Harsh winter hard on wildlife, rehab center

CASTALIA – When snowstorms and icy winds pound the region each winter, Mona and Bill Rutger fight the elements to feed the menagerie of wild animals in their care.

When conditions are so bad that driving on the roads is banned, the volunteers and employees at Back to the Wild wildlife rehabilitation and nature education center can't get there to tend to the animals.

Instead, the Rutgers, who live nearby, are there to make sure the ducks, eagles, herons and many other animals are protected enough from the elements, have water that isn't frozen and food to eat.

Winter is just as busy of a time for the center, which works to heal hurt wildlife and return it to nature, as the warmer months of the year, said Heather Yount, center staff supervisor.

"These times are just as hard on wildlife," she said. "Most of the animals are just fine outside."

Most birds have a layer of downy feathers that they puff up — making them appear fatter than they are — to stay warm, she said.

But those that are very sick or aren't doing as well in their fenced-in areas at the center need to come inside and be kept in a more controlled temperature, she said.

Inside, there is a row of boxes holding emaciated ducks that are being tube-fed and nursed back to health.

"This time of year, we get inundated with ducks," Yount said. "Last year, we had cage after cage of ducks."

Lake Erie and other waterways freeze, taking away open water where ducks forage for their food supply. Many end up dehydrated and emaciated, she said.

A great blue heron is in a much larger cage, where it also is being tube fed. Some of the larger birds, like herons and egrets, have lost toes to frostbite from spending the winter here.

A nearby refrigerator is full of boxes containing box turtles that are hibernating for the winter.

"We can keep them at the perfect temperature for hibernation," Yount said.

Workers also take the turtles out every 10 days and soak them in water to keep them hydrated. The turtles remain asleep through these activities, she said.

A few box turtles at the center stay awake for the winter because they are used for the center's school programs. They stay in a warm room with reptiles and amphibians.

The center receives several snakes in the winter — including a tiny baby fox snake this year — because they get into homes while searching for warmth.

There is one animal that has no problem during the harsh northern Ohio winters: The center's snowy owl, which cannot be released into the wild and is used as an education animal.

"We've gotten a lot of calls from people worried about him," Yount said. "He's from the Arctic Circle. In comparison to where he's from, this is a sauna."

Sometimes, the animals are warmer than the workers. Yount, wearing two pairs of pants and a heavy coat and boots to keep warm one afternoon last week, made the rounds from cage to cage.

Back to the Wild workers regularly have to take a sledgehammer to frozen water bowls to break up the ice and make sure the animals have fresh water. That's why all the water bowls are made of rubber.

They shovel the walks, sometimes over and over as wind blows snow back onto them, and make sure the blinds pulled along the cages to block the animals from the winds are secure.

With more animals inside, they are constantly cleaning and making sure the heat is at the right temperature for them. This usually leads to higher electric bills, Yount said.

"Every rehabilitation center is working outside in and in the cold," she said. "When you commit yourself to this, you know there will be good days and not as good days."

mksmith@gannett.com

419-334-1044

Twitter: @kristinasmithNM

Want to help?

Back to the Wild is still in need of donations to help pay for food for the animals and for operations.

For information or to donate, visit www.backtothewild.com.