Animal Ambassadors

An Animal Ambassador is an animal who lives in human care and is a representative for their species. They are educators and help us teach about our wildlife neighbors. They attend educational programs to give visitors an up-close experience with species they may otherwise not see. Our goal is to inspire empathy for our wildlife neighbors through education and conservation. 

Please note that the Kalamazoo Nature Center is not a rehab facility; we do not take injured or orphaned wildlife.

Support our Animals here

Reptiles

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Silo the Corn Snake
Milk Snake
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Crouton the Eastern Box Turtle
Alex the Painted Turtle
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Clark the Map Turtle

Amphibians

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Oakley American Toad

Birds

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Mammals

Maple Domestic Rabbit
Juniper Domestic Rabbit

Invertebrates

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Dubia cockroach

Issues and Learnings

Rodenticide

Rodenticide is just as harmful to rodents as it is to the wildlife that eats them. They are designed to entice rodents to eat them, but other wildlife such as squirrels, opossums, skunks, raccoons, and foxes will often consume the poison. 

Many poisonings occur secondarily when the animal is predated on and eaten by another animal. Since rodenticide rarely leads to an immediate death, the poisoned animal becomes slow and is easier to predate on. If a predator consumes several poisoned individuals, the rodenticide bioaccumulates, or builds up, in their bodies. This often causes a slow and painful death. It is difficult for wildlife rehabilitators to identify rodenticide poisoning as there is no test for it.

Scavengers such as opossums, turkey vultures, and bald eagles are also susceptible when they eat the poisoned carcasses.

Alternatives:

Use snap traps or electric traps to get rid of pests in the home. Never use glue traps as they are inhumane and indiscriminate- many other animals can become stuck to them.

Seal entry points into your home. Secure food resources that may attract rodents.

Encourage predator species such as snakes, hawks, and owls to live nearby to reduce the rodent population. Put up nest boxes for owls.

Resources: 

https://wildlifecenter.org/help-advice/wildlife-issues/rodenticide-poisoning-wildlife 

Habitat Destruction

There are many causes for habitat loss, including natural phenomena as well as human causes. Volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, tornados, and hurricanes are the major natural causes of habitat change and loss. Humans change the landscape through various activities such as agriculture, land development, water development, pollution, and climate change. Construction of roads, dams, houses, and commercial areas fragment habitats. These smaller sections of a habitat may not be enough to support certain species, especially migratory ones.

What you can do to help: 

Consider planting native species in your yard and encourage neighbors, schools, and businesses to do the same. Offer a water source for wildlife. Native plant species not only provide food but also shelter for a variety of local wildlife. Register your space as a Certified Wildlife Habitat®!

Resources:

https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Threats-to-Wildlife/Habitat-Loss 

https://ugc.berkeley.edu/background-content/habitat-loss-restoration/ 

Road Mortality/Car Strikes

Road mortalities often occur during low or moderate traffic volumes and especially at night. Drive slow at night, especially on country roads, and look out for animals attempting to cross the road, especially during migration season.

Littering increases the risk of car strikes in many species. The litter of human food attracts species such as mice, opossums, and skunks. Predator species have learned this and will often wait near roads for their prey which makes them more likely to be struck by vehicles.

What you can do to help: 

Never litter, especially out of your vehicle. 

Advocate for wildlife crossing structures to help wildlife navigate busy roadways.

Resources: 

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/clas/ctip/wildlife_crossing_structures/ch_2.aspx 

https://ncwf.org/blog/road/ 

https://wildlifecenter.org/help-advice/wildlife-issues/message-apple-core 

Nature's Clean Up Crew

Scavengers, detritivores, and decomposers are vital to the health of the ecosystem. They help break down what most animals don’t want: dead stuff. This process recycles important nutrients such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorous so the ecosystem can use it again.

If these dead plants and animals weren’t consumed and recycled, they would build up and nutrients would be quickly depleted. Imagine none of the fall leaves broke down. They would build on each other, year after year.

Vultures are especially important to ecosystems as their strong stomach acids are capable of processing and removing harmful diseases. Their bodies can break down rabies, botulism, anthrax, and other diseases and poisons that would otherwise spread and diminish a population.

Often given a thankless job, these animals play a vital role in keeping our ecosystem clean and healthy.

Resources: 

https://www.knowledgeboat.com/question/differentiate-between-scavengers-and-detritivore–900240303930689700 

Wild Pet Trade

“According the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) the illegal trade of wildlife is a multi-million dollar industry. The majority die in transit from the wild to the auction block or from auction to their new homes in zoos, with private collectors, exhibitors, pet owners, and pet stores.”

Many people who attempt to care for wild animals do not have the appropriate resources, knowledge, and financial capability to do so. Additionally, it can be extremely difficult and expensive to find an exotic vet who can treat these animals.

What you can do to help: 

If looking to acquire a native or non-native species, always do your research! Ensure you are able to care for that animal for the entirety of their life (turtles often live to be over 100 years old!) and for their full adult size (pythons can grow over 30 feet!). There are many rescues full of surrendered exotic pets who are looking for homes. If you are looking to purchase an animal, ensure they are coming from a reputable breeder rather than wild-caught.

Resources: 

https://www.nhes.org/exotic-pet-trade/ 

Imprinting

Imprinting occurs within the first few hours, weeks, or months of an animals life. Birds and some mammals imprint. Imprinting is the process in which an animal learns what species they are and how to behave appropriately as that species. 

Human-imprinted animals often don’t know how to hunt for themselves, what predators to look out for, or who to mate with. They don’t learn the social skills to interact with their own species.

Imprinting is an irreversible mental process that means an animal is unable to be released back to their natural habitat as they lack the necessary skills to survive.

What you can do to help: 

If you find a young bird or mammal in need of help, contact a local wildlife rehabilitator. Do not attempt to raise the animal yourself. Rehabilitators know how to raise young animals to prevent imprinting so they can be released back to their natural habitat. 

A list of Michigan rehabilitators can be found here: https://www2.dnr.state.mi.us/dlr/ 

Water Quality

Many invertebrate and amphibian species, especially salamanders, are considered indicator species. These indicator species are more sensitive than others to water quality that may be contaminated due to pollution, poor oxygenation, or other environmental factors. They have specific parameters their habitat must abide by in order for them to reproduce, grow, and thrive.

With the increase of herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers, road salt, and other toxins, runoff from rainfall and snow melt brings those chemicals into our local waterways, polluting them.

Many folks have remarked on the decline of salamanders seen in the wild. This is likely due to the declining water quality as well as fewer vernal pools. Vernal pools are ephemeral pools that occur in the springtime due to snowmelt. With drier winters, there are less vernal pools available for salamanders and other amphibians to mate in and lay their eggs.

What you can do to help:

Avoid using non-natural herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers at home. Purchase organic produce from local farmers.

Use sand instead of road salt to provide traction on icy surfaces.