, Inc. At Loxahatchee River District 2500 Jupiter Park Drive, Jupiter, Florida 33458 Office: (561)-575-3399 - www.buschwildlife.org - Facsimile: (561)-744-5288 Dear Friends and Supporters, November 28 th, 2016 Season s greetings! Another year has flown by so quickly. We have seen record numbers of animals admitted to our wildlife hospital, and a steady increase of visitors to the Sanctuary. December 2013 marked the 30 th birthday of our organization, but 2017 marks another milestone; the 20 th anniversary of the groundbreaking and subsequent opening of today s at Loxahatchee River District (LRD). Many people often ask how we came to be at this site. It was pure chance and a high school student whose father worked at LRD. I did a wildlife presentation back in 1996 at Jupiter High School and a young lady in the audience raised her hand and asked where the Sanctuary was located. I smiled and simply replied, in my back yard in Jupiter Farms. Back then, I spent my days divided between running around presenting educational programs at schools and to other interested groups, and rescuing and rehabilitating injured wildlife. I did this all out of my back yard. I went on to explain to the student that we were looking for land to build an open-to-the-public facility that would combine a wildlife hospital with a community nature center. To my surprise, a couple of weeks later I got a call asking me to come to meet with the top dogs at Loxahatchee River District. They walked me out to a lushly vegetated part of their 160 acre property and asked if that section would suit our needs. Before I knew it, there was a signed land use agreement and contractors hammering away. Within less than a year, there was a grand opening with a ceremonial ribbon cutting. I always knew that once we opened our doors to the public great things would happen, but no one could have ever predicted that would become one of our country s leading environmental education and wildlife rehabilitation facilities. We are always trying to make improvements to the Sanctuary to provide a quality of life for the animals in our care, as well as a better educational experience for our visitors. With help from people like you, we have created a sanctuary for both wildlife and people. In addition to our work caring for injured animals, children and adults have the opportunity to learn about nature and wildlife. The Sanctuary is not a government-funded facility. As a non-profit organization, our support comes from caring people just like you! In order to continue to provide our valuable services to the community, we need your continued support! Your involvement is essential to the success of the important work we do. Thank you in advance for helping fulfill its mission of preserving Florida s wildlife and natural resources. Your tax-deductible donation, of any size, will affect thousands of injured animals and reach hundreds of thousands of children and adults through our education programs. Your generosity will go a long way, whether you make a financial contribution, donate services or time, or donate materials. Have a wonderful holiday season, and again, thank you for your support. Sincerely, David Hitzig Executive Director P.S. Even if you can t help now, please keep us in mind for your next charitable donation. If you no longer wish to receive communications from, please return the form below with the appropriate box checked. Donation Information (Please Print) Name: Address: City: State: Zip: Phone #(s): E-mail: YES! I want to help save wildlife. Sorry, I can t help at this time and please remove my name from the Sanctuary s mailing list. Contribution Categories Friend $25 Family $50 Parent $100 Guardian $250 Corporate $500 Lifetime Member $2,500 Other $ It would be a bear without you! Please make a donation to help the animals. Important: Please return this completed form along with your donation and any name and/or address corrections to:, 2500 Jupiter Park Drive, Jupiter, Florida 33458
Wildlife At Loxahatchee River District 2500 Jupiter Park Drive Jupiter, Florida 33458 Times Fall 2016 / Winter 2017 www.buschwildlife.org (561)-575-3399 Rescue One - Wildlife Ambulance In Florida, there are no government-funded injured wildlife care facilities. If someone finds an injured wild animal, their only option for help is to find a non-profit organization that specializes in wildlife rehabilitation. There are only a handful of such organizations scattered throughout the State. admits over 5,000 sick, injured, and orphaned wild animals each year. Being a non-profit organization with limited funding, it is impossible to support a full-time road crew to pick up animals. The Sanctuary relies on the public to help with transporting injured animals to its wildlife hospital. Sometimes, for Gray fox in need of help after one reason or another, it is not possible for people to bring animals to getting its head stuck in a gate. the Sanctuary, especially when it comes to a large or potentially dangerous animal. Back in 2001, the Sanctuary received a grant to purchase an ambulance to help with rescues of injured animals. The vehicle was put into service when an animal needed to be transported to the wildlife hospital. The ambulance was manned by Sanctuary staff and volunteers. Sadly, in 2010, the rescue vehicle was stolen. It was later found totally submerged in pond west of town. Police were never able to find the culprits. In 2013 the Sanctuary received a generous contribution to purchase a new ambulance. However, funding to staff a road crew still remains an issue. Then, a glimmer of hope, long-time Sanctuary volunteer, Ed Abraira, stopped by to announce his upcoming retirement. Ed and his wife Karen began volunteering for the Sanctuary with their daughter Alicia in 1999. Alicia was a high school student earning community service credit while volunteering at the Sanctuary, but the whole family was involved, even brother Danny. Ed is a Veteran of the United States Air Force and served 27 years with Palm Beach County Fire Rescue as a Fire Medic. When Sanctuary Executive Director, David Hitzig, learned that Ed was going to have some free time on his hands, he jumped at the opportunity to enlist Ed as the new rescue team leader. With Ed s years of experience working for the fire department and Karen s skills networking with non-profit organizations, this husband and wife team was the perfect match for the Sanctuary s wildlife rescue efforts. Rescue One was born. Although the Abrairas donate their time, running Rescue One is still a costly endeavor. There are fuel costs, insurance, maintenance of the vehicle, and medical supplies. The average donation per rescued animal is less than $8, hardly enough to pay the expenses of having the ambulance on the road, let alone the costs for the care and rehabilitation of the rescued animals. Every day the Sanctuary is flooded with calls about injured animals. Nearly 90% of the injuries are human related; the most common are collisions with automobiles, fishing line entanglement, illegal gun shots, electrocutions, poisonings, and attacks by dogs and cats. Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation is a necessary humanitarian act to lessen the impact man has had on the environment and its inhabitants. Ed Abraira, Sanctuary Rescue Team Want to Help? Send in your donation, Leader, shows off new ambulance. or contact the Sanctuary for more information.
Animal Ambassadors on the Road The Sanctuary s resident animals are an important part of our education and conservation efforts. These animals serve as ambassadors to the animal world and help children and adults learn first-hand about native wildlife and the impacts man has on their survival. Many of the animal ambassadors are very comfortable being on stage for educational presentations. This is Frasier, a sandhill crane, at the Southeastern Wildlife Expo in Charleston, South Carolina last February. Meet Peaches the Spotted Skunk Peaches is a small orphaned spotted skunk that was brought into the Sanctuary. Even when fully grown, she will not be much larger than an adult squirrel. This type of skunk can be found throughout Florida, except for the lower Keys. Skunks are usually active at night and are omnivorous. They eat insects, small animals, berries, and other plant material. They can dig their own burrows, but have been known to take up residence in vacant armadillo or gopher tortoise burrows. Female skunks generally give birth to a litter of 4 to 7 young in the spring. Newborns are blind and have fine hair exhibiting the black and white pattern they will have as adults. When they are about six weeks old, the young begin to follow their mother and learn how to forage for food. The mother and young stay together for several months. Mother skunks teach their young defensive strategies, the most effective being a pungent spray of oily musk from scent glands located near their rear end. The spray can be effectively aimed at targets up to 15 feet away and deters predators such as foxes, bobcats, coyotes and even domestic dogs. Their chief predator however, is the great horned owl, that does not have a sense of smell. Saying Goodbye to an Old Friend Working with animals is a very rewarding experience. It is an honor to be the caregivers for these magnificent creatures. Every once in a while an animal comes along that touches your heart in a different way. That was the case with Enepay, a young Florida Panther that was being kept illegally as a pet. He was confiscated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and given to the Sanctuary. Enepay was only a few weeks old when he came to live with us. Enepay loved being around people and for many years he traveled to schools and other groups to help the Sanctuary educate the public and spread the conservation message about his endangered species. Sadly, at age 15, Enepay passed away from kidney failure. You will be missed, old friend, may you run free and know you will always be in our hearts....a real wild adventure The provides a fantastic learning experience to people of all ages about the fascinating wonders of Florida s wildlife and natural ecosystems. More than just a place to see animals, the Sanctuary truly is a real wild adventure. The Sanctuary s educational exhibits, wildlife presentations, and guided tours are ideal for schools, special interest groups, scouts, community and civic organizations, clubs, birthday parties, corporate picnics, weddings, and camps. Children and adults alike find the Sanctuary and its programs to be informative, entertaining, and extremely educational. Real live animals are a unique part of the learning experience. The Junior Naturalist Program offers school-aged children the opportunity to be a part of the Sanctuary s wildlife rehabilitation and environmental education efforts. The Sanctuary also provides life experience opportunities to special needs youth; works with at-risk children; and provides community service opportunities for students who need to perform hours for school, and adults with court-ordered community service hours. The is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection and conservation of Florida's wildlife and natural resources. This unique refuge combines an environmental learning center with a wildlife hospital. Nature trails lead visitors through pine flatwoods, oak hammocks, and cypress wetlands, where they can encounter a variety of native animals from eagles to panthers, crocodiles, otters, foxes, deer, snakes and more. Bring the whole family for a real wild experience, or schedule your group s visit with the Sanctuary s education department. For more information call: (561)-575-3399.
Foxes Get a Spacious New Home One of the first enclosures built at the Sanctuary nearly 20 years ago was for our red and gray foxes. Over the years it has provided a home to a number of different animals, some that were injured and could not be returned to the wild, and others that were confiscated from people who were keeping them illegally as pets. The old enclosure had a major makeover some years back as part of a Boy Scout Eagle project, but over time, the weather and elements had taken their toll and it was time to build a new habitat for the foxes. We decided to provide the foxes with a major upgrade, fully equipped with hurricane ready night houses, climbing features, and even a trickling waterfall. Both red and gray foxes can be found throughout the state. Gray foxes seem to be a little more common, probably because they only weigh about ten pounds and are omnivorous, allowing them to easily survive in almost any habitat, even in urbanized areas. Gray foxes are great tree climbers and are the only members of the wild dog family in North American with this unique ability. Red foxes are typically red in color with a white tip on the tail. However, they can range in color from red to blonde and even black or gray. Although gray foxes have some red fur, you can easily tell the two apart as the gray foxes have a black tip on their tail. Foxes are generally not aggressive toward people and can be very beneficial in controlling rodent populations. Foxes are essentially nocturnal, but they can be seen feeding around dawn and dusk and occasionally during the day. Mice, rats and other small animals are the mainstays of both foxes diet, although they both will consume almost anything edible, including birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, fruits, berries, insects and some carrion. Creature Feature - Aurora the Red-tailed Hawk Aurora came to the Sanctuary over 14 years ago. She had been a victim of a gunshot injury and had a badly fracture-wing. She was originally admitted to the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine where doctors attempted to repair her wing. Aurora went though extensive treatment, but the damage to her wing was too extensive and it had to be amputated. She now lives a wonderful life at the Sanctuary and is one of our most popular animal ambassadors. Aurora helps our education staff teach children and adults about her species. Red-tailed Hawks are the largest of the hawks found in Florida and get their name from their bright red tail feathers they have as adult birds. Enjoying the Retirement Years Longtime Sanctuary administration employees, Elaine Mariggio and Tina Marmesh, are turning in their keys and starting the next chapter of their lives as they head into the leisure days of retirement. Tina began volunteering at the Sanctuary in 2004. The following year she joined the animal care staff as a full-time employee. However, Tina s background was in management and administration and it quickly became clear that her talents could be better served as the Sanctuary s Administrator. Throughout the years Tina has helped the Sanctuary in many ways from raising baby animals to keeping the books and managing the staff. Tina is a Jack of all trades: before coming to work at the Sanctuary she worked for Pratt & Whitney in advanced engineering and later became the CFO for Mosler Enterprises. Elaine joined the Sanctuary family in 2008 as an Administrative Assistant. Her main responsibilities included answering the phones, admitting incoming injured animal patients, maintaining the membership database, and proof reading the newsletters and other printed material. Elaine Elaine Mariggio earned the honor of being the Sanctuary s oldest employee, but she had no problem keeping up with the younger crowd. Before coming to work at the Sanctuary, Elaine served with the State Department and also worked with Hospice. Both Tina and Elaine were important members of the team. There is no doubt that it will tough to replace them. Although we wish them all the best with Tina Marmesh the next phase of their lives, we hope they will continue to be part of the Sanctuary.
Painting Animals, Not Such a Good Idea Recently, a gopher tortoise and a white ibis were found with paint on their bodies. It may seem harmless to paint a turtle s shell, but it can compromise its health. In the case of the ibis, it can also impair the bird s ability to fly, leaving it susceptible to predation. Both gopher tortoises and white ibis are protected by law and covering them with paint can lead to some serious consequences and even jail time. Whether the individuals involved thought they were being artistic, or even funny, they put the animals lives in jeopardy. The paint could have caused toxic chemicals to have been absorbed into bloodstream and/or respiratory problems could have developed if fumes were inhaled. The animals were bathed in a mild soap solution to remove as much of the paint as possible. Then they were given supportive medical care until it was determined that they were in stable condition. The gopher tortoise was returned to the wild first, but the ibis had a longer stay while it molted the feathers that were impairing its ability to fly. Gopher tortoises are listed as a threatened species. They can live more than 60 years and typically inhabit sandy pine environments. These tortoises dig deep burrows for shelter that can reach over fifteen feet in length and go more than six feet deep. They forage on grasses, low-growing plants, and berries. Gopher tortoises share their burrows with several different species of animals, including the burrowing owl, snakes, frogs, rabbits, and insects. The white ibis is a species of special concern and protected under the federal migratory bird treaty act. They prefer wetland habitats and coastal marshes where they will feed in fresh, brackish, and saltwater environments. Their primary diet is small fish, shrimp, frogs, and insects. They have a unique downward curved long bill, which is used to probe the ground for food while foraging. Young ibis are mottled brown and white, while the adults are all white with black tipped wings. What To Do When You Find Injured Wildlife x Use common sense and think of your safety first x Try to contain the animal x Keep the animal warm & quiet x Do not pet or handle the animal x Do not try to feed or give water to the animal When rescuing a wild animal, your first thought may be to comfort the creature and provide it with food, but handling the animal can cause stress, and feeding can cause harm, since the diets of wild animals are very complex. It is better to do as little as possible until you can get the animal to a wildlife rehabilitation facility. Call for help at: (561)-575-3399 Record Year for Orphaned Baby Fawns This year, the Sanctuary saw a record number of orphaned baby white-tailed deer that were admitted to the wildlife hospital. In some cases, the fawns were so young they still had the umbilical cord attached to their bellies. White-tailed deer prefer habitats with low-growing vegetation on the edge of wooded areas that allow the deer to easily feed and avoid predators. They typically feed on the leaves, shoots, flowers and fruits of trees, and shrubs. When white -tailed deer are alarmed, they hold their tail erect and wave it back and forth like a white flag, signaling a warning to other deer, hence the name white-tailed deer. When they are nervous, deer will often stomp a foot and snort, before running off. It is important to avoid contact with fawns. Although fawns are able to run and follow their mothers shortly after birth, they protect themselves from predators by hiding in tall vegetation. The young fawns have no scent, so the female limits contact with them, except to nurse, so that her scent will not attract predators to the fawn's hiding place. After a few weeks, the fawns begin to follow their mother as she forages for food. The fawn s brown hair and white spots provide excellent camouflage. If you find a fawn and it does not flee, it is best to leave it alone; its mother usually not far away. Many of the young deer brought to the Sanctuary this year may have still been in the care of their mother, but were mistakenly taken by wellmeaning individuals. White-tailed deer are found throughout Florida, including the Keys, where a smaller subspecies can be found living primarily on Big Pine Key and No Name Key. In the 1940 s the Key deer population had dwindled to only 50 individuals. With the establishment of the National Key Deer Refuge in 1957, the population has grown to over 700. However, recently the Key deer population has been greatly affected by a screw worm infestation. Screw worms are actually flies that lay their larva on the skin of the deer. The flesh-eating larva has been responsible for killing over 130 Key deer. A treatment plan is underway that will hopefully bring the infestation under control.
Weekly Activities at the Sanctuary Monday: 4:00pm Alligator & Crocodile Feeding (Alligator & Crocodile Exhibit) Tuesday: Wednesday: 9:30am Story Time for Toddlers Thursday: 12:30pm Hunters of the Sky (Owl Alcove) Friday: 2:00pm Snakes Alive! (Serpentarium) Saturday: 11:00am Wildlife Encounter Program 2:30pm Wildlife Encounter Program Night Walks at the Sanctuary November through March 6pm - 8pm on select Friday Nights Call to make your reservations! (561)-575-3399 Shop and Help Save a Life! The Sanctuary's gift shop offers a wide variety of educational books and toys, jewelry, home décor, and many other unique items. It is a great place to do your holiday shopping or find that perfect gift for a special occasion. Not sure what to buy the wildlife enthusiast in your life? How about a gift certificate? The best part about shopping at Busch Wildlife is that 100% of the proceeds go to support the Sanctuary and its animals. Visit At Loxahatchee River District 2500 Jupiter Park Drive Jupiter, Florida 33458 (561)-575-3399 Visitor Hours: Monday through Saturday 10:00am to 4:30pm Closed Sundays (except for special events) Sanctuary Admission: Walk-in Visitors (friends and family) - Free! (donations are greatly appreciated) Organized groups, private tours, schools, clubs, scouts, birthday parties, and etc., please contact the Sanctuary s education office for more information, pricing and availability. Visit the Sanctuary s website at www.buschwildlife.org Or call (561)-575-3399 for more information. Like us on Facebook Wish List Refurbish Eagle Flight Rehabilitation Enclosure..$40,000 Refurbish Hawk & Owl Flight Rehabilitation Enclosure.$40,000 Rebuild Water Bird Rehabilitation Enclosure......$75,000 Animal Transportation Trailer & Mobile Triage Unit.. $20,000 Rebuild Alligator and Crocodile Enclosure.. $25,000 Annual Funding for Animal Care Supplies and Food.$125,000 Annual Funding for Medication and Medical Supplies...$25,000 Air Conditioning Unit for Animal Kitchen/Commissary $5,000 Audio / Video System for Sanctuary Amphitheater...$5,000 New Outdoor Rehabilitation & Recovery Enclosures..$15,000 Picnic Tables (recycled plastic @ $1,000 each)..$15,000 New Multi-function Copy Machine...$5,000 Pathway to New Wildlife Hospital... $12,000 New Snack Shop (Nature Café & Watering Hole)...$15,000 New Interpretive Signage for Exhibits......$10,000 Supplies and Materials for Nature Classroom....$3,500 New Coyote Habitat......$30,000 New Wild Boar Habitat.....$15,000 Pineland Nature Trail Restrooms..$25,000 Hurricane Shutters...$5,000 Traveling Education Exhibit...$7,500 Animal Care Equipment Storage Unit with Work Area...$15,000 Golf Carts and/or All Terrain Utility Vehicle...$12,000 Salary for Hospital Attendant....$20,800 Salary for Wildlife Rescue Field Staff..$26,000 Salary for Volunteer Coordinator (part time) $17,000 Money...all shapes and sizes! Volunteers.willing to have fun and get dirty!
Help a Wild Friend! Each year the Sanctuary's wildlife hospital treats over 5,000 sick, injured, and orphaned wild animal patients. The Sanctuary's primary goal is to return rehabilitated and recovered animals to their natural habitats. Nearly 90% of the patients admitted to the Sanctuary's wildlife hospital have suffered some type of human related injury, which includes: illegal gunshots, collisions with cars, poisonings, entanglement with fishing line, electrocutions, and attacks by dogs and cats. It is very expensive to provide the professional care needed to treat injured wildlife. The annual medical and grocery bills alone for the Sanctuary total over $150,000.00. The is a non-profit organization; and although it does not charge for its services, the Sanctuary is not a government-funded agency. is funded entirely by donations from caring people just like you! You can help save a life by sponsoring an animal or becoming a member today! Your donation will help provide the necessary food, shelter, and medicine for the animals in the Sanctuary s care. Simply fill out the sponsorship application below and return it to the Sanctuary with your tax-deductible donation for as much as you can. You can sponsor one of the Sanctuary's permanent residents, or choose an animal from the list below. Thank you in advance for your support! Sponsorship Levels Type of Animal Reptiles Water Birds Skunks, Raccoons & Opossums Hawks, Owls & Falcons White-tailed Deer Crocodiles & Alligators Bobcats, Foxes, & Otters Eagles Bears & Panthers Scooter Month $15 $25 $35 $50 $65 $75 $100 $150 $200 Scooter: (River Otter) - taken out of the wild illegally and raised as a pet. Year $180 $300 $420 $600 $780 $900 $1,200 $1,800 $2,400 Spike Spike: (Red Shouldered Hawk) - hit by a car and suffered a fractured wing. Wizard: (Florida Panther) - was lactose intolerant & had other medical issues. Cypress: (White-tailed Deer) - raised illegally as a pet after mother was killed. Maple: (Opossum) - orphaned when mother was hit by a car. Runway: (Bald Eagle) - hit by a car and suffered a fractured wing. Wizard Cypress Maple Runway Sponsorship / Membership Application Name: Address: City: State: Zip: Phone(s): Sponsored Animal: E-mail Address: Monthly Annually $ Amount Friend $25 Family $50 Parent $100 Guardian $250 Corporate $500 Lifetime $2,500 Other z Please send your tax-deductible donation to: 2500 Jupiter Park Drive, Jupiter, FL 33458