Our Shared Environment Be mindful of endangering the local wildlife
Sadly, there are those among us who don't share this column's affinity for the wild and the free.
Some folks seem to classify tulip stubble, rabbit holes, gnawed tomatoes and bird feeder poaching as crimes against humanity -- with punishment to be meted out accordingly.
Frankly, I'm hard-pressed to find anything life-threatening on that list. Each of those wildlife transgressions is little more than a natural way of getting along in the world, much like boarding Metra in the morning or pumping fuel into the SUV.
But what if the shoe were on the other paw?
From the critters' perspective, Naperville, and any other urban environment for that matter, is replete with hazards that go way beyond being annoying. Many can be life-threatening and, at the same time, so innocuous as to be hidden in plain sight.
What, for example, could be more harmless than a soccer net?
Well, in the dark of night, if you are a great horned owl in hot pursuit of a rabbit fleeing across the field and that rabbit takes a hard right between the goal posts, you learn quickly enough. That soccer net becomes owl Armageddon.
What could be more environmentally friendly then recycling a plastic yogurt container?
To a squirrel after that last dab of low-fat raspberry, that container morphs into a permanent chapeau that obstructs eating and breathing, a couple of the more basic necessities. Result: death by yogurt.
We are actually quite adept at handling most of our refuse responsibly. Where's the harm in just one discarded soda can?
Tell that to the raccoon whose paw went in easily enough but now won't come out. Wearing an aluminum glove puts a serious crimp in the raccoon's hunting abilities, or worse, makes it an easy mark for a hungry predator.
Our urban environment is filled with hidden threats for animals of every shape and size and these are just a few of them.
Peanut butter jars have trapped raccoon heads. Landscape netting has caused the untimely demise of fox snakes. Milk and juice bottle rings can get a stranglehold on squirrels. Protective tree netting can snare Cooper's hawks with deadly consequences.
But wait, there's more! Soon Halloween decorations will sprout around town. Seems harmless enough doesn't it? Not necessarily. Consider the effect of that spooky faux web stuff on the flight of finches and chickadees. And exactly how is a deer going to get another meal with a plastic pumpkin hooked on its antler buds?
All these things have happened and have been seen by the animal rescue professionals at DuPage County's Willowbrook Wildlife Center. Often the critters can be successfully released, rehabilitated and returned to the wild -- but not always.
However, in the environment we share, we can help by knowing what to do when finding a stricken animal. It is best to call in the pros. Here in Naperville we are fortunate that top-flight help is available either by contacting Naperville Animal Control or taking the distressed creature to Willowbrook.
Use caution, however. The animal is desperate and frightened. Wear heavy gloves and attempt to calm the animal by covering it, especially the eyes, with a towel or blanket. Place the package -- animal, covering, entrapment and all -- in a covered box and take it to Willowbrook.
Contact Rick Johnson at johnson.rick5@gmail.com.
