Visiting Blue Ridge Wildlife Center

On Thursday August 29, members of the MOC Beagles were invited to the wildlife center to learn about their rehabilitation program for all sorts of animals. Jennifer Burghoffer a member of the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center Staff, who is a certified wildlife rehabilitator showed us a variety of rescued animals. The first one she introduced to us was a box turtle named Shelly, who has a damaged hind leg that prevents it from being able to survive on its own so Shelly is now part of the  educational program.We then met Slim the juvenile black snake who will so return to his natural sorroundings. Following Slim was Beaker the skunk who is very friendly and not very afraid of anyone or anything and no longer has the ability to spray. So without these tools he is unable to survive in the wild. The Barred Owl was next and what a magnificent bird. Sadly he has permanent damage to a wing that was caught in a barbed wire fence and he can no longer fly. Thus he is another member of the educational team!! The Artic Fox that we saw was acquired from a househould drug raid where this non-native fox was contained in the basement. He is happily adjusting to a more natural existence at the BRWC. The tree frogs were the final display and what delightful creatures they were!!!