute to a health assessment of wild green sea turtles. I started working with Ken and his lab about 25 years ago as a clinician taking care of his research animals (sea slugs, spiny lobsters, and loggerhead sea turtles). In 2012 the UNC-CH, in partnership with the University of San Francisco in Quito (USFQ), opened a state-of-the-science laboratory on San Cristóbal Island in the Galápagos. The Galápagos Science Center (GSC) is academically and physically connected to a branch campus of the USFQ called the Galápagos Academic Institute for the Arts and Sciences (GAIAS). This is the only university facility in the Galápagos.

I have been to the Galápagos 19 times doing health assessment and wildlife conservation work on sea turtles, marine iguanas, three species of land iguanas, lava lizards, giant tortoises, nine species of sea birds, and the endemic Galápagos sea lion. My colleagues and I work closely with and under the direction of the Parque Nacional Galápagos (Galápagos National Park), where I hold numerous research and field permits. My investigative efforts have led me to serve on two PhD student committees and gain adjunct faculty status at the USFQ and the UNC-CH. At least once a year I am joined by my wife, who engages in field work and organized a Galápagos canine and feline spay/neuter clinic in 2016. Diane and I are frequently consulted on various veterinary matters and share our knowledge and expertise with local veterinarians and other animal care professionals.

Since 2016 I have led four NC State CVM student trips as part of an elective course (VMC-924) called Equatorial Zoology and Medicine in Galápagos. To date other NC State CVM faculty colleagues and I have brought 83 third year DVM students to the Galápagos for this experiential learning course that gives students the opportunity to conduct field research and learn from local scientists and naturalists. Five of these students are already authors on peer-reviewed publications from this research and several other papers are either in preparation or review.

To date my colleagues and I have produced 20 peer review publications from these efforts. Every one of these papers has at least one Ecuadorian author including students, park rangers, and senior scientists. I work as part of large international teams including scientists from Australia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. We also have two papers in review and several others in progress.

I am in love with the Galápagos. From the first time I visited I knew I needed to work hard to return. Yes, the animals are iconic, and amazing, but I have made some dear friends in the many months I have spent there and look forward to seeing and working with them as much, and perhaps even more, than the animals. I am also continually impressed by the knowledge, determination, and resourcefulness of the biologists, park rangers, and other scientists I meet and work with there. We all have the same goal in mind; to conserve and protect this magical archipelago. It’s a bit of a balancing act because humans are not native to the Galápagos. Tourism and the resident population to support these tourists have an impact, although despite what you might read in the popular press, I don’t believe tourism is hurting the Galápagos to a significant degree. Sadly, most of the damage to Galápagos was done many decades ago, before tourism began (in the 1980’s), by the introduction of invasive animals, plants, and pathogens. I am hopeful that the work we are doing can help conserve and protect wildlife there.

Just 3 days before departing for Galápagos in March of 2020 with 25 students, another faculty member, and an endoscopy technician, where five different research projects had been carefully planned, the trip was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite this I was still able to send valuable equipment and supplies to the Galápagos so that an important Galápagos tortoise pre-release health assessment an investigation on the impact of plastics on fish health could be performed. With the help of video, Zoom, and What’s App I was able to assist my Ecuadorian colleagues from afar. In many ways this was a really good thing as my colleagues were able to complete the work without my direct assistance and it was a huge confidence builder for them. I believe that ACZM diplomates from developed countries need to share knowledge and expertise so that our in-country colleagues can function independently and autonomously.

Conservation in Focus: Lewbart (adobe.com)

Vet Talk-Lead Toxicity In Wildlife

Hello fellow wildlife enthusiasts! In this month’s issue of the Swampin Newsletter I’d like to discuss lead toxicity in wild critters. Wildlife medicine is such a fascinating field and we are continuously learning more and more about the wild critters we share the environment with. Every now and then, major shifts occur and in recent times it’s the frequency of occurrence of lead found in wildlife. I’m sure we all have heard about lead poisoning in some form or another, but its’ prevalence in different species and the origins of toxicity are things we’re just beginning to understand.

An estimated 20 million animals, including over 130 different species, are believed to die each year from lead poisoning. Ingestion of lead pellets or projectile fragments are the most common source of lead poisoning for wild birds. Less commonly, birds can experience toxicity following the consumption of other lead objects such as fishing sinkers, lead bullets or their fragments, mine waste, and paint chips. Raptors are most often exposed to lead as a result of feeding on prey containing lead, while waterfowl incidentally ingest objects containing lead while foraging in fresh waterways. 

Led sinkers

So what is Lead? Lead (Pb) is a naturally occurring metal that has no known biological purpose- meaning any presence of lead within the body is abnormal and of concern. Due to it’s low cost and physical properties, it is a favorable metal used in the production of items such as batteries, paints, gasoline, galvanized wire, and of course ammunition and fishing sinkers. 

It’s important to note here that in order for an animal to experience lead toxicity, the object must be ingested and not just present in the muscle or skin of the animal. The acidic environment of the gizzard or stomach causes the objects to erode, and the lead is absorbed into the blood stream and transported to tissues throughout the body. Without the acidic erosion within the gizzard or stomach, lead cannot be absorbed and distributed throughout the body.

 
 

We’re used to hearing about lead toxicity in raptors and waterfowl from ingesting spent lead pellets and fishing sinkers, but what we’ve seen in the last decade is an increase in the occurrence of toxic lead levels in wild mammalian species, notably in opossums, squirrels, and rabbits; and very rarely are these toxicities secondary to ingesting lead pellets or fishing sinkers. So how exactly are these species being exposed to lead? 

Simply put, lead is now in our environment and wild spaces. For many decades it was used in paint, gasoline, and pesticides and as these substances leach into the soil, plants can absorb lead, and thus act as sources of potential lead toxicity. This means the opossum or rabbit in the yard could be ingesting lead from plants around the garage or driveway. This is especially true in older urban settings where lead was used extensively in city development for decades.

Lead toxicity is a chronic disease that overtime can cause significant damage to multiple organ systems. Clinical signs of toxicity vary depending on the species, the amount of circulating lead, and the chronicity of exposure. Typical signs include loss of appetite, generalized weakness, and inappropriate mentation. With lead test kits becoming more readily available and affordable, wildlife centers around the world are able to test for lead in any patient exhibiting signs consistent with lead. And this has significantly increased our greater understanding of which species are profoundly affected.

Lead toxicity can be diagnosed by testing whole blood lead levels. When an animal’s blood is tested for lead it takes a mere 120 seconds to get a result, with most in-house lead test kits. Full body radiographs should be performed to assess for the presence of metal in the gastrointestinal tract since removing the source of lead exposure is necessary for treatment. Note: the absence of metallic objects within the GI system does not rule out lead toxicity, especially when clinical signs are present. Animals with detectable levels of lead should be re-evaluated with multiple tests over the course of treatment since lead levels ebb and flow as lead leaches out of bones and fat where it is stored.

An animal can have a negative lead test one week and next week test positive again. Once an animal has two or three negative tests it’s generally considered treated. The duration of treatment can last up to months. 

The fundamental treatment for lead toxicity is chelation therapy. Chelation therapy is the process of binding or “grabbing” heavy metals distributed throughout the body for eventual excretion via urine. Calcium (Ca) EDTA and succimer are both effective chelating agents in the treatment of lead toxicity and if there is a source of exposure present within the GI tract of the animal (lead shot, fishing tackle, etc), physical removal of the object is absolutely necessary for a positive outcome!

Unfortunately, lead toxicity in wildlife is something we’ll be dealing with for many years to come. There has just been so much lead deposited in our environment over the past several decades. But i’m very hopeful. With new and easier ways of detection, treatments that have shown great success, and more people willing to care for wild critters in distress, we are more prepared than ever to do what’s right for animals in need. 

As stewards to the natural world, each of us has the capacity to care for what really benefits wildlife. And what benefits wildlife benefits us all!

Andrew Y. Kushnir DVM
 

Ecologist Talk- A Double Edged Sword

My name is Nicholas and I am an ecologist operating in the Central Corn Belt Plains of Northern Illinois. Reading the name of the ecoregion where I’m from, it’s easy to get a good idea of what the typical topography and ecology are like: Flat and agriculture. We’re pretty much devoid of any remaining native flora and fauna up here, except in highly fragmented populations. 

Of course, it is my job to manage micro and fragmented habitats within my range, and I take a lot of time and effort to maintaining the most biodiverse and service-providing ecosystems I can. However, this means that people are free to enjoy, or more accurately, destroy the areas I work in. From anglers leaving trash and trampling native plants to people picking sensitive plants to uneducated people tampering with, removing, or destroying my research materials, it almost seems like there’s no hope. 

But there remains one bit of salvation that remains: Education. The other half of my job involves educational outreach and science communication to the public in a multifaceted structure in an attempt to gain support and awareness for conservation. By providing information on the importance of the ecology of the natural areas throughout the district, people are more inclined to appreciate nature and police themselves and others. When people understand something and take the time to learn about it, they naturally care more. People will inhibit, destroy, and sometimes stop conservation progress. As nature lovers, it is not our job to make enemies and attack problems as individuals, but rather to forge a network of friends and colleagues to help stop environmental degradation together.

Find Nicholas on Instagram @naturenerdnicholas
 

Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease

Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease (RHDV) is a fatal disease that affects rabbits and is considered a foreign animal disease in the United States. This disease is caused by several virus strains but the RHDV-2 strain, is highly contagious and unlike other rabbit hemorrhagic disease viruses, it affects both domestic and wild rabbits.

Since March 2020, RHDV-2 has been confirmed in four wild species: Black-tailed Jackrabbits, Desert cottontail, Antelope jackrabbit, and the Mountain cottontail. It has also been confirmed in domestic rabbits and feral domestic rabbits.

RHDV-2 can enter the body through the oral, nasal, or conjunctival routes, though oral transmission is thought to predominate. Most of all secretions and excretions from infected rabbits, including urine, feces, and respiratory secretions, are thought to contain the virus. There are no published reports of transplacental transmission of RHDV-2. This virus readily spreads on various fomites (objects or materials) including contaminated food, bedding, water, clothing, cages, and equipment. Transmission via fomites and surroundings are of special concern due to the stability of the virus on organic materials and the low dose needed to cause infection.

Insects might transmit this virus long distances. Birds and mammals that prey on lagomorphs may be mechanical carriers and excrete infectious viruses in feces after eating infected rabbits.
One of the most important things to remember is that this virus is highly contagious.

The incubation period for RHDV-2 is 3-5 days in most cases. RHDV-2 infections are usually subclinical (no detectable clinical signs) in rabbits less than 4-8 weeks of age.

Peracute and acute disease are the most common syndromes in older rabbits. Peracutely affected animals develop a fever and die suddenly within 12 to 36 hours of its onset. The only clinical signs may be terminal squeals, quickly followed by collapse and death. Animals with acute RHDV-2 survive somewhat longer, with nonspecific signs such as depression, anorexia, congestion of the conjunctiva and/or prostration (lying stretched out on the ground), and, in some cases, respiratory signs (e.g., dyspnea, cyanosis, and a terminal bloodstained, frothy nasal discharge), lacrimation, ocular hemorrhages or epistaxis (bleeding from the nose). Some rabbits also have neurological signs such as incoordination, opisthotonos, and paddling. Affected animals sometimes turn and flip quickly in their cages, resembling convulsions or mania.

Rabbits that survive longer (subacute cases) can develop severe jaundice, with weight loss and lethargy, and often die from liver dysfunction, typically within a few weeks. Diarrhea, constipation, and abdominal dilatation are sometimes seen just before death. Milder signs or subclinical infections have also been reported occasionally in adult rabbits. This form of the disease may cause affected rabbits to survive minor clinical symptoms and develop antibodies.

The virus can remain stable for 3 months when dried, but, exposed RHDV-2 typically does not persist in excretions on surroundings longer than a few weeks and grows less viable over time.
Chilled, frozen, and decomposing rabbit meat can harbor RHDV-2 for several months and presents a significant risk of introducing the disease during trade, as blood viral titers are particularly high. This may provide a reservoir of disease after outbreaks in the wild, as a viable virus has been found in decaying tissue after 90 days outdoors. The fur of an infected rabbit can be a source of RHDV-2 transmission. Pelt and hair trading among countries with an active fur industry may lead to further spread of the virus.

The is no specific treatment for this disease at this time. Treatment is currently limited to supportive care.

As of May 2020, RHDV-2 had been diagnosed in rabbits in the states of California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Texas. On December 30, 2020, there was an outbreak in Lake County, Florida in which 18 rabbits passed away from this virus. We have requested the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) to grant us permission to import vaccines from Europe to protect our rabbits from this disease, but so far FDACS has not approved any importation of this vaccine to Florida.

Please visit our Facebook page (Exotic Animal Hospital of Orlando) to find a handout with extensive recommendations on measures that can be taken to prevent your pet rabbit from getting this disease.

Santiago Díaz, DVM

Monthly Nature Updates- Wolves

For years, wolves have been on the endangered species list in the lower 48 states, but in October of 2020, wolves were removed from the Endangered Species Act.

The wolf population is scattered throughout the 48 contiguous states. The highest number at 2,655 in Minnesota and the lowest, at 15 wolves in Isle Royale. The wolf population in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, now supports over 1,700 wolves after the government-sponsored reintroduction in 1995 and 1996. They are now in Washington, Oregon, and, a smaller population in California. In 1998, Mexican gray wolves were reintroduced into New Mexico and Arizona. Their wild population has been slowly increasing with around 130 Mexican gray wolves in those areas. 

In New Mexico and Arizona, at the end of 2019, only 163 Mexican gray wolves were counted in the wild. That is a 24% increase but they are losing their genetic diversity, which is crucial to the population because it helps future wolves adapt to diseases, stress, and environmental conditions. 

The majority of the gray wolf’s former habitat in the contiguous 48 states are unsuitable for them now, and most likely, never will be, due to loss of habitat from building. Within those 48 states, the gray wolf only occupies about 10% of their former range. Looking at the long-term trend in land usage, much of the current or potential range for wolves will be developed and, therefore, becoming unsuitable for them. This is also an issue in Minnesota, where they have a larger population. The population numbers increased only after they were given protection with the Endangered Species Act, so the fear is a decrease in their population.
 

It has been said by many people that study wolves and their populations, that there are non-lethal methods, like electric fencing livestock, and guard dogs, to prevent wolves from eating the farmer's livestock. Adrian Treves, a professor of environmental studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, says that farmers need the support of the state to install those non-lethal defenses. Treves stated that since wolves live in packs when a member of that pack is killed, the pack/family will sometimes break apart. His lab found that the risk of livestock damage tripled the following months after the pack member was killed. He also added that the wolves don’t negatively impact deer populations. There are over 1 million deer in the state of Wisconsin, and hunters kill approximately 400,000 annually, another 50,000 killed by vehicles, leaving wolves only eating 25,000 deer. 

Wolves are imperative in balancing ecosystems and driving evolution. They need connected populations to sustain their genetics, and the ecosystems need wolves to maintain a healthy balance of species. It’s been proven that after returning wolves to ecosystems, it benefited many species like songbirds, and beavers, who use the stream-side vegetation, that thrives when there are fewer browsing elk that would move more often to avoid wolves. Pronghorn and fox populations also benefit from wolves, because they control the coyote population. 

Wolves are intelligent, highly social, majestic, and once roamed freely throughout North America until over-hunting, nearly made them extinct. Now they may face a possible population decrease again.

Written by Vala Titterington

Laser therapy

We are so thankful for a donor who helped make this laser purchase possible! ❤

The cold laser uses specific light wavelengths to help stimulate the tissue and speeding up the healing process. It is also helpful in pain management and reducing inflammation. This particular laser is also safe to use on eye injuries and conditions. It's painless, with no heat noise or vibrations, allowing this to be a stress-free therapy. We have noticed a huge difference in the healing time for the wounds we have been treating. Picture on left is of a peninsula cooter that was struck by a car.

🐢Top left is a snapping turtle getting an eye treatment and bottom left is a striped mud turtle that was chewed by a dog. When you donate you directly impact the care and treatment of the animals we receive. Please consider us in your giving plans to help us help them!

Blogging a blog! Second Chance for an Indigo!

Reptile rehabilitator Kim Titterington holds a successfully rehabilitated Eastern Indigo Snake before releasing it into the wild. Note the white scar tissue and irregularities in scale pattern due to his injuries. Photo by Laura Reed.

Authors: Laura Reed and Betsie Rothermel

Just before Christmas, Archbold Herpetology Program staff were happy to assist in returning a rehabilitated Eastern Indigo Snake to the wild. After being found badly injured in September in a densely populated area of Highlands County, the snake arrived at Swamp Girl Adventures Reptile Rehabilitation on September 24. Rehabilitator Kim Titterington remembers, “The snake arrived with traumatic injuries to his body, scabs and fresh scar tissue from what may have been an encounter with lawn equipment. The injuries were healing fairly well, but the scar tissue was tight and dry, constricting his midsection.” The snake was also dehydrated and unable to hunt and eat enough food to maintain a healthy body weight while healing.

Every individual Eastern Indigo Snake is important for survival of the species. As Archbold’s Director of Herpetology, Betsie Rothermel, explains, “Eastern Indigos have been extirpated from some parts of their former range, such as the Florida Panhandle, and are declining in most other areas as urbanization reduces their upland habitats. Though the southern Lake Wales Ridge region is still home to relatively healthy populations, their future is by no means secure given future projections of human population growth and development.” Thus, Eastern Indigos are federally designated as Threatened and protected in Florida.

Titterington and staff went to work to save this snake, providing it with fluids, antibiotics, and lots and lots of food. During the four months of rehab, the snake gained almost 200 grams in body weight and grew almost four inches! The team confirmed he was eating, shedding, and gaining weight, then consulted with the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to determine if he was fit for release, rather than live a life in captivity. All deemed the snake fit to survive and thrive in the wild, and Titterington contacted Dr. Rothermel to discuss release.

Since the snake would face too many dangers in its former home, Dr. Rothermel assisted rehabilitators in finding a safer location. After four months in rehab, the scarred but healthy Indigo traveled back to Highlands County on December 20. The group traveled deep into the scrub on protected land far from any roads and said their goodbyes. It was a bittersweet moment as they watched the snake explore his new home, then disappear into the palmettos. Kim Titterington remarked, “I never thought I’d see an Indigo come into rehabilitation. I am so thankful we could save him and release an endangered species back into the wild!”

Eastern Indigos are large animals that require large, roadless spaces to roam. They can reach more than 8 feet in length, making them the longest snake in North America. Though nonvenomous, they are top predators, hunting and consuming a wide variety of small mammals and other reptiles, including many other snakes.

Swamp Girl Adventures Reptile Rehabilitation (www.swampgirladventures.org) is a licensed wildlife rescue team focused on the care of reptiles and amphibians, as well as educating the public about wildlife through educational programs and videos. “Archbold does not have the specially trained staff and facilities needed to treat and rehabilitate injured wildlife,” explains Dr. Rothermel, “so we are very grateful for people like Kim who are dedicated to this important work.” If you come across injured reptiles or other wildlife, check this website to find a wildlife rehabilitator who can help:  https://myfwc.com/media/5423/licensedwildliferehabilitatorsbyregion.pdf

The specific release location is undisclosed because of the species’ protected status. Eastern Indigo Snakes may only be handled by individuals with appropriate scientific research or other permits. However, members of the public are encouraged to contribute sightings of Eastern Indigo Snakes to FWC’s Rare Snake Registry (https://public.myfwc.com/fwri/raresnakes/UserHome.aspx?id=) where you can also report sightings of other upland species, like Southern Hognose Snakes and Florida Pine Snakes. For more info on Eastern Indigos, visit: https://www.oriannesociety.org/about/the-eastern-indigo-snake/

https://archboldedublog.org/2021/01/14/a-second-chance-for-an-injured-indigo/

Vet Talk - Rat Poison and Raptors

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Hello, fellow wildlife enthusiasts! It is my pleasure to write to you in the Swampin Newsletter and to share some of my own experiences and passions regarding wildlife with all of you. I hope you find these articles interesting and informative! As we are in Winter now (yes, we do get Winter in California!) I have definitely seen an increase in non-target wildlife presenting to the hospital with issues related to commercial rodent controls; glue-traps, snap-traps, and rodenticide poisoning. The glue-trap and snap-trap patients while heartbreaking are often more straightforward to manage when compared to the rodenticide patients as these animals require further diagnostics and interventions. Today I’ll be discussing the effects that rat poisons have on free-ranging raptors.

We know that rat poison (rodenticide) is widely used to kill unwanted rodents, but many non-target species also sicken and die as a result of these rodent baits. Raptors in urban environments are highly vulnerable to rodenticides as they prey heavily on rodents, and a rat that is poison-laden and stumbling around outside makes for an easy target for a hungry Barn Owl.

There are a TON of commercially available rodenticides; by far the most common is the anticoagulant rodenticides (AR) which cause the animal to bleed to death internally, externally, or a combination of both. Essentially these anticoagulants prevent Vitamin K from being utilized by the liver, which makes blood clotting factors. Once these stores run out, blood will not clot normally. In a healthy animal, a simple bruise would resolve in a matter of hours or days, but in animals with AR toxicosis the animal is unable to properly cease the bleeding and may eventually die due to blood loss.

The clinical signs often associated with raptors and AR toxicosis are severe lethargy, spontaneous bruising with no signs of trauma and pale mucous membranes; overall ADR (Ain’t Doing Right). By the time these critters are found in the field and transported to a wildlife hospital they are often in dire straights and need aggressive care to get them back on track. Vitamin K1 therapy is initiated and may require weeks to months of treatment. For the severely anemic bird, an intraosseous catheter is placed and blood or plasma will be transfused to restore blood volume and provide immediate stores of healthy clotting factors and blood proteins. We call these “Hail-Mary” cases since we really throw everything we’ve got at saving these critters! Generally, if the bird survives the first couple of days of therapy, it has a very good prognosis for release, and that is always the goal of wildlife care facilities.

We will never get rid of unwanted rodents nor is there a permanent method for keeping them away. In this humble veterinarians’ opinion, the perfect rodent control looks like a hawk or owl! We can do much better in protecting our castles by identifying and securing areas where rodents might enter the home or office. Eliminating possible sources of food, shelter, and water for unwanted rodents can dramatically affect their noticeable presence in the home.

As stewards to the natural world, each of us has the capacity to care for what really benefits wildlife. And what benefits wildlife benefits us all!

Andrew Y. Kushnir DVM

How we check for eggs!

How do we check for eggs in turtles and tortoises? There are a few methods. One is palpitation and this involves manually feeling for the eggs above the leg in the pelvic region. X ray or radiograph is another good option and will show calcified fully developed eggs. What we use most is ultrasound like you see in the picture that is posted. This is from a peninsula cooter that was struck by a car on her way to lay eggs. She is recovering well and will be released soon!

Reducing impacts of freshwater fishing on non-target wildlife

New article posted by Kirstynn Joseph from Untamed Science in collaboration with our very own Kim Titterington (Swamp Girl) and Ecologist and Photographer from Northern IL Nicolas McCarney about impacts of fishing on wildlife with a focus on turtles. There is also video blogs interviews from both Kim and Nicholas!

Join me speaking with Kim Titterngton, founder and and director of Swamp Girl Adventure Reptile Rehabilitation, about wildlife rehabilitation, focused around...

Fall egg laying!

It has begun! Round 2, the Fall laying season for Cooter species. Soon we will also begin to see female chicken turtles in late fall early winter start to lay eggs! In this picture is a recently hit by car peninsula cooter that was on her way to lay eggs when she was struck. Its fairly common for them to start dropping their eggs after injury and stress. If this happens we give them a quiet place to pass the eggs and will collect them for incubation after they have been measured and documented. Please, if its safe help turtles and tortoises in the direction they were going. Remember, turtles do not lay their eggs in water, they must find appropriate soil and location on land to dig a hole and lay their eggs!

Rehab Tools!

One of my favorite assessment tools for injured water turtles is a large clear bin! This is a 16 pound common snapping turtle during his assessment after being struck by a car. We can tell if the turtle has buoyancy issues, is using or has full movement of all limbs, is drinking, or expels debris and or blood from mouth. Just a note we use caution if there is a possibility of open lung or deep injuries to the body and this should only be done by a trained individual! Please help support the care of these animals by donating today!

WANTED SKUNK SIGHTINGS

Welcome to the first blog for Swamp Girl Adventures! Be sure to keep an eye out for new blogs and updates about whats going on behind the scenes to fun themed weeks like this one! All week long we will be skunking things up with skunk information and videos! ENJOY!!

We are seeking sightings of skunks in Florida! Feel free to share this blog or post this WANTED poster so that we can collect more Skunky data!!