Houston Employees Volunteer at Wildlife Center

Tragically, the drought in Texas last year killed about 10% of the trees in the Greater Houston area. Such a dramatic change left squirrels with fewer places to nest. Mother squirrels were particularly stressed and many were unable to care for their young.

As a result, the Wildlife Center of Texas, a non-profit organization that provides wildlife assistance in and around Houston, was inundated with over 400 abandoned baby squirrels. Except for the year Hurricane Ike struck Texas, the Center had never received more animals in one period of time.

Without mothers, the baby squirrels were in need of syringe-feeding until they were old enough to be transitioned to the wild. At our site in Houston, we saw a great need for help in this regard and decided to devote our One Day volunteer hours to helping the Center, which was nearby.

Keely, Leticia and Juan, who support the enrichment program for our laboratory animals, volunteered to help. In order to volunteer, they had to first complete an orientation one Saturday morning.

They spent eight hours at the Center where they syringe-fed about 250 baby squirrels over 2-3 feedings. They also helped capture rehabilitated screech owls so they could be placed in transport boxes to be re-released in the wild. In addition, the team cleaned barn pens and cages for the larger birds and squirrel cages, respectively.

Last year alone, the Wildlife Center of Texas accepted 9,000 animals, many of which had been injured or displaced due to human influence. Currently, the Center is rehabilitating 24 hawks that were either hit by cars or shot at; an osprey that was hit by a golf ball and broke its wing when it hit the ground; and a group of squirrel babies and smaller birds. For more information about the Center, or to make a donation, visit the Wildlife Center of Texas webpage.