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Nebraska Wildlife Rehab is seeing a spike in animals in need of care after severe storms swept through the area this weekend. On an average day this year, the organization takes in about 25 animals, but on Saturday, they received 134 — more than five times the usual amount. Workers say they are preparing for what could be a record-breaking month due to the storms. “May is always the busiest month of the year. And that is driven by baby mammals, the start of baby bird season, and of course, storms,” said Laura Stastny, executive director of Nebraska Wildlife Rehab. Nebraska’s severe weather, starting on Friday and ending Monday, brought in a total of more than 400 animals in need of care.”In the first half of May, we’ve already received more than 1,200. So, we really think we’re probably on track to get in more than 2000 baby animals in the month of May,” Stastny said.It’s driven by the increase in damage often caused to many animals’ nests and burrows during storms, as well as the increase in new babies around this time of year. “If we get a big storm during that time, that’ll bring baby squirrels out in May. At this time of year, it’s the start of baby songbird nesting season. So, a lot of birds will come down when there’s high winds,” Stastny said. While the animals may be cute, the cost of rehabilitation is significant, averaging $145 per animal. Stastny said the organization has seen record animal intake numbers in recent years, and the trend is continuing to rise. “Within the next five years, we’ll be getting more than 10,000 animals a year. And that’s a lot that requires more staff, more volunteers and that sort of thing,” Stastny said. What to look for If you see wildlife that you believe may need rehabilitation, Stastny recommends a few checks first. If the animal appears injured, call them immediately at 402-234-2473.”We ask people to keep their eyes out for tiny animals that are on the ground. A lot of times when those babies get cold, they’re not moving around much. So, it kind of takes an eagle eye to see that those babies are on the ground. The next thing we want people to think about is that if that baby’s not injured, we want to try to return it to the nest or return it to its mother,” Stastny said.If a baby animal’s mother does not come back within four to six hours, contact the center for more information on what to do. How you can helpBecause of the record increase in intake, Stastny said the center relies heavily on donations and volunteers.You can donate to their website directly, or donate household supplies directly, like paper towels, washcloths, bath towels, newspaper, and dog and cat food.Stastny said the summer months are crucial for volunteers, but they rely on individuals who can commit to training and routine volunteer hours.Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
Nebraska Wildlife Rehab is seeing a spike in animals in need of care after severe storms swept through the area this weekend.
On an average day this year, the organization takes in about 25 animals, but on Saturday, they received 134 — more than five times the usual amount. Workers say they are preparing for what could be a record-breaking month due to the storms.
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“May is always the busiest month of the year. And that is driven by baby mammals, the start of baby bird season, and of course, storms,” said Laura Stastny, executive director of Nebraska Wildlife Rehab.
Nebraska’s severe weather, starting on Friday and ending Monday, brought in a total of more than 400 animals in need of care.
“In the first half of May, we’ve already received more than 1,200. So, we really think we’re probably on track to get in more than 2000 baby animals in the month of May,” Stastny said.
It’s driven by the increase in damage often caused to many animals’ nests and burrows during storms, as well as the increase in new babies around this time of year.
“If we get a big storm during that time, that’ll bring baby squirrels out in May. At this time of year, it’s the start of baby songbird nesting season. So, a lot of birds will come down when there’s high winds,” Stastny said.
While the animals may be cute, the cost of rehabilitation is significant, averaging $145 per animal. Stastny said the organization has seen record animal intake numbers in recent years, and the trend is continuing to rise.
“Within the next five years, we’ll be getting more than 10,000 animals a year. And that’s a lot that requires more staff, more volunteers and that sort of thing,” Stastny said.
What to look for
If you see wildlife that you believe may need rehabilitation, Stastny recommends a few checks first. If the animal appears injured, call them immediately at 402-234-2473.
“We ask people to keep their eyes out for tiny animals that are on the ground. A lot of times when those babies get cold, they’re not moving around much. So, it kind of takes an eagle eye to see that those babies are on the ground. The next thing we want people to think about is that if that baby’s not injured, we want to try to return it to the nest or return it to its mother,” Stastny said.
If a baby animal’s mother does not come back within four to six hours, contact the center for more information on what to do.
How you can help
Because of the record increase in intake, Stastny said the center relies heavily on donations and volunteers.
You can donate to their website directly, or donate household supplies directly, like paper towels, washcloths, bath towels, newspaper, and dog and cat food.
Stastny said the summer months are crucial for volunteers, but they rely on individuals who can commit to training and routine volunteer hours.
Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
