From Trash to Treasure: the Rescue of “Greggery the Peccary”
This adorable javelina was found in an in-ground trash can, surrounded by discarded bottles and rubbish. Unable to escape after falling in, the baby was left stranded and alone until a crew of construction workers found him. After calling TWC for advice, our rescue team went out to capture the little peccary. With no herd in sight, the orphaned javelina was brought back to our wildlife hospital where an assessment by our wildlife veterinarian determined he had symptoms of common winter pneumonia and needed medical treatment.
TWC volunteers prepared a soft bed and heating pad so the little one could warm up and gave him a toy stuffed animal equipped with a battery-operated heartbeat for comfort. He snuggled right up to it and dozed off, warming the hearts of our wildlife hospital staff and volunteers.
The little javelina spent a couple of weeks receiving excellent care at TWC. After several local news features, social media users gave him the darling nickname of “Greggery Peccary,” from a Frank Zappa tune released in 1978. After a few weeks of bottle feeding and rest in rehabilitation at TWC, he was transferred and introduced to other javelina. The new herd would spend time integrating before being released together in the wild.
Our first great horned owl renesting!
Early spring heralds the arrival of avian babies, and owls are some of the first to hatch. This little owlet fell 30 feet from her nest at the top of a pine tree! Luckily, she was spotted by a young girl and brought to Tucson Wildlife Center for help.
A check-up by our wildlife veterinarian indicated the little hatchling was dehydrated but otherwise healthy. She was given fluids and spent the night in the incubator for warmth and rest.
The following day our dedicated volunteers brought the owlet back to the tree where she was found. A makeshift nest was prepared using a crate and grass, and the little owl was placed high up in the tree near the original nest. The parents were seen watching the volunteers closely. The parents will tend to both nests until its time for the owls to fledge. At that point they will bail from their nest and spend a few weeks on the ground while they learn to fly.
Support Tucson Wildlife Center on Arizona Gives Day, April 7th!
Tucson Wildlife Center took in 4,060 sick, injured and orphaned animals last year. On average, it costs more than $1,200 a day to run our wildlife hospital.
Tucson Wildlife Center is 100 percent funded by donations from people like YOU. Help us raise extra funds for thousands of wild animals in need of help by donating on AZ Gives Day. You can schedule your gift in advance or donate on April 7th at www.azgives.org/tucsonwildlife.
