Drought, development are displacing wildlife in Utah. How can we help wildlife?

This undated image provided by the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah shows one of five bald eagles that was brought into the center for care.

Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah

As winter snow melts and the warm seasons spring into action, a new generation of Utah wildlife have begun to birth, hatch and open their eyes on a big new world. But the state’s ongoing drought and breakneck human development have pinched food resources and shrunken natural habitats, steepening animals’ odds of survival.

For this reason, the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah, the state’s largest animal rehabilitation organization, is gearing up for a record year of animal refugees — from coin-size hummingbirds to full-grown bald eagles, along with beaver, otter and porcupine.

“We’re expecting a record year. We’ll take in over 4,000 animals this year and up to 40 new clients a day” during peak months, “and we need to know how to treat over 100 different species,” said Dalyn Marthaler, the center’s director.

A long-eared owl is currently being cared for at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah in Ogden.

Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah

The guest list at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah is an example of Utah’s rich animal diversity — yet the growing visitor log is seen by Marthaler and other wildlife experts as a troubling trend.

“We’re seeing more animals showing up emaciated, they’re dehydrated and they’re starving. They don’t have the food source because of the drought. And 90% of what is coming into our center is due to some kind of human impact (like) habitat loss because buildings are going up like crazy,” said Marthaler.

“That’s a problem because it’s reaching way down to squirrels and small animals, which means the prey base is low and that goes all the way up the food chain.”

One of the center’s most common clients is the kestrel, the smallest North American falcon and mainstay of the Utah skyline. The kestrel, recognized by its colorful feathering, has seen declining populations in recent decades, which experts believe is largely related to pesticides and insecticides that move up the food chain and harm many avian species.

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah anticipates taking in over 100 …read more

Source:: Deseret News – Utah News

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