Page 15 - Sentinel April 2018

BUNNIES Continued from page 14 BEAR WISE
when you’re not looking) you can safely place the baby back in
the nest, as long as there are no injuries, and then keep the cat Greetings, fellow forest dwellers! Yes, yours’
or dog away for a while. truly and approximately 12,000 of my Colorado
colleagues are waking
Cottontails can be injured very easily by a stray cat or dog, other from our winter hiber-
wildlife and, unfortunately, humans. Window wells are also a nation even as you read
danger especially if uncovered. Babies can fall in breaking legs this newsletter. Our an-
or backs which cannot be fixed. They could sustain a laceration, nual great awakening
puncture wound or more seriously head trauma. And of course is triggered by the tem-
they are trapped so they cannot get out to feed and will most perature gauge and not
likely starve and die. If you do see a bunny in your window the traditional alarm
well and there are NO injuries you can safely pick it up and set clock that you use to
it free. They will not bite but can scratch with their nails, and start your day.
they are pretty tricky to catch.
Depending on season-
If you do find an injured rabbit (baby or adult) it is ok to put al weather trends, our actual awakening can vary from year-
them in a box with a towel to secure them, place in a quiet area, to-year. It’s also not uncommon for us to wake up, leave our
then seek help from a rehabilitator. Be sure to use gloves and dens for a short, then return for some additional ZZZZ time
wash your hands afterward. The rabbit will not want to eat if before hitting the floor on all fours. When the thermometer rises
injured so no need to worry about any food or water. The rehab- enough to signal the end of freezing temps, so do we.
ber will take care of that.
As you may know, winter hibernation is Mother Nature’s way
One of the best ways to find help is to go to www.ahnow.org. of protecting us black bears from starving to death due to dimin-
ished food sources during the cold, long winter months. And
You’ll need to enter your address and the type of wildlife help you thought your pesky brother-in-law who has been camped
you are seeking. This will provide you with a list of rehabilita- out all winter in your basement den was just lazy. Maybe he’s
tors that can help with specific species. I live here in Larkspur actually conserving his energy since you stopped feeding him.
and have been a cottontail and jackrabbit rehabilitator for 14
years and you are welcome to call me with any questions. 303- Speaking of diminished food sources, we need your help to
726-789. Please be aware that I do work full time and may not keep our primary diet limited to what nature provides rather
be able to get back to you right away. I try to return calls on my than what you provide via accessible garbage cans, bird feeders
lunch hour and after work. Thank you in advance for caring and and intentional feeding. With the extremely dry weather, what
I look forward to a safe and happy spring for all our wildlife. nature offers as a menu of natural food choices has decreased
over the past couple of years. This makes your cooperation
P.S. Check your grass BEFORE you mow!!! even more crucial to help keep us healthy and safe from the
dire consequences of eating food you provide
Some rabbit facts: .
• Rabbits are not rodents, they are lagomorphs. Deliberately feeding us black bears is not only unethical; it’s
• Gestation period is 26-28 days and litter size is usually 1 to illegal and if reported to local law enforcement will result in a
9 babies. fine – for the human not the bear. Some intentional bear feeders
• Their eyes open at approximately 6-8 days of age, leave the explain that they do so because they feel sorry for us or want to
nest at about 13-16 days and are fully independent at the age of befriend us like a pet. Do yourself and us a favor: if you want a
15-18 days. pet, rescue a needy dog or cat from the local Humane Society.
• It is not unusual for the babies to be unattended for long pe- We bears are not petable, and we are very unpredictable. Once
riods of time. we lose our fear of people due to associating humans as provid-
• Stress is the biggest cause of death in wildlife. ers of an “easy” food source, we soon become a nuisance and,
more importantly, a physical danger to you and your neighbors.
Twenty-seven area bears were euthanized by the Colorado De-
partment of Game and Wild Life in 2017 for this reason. Bot-
tom line: If you really care, don’t feed the bear.

Let’s make the month of April Bear-Care Month by taking the
following actions:
• Never intentionally or inadvertently feed us!
• If not already done, make this the season you purchase a “bear
proof” garbage can. This small investment amortized over your
Continued on page 17
Perry Park Sentinel April 2018 - Page 15