Welcome to Project Wildlife!

Squirrels often get a bad rap. They raid bird feeders. They can chew through just about anything. They dart out in front of cars. But they are nature's gardeners. They have a peculiar habit of taking seeds, which are their main source of nutrients, and burying them. They bury them throughout the environment, and often, when they go back and look for them, they forget where they are. When that happens, they are effectively planting seeds.

Sadly, Opossums only live 1 -2 years in the wild. People fear opossums due to rabies, but they aren’t common carriers of rabies. Opossums are generally shy and avoid people. Opossums are helpful by cleaning up dead animals (carrion) on the road. They also help to control rodent and insect populations

In many cases, the insects they eat are ones that humans don't particularly like. One study found that approximately 70% of the insects that skunks regularly consumed were considered nuisance species by humans. These include cockroaches, grasshoppers, and spiders, all of which humans tend to devote significant effort toward removing. Skunks also hunt a wide variety of other species that people don't like, including snakes and rodents. 

Raccoons play a positive role in the ecosystem, spreading seeds and reducing pest populations. Raccoons are survivors. Their cleverness, dexterity, curiosity and easygoing natures make raccoons extremely adaptable. Rather than becoming extinct in the face of habitat loss and human destruction, raccoons have learned just to roll with it.

Birds Keep Our Ecosystems Running Smoothly. Birds disperse seeds, spreading plants into new areas. Birds such as hummingbirds help pollinate plants. Birds like hawks and owls help keep the mouse and rat population in check. Birds eat millions of mosquitoes and other biting insects each year.

Other common animals that come through our doors for care include, bats, fox, bunnies and more!