Q&A: Karen McElmurry
Creating a haven for hurt animals
By Catherine Coletti

Center for Wildlife Director Karen McElmurry became interested in working with wildlife during high school while volunteering at a humane society. She has helped care for injured wildlife ever since. As director of the Center in York, Maine, for 18 years, she has experienced firsthand the successes and challenges of taking in high volumes of injured wildlife. Each year, the Center cares for more than 1,500 animals, with the heaviest case load in the summer months. Throughout its history, it has never turned an animal away.

Both Canada and the United States have licensed wildlife rehabilitators that treat sick, orphaned and injured wildlife, with the goal of returning them to the wild. Though there are numerous licensed wildlife rehabilitators in the Gulf of Maine region, the Center for Wildlife joins about two handfuls of other centers in the Gulf of Maine that can care for large numbers of injured animals. Other centers include The Hope for Wildlife Society and Spruce Cove Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, both in Nova Scotia.

McElmurry of the Center for Wildlife spoke to the Gulf of Maine Times about the Center’s work.

Q: What species of animals does the Center for Wildlife (CFW) care for? What are the most common injuries? Are there similar organizations in the region?

A: The CFW treats more than 150 different species of birds, small mammals and reptiles. We do not admit high rabies species like raccoons, fox or skunks. When we receive calls on these species we need to refer the caller to other licensed rehabilitators who handle them. The most common injuries we see are from animals being hit by cars, caught by cats and dogs, birds hitting windows, young mammals that still need care because the mother was live trapped and relocated, and young birds needing care due to habitat destruction or spring cleanup projects around homes.

Many animals that are hit by cars have fractured bones or have some head and eye trauma. Animals caught by cats usually have deep puncture wounds and need to be treated with antibiotics. The summer is our busiest time of year due to migratory birds returning to their nesting grounds, baby birds and mammals getting separated from parents, and turtles being hit by cars as they travel to their egg-laying habitats. There are very few centers that handle a high volume of injured wildlife, but there are about 80 licensed wildlife rehabilitators in the state of Maine.

Q: How far away do the animals come from? How are they transported to the Center?

A: We receive animals from within a 100-mile (161-kilometer) radius. When someone calls the Center about an injured animal, we carefully give detailed instructions on the safest way for them to handle the animal and get it in a box or carrier for transport. Each call needs to be handled differently, as some animals can be quite dangerous for an inexperienced person to deal with. In those cases we would try to find a wildlife rehabilitator close by or a trained volunteer who has experience capturing an injured animal. It is always best for the finder to call before attempting to pick up an injured wild animal.

Q: This past winter, there was an increase in owl injuries, especially among barred owls. What were some of the reasons why more owls needed care this past winter?

A: We received 52 barred owls this winter due to a decline in the red-backed vole in Canada, which is an important prey species for the barred owl. This caused a southern movement of many owls seeking prey throughout the state. Unfortunately, winter is a tough time of year for all of our local owl species that struggle to find enough food and often collide with cars as they travel or hunt near the roads. The influx of the northern owls increased the number of birds being hit by cars and struggling to find enough food with the heavy snow cover and layer of ice on top of the snow. Barred owls may look big from the outside, but underneath all of those feathers is a bird that only weighs between 1 to 1.5 pounds (454 to 680 grams).

Q: Why is it important to rehabilitate wildlife?

A: I believe it is extremely important to rehabilitate wildlife, because natural resources and habitat are being destroyed or damaged at an alarming rate in Maine and across the country. With this depletion of habitat comes the necessity to assist species that are affected by the negative impacts that develop due to this destruction. As animals are forced to live in a closer proximity to humans, there is an increase in injuries and unfortunately deliberate removal or relocation of “unwanted” wildlife. The public is often misinformed about diseases, natural behavior and seasonal behavior of native wildlife. Human development leads to more road mortality, more window hits by birds and more wildlife caught by the roaming house cat. That is when wildlife rehabilitators are invaluable. Wildlife rehabilitators have the training, knowledge and expertise to work with a multitude of species that have very different and specific needs. It is not something that the general public should attempt. Our philosophy at the Center is that every animal, regardless of the species, deserves a second chance at life.

Q: How many staff members do you have? What do volunteers do?

A: There are seven year-round staff and two additional summer staff. Volunteers at the Center help the staff with animal care such as cleaning, preparing food, assisting with baby bird feedings, cage set-up, fundraising, building enclosures and other responsibilities.

Q: What success stories are you especially proud of?

A: There are so many successes at the Center, but I think one that stands out is a red-tailed hawk that had his leg caught in a leg-hold trap here in York [Maine]. The hawk was found in a ditch with the trap on its leg and was brought to the Center. Fortunately, the leg was not broken, but there was a lot of damage to the leg itself. Our veterinarian cleaned the leg and applied a dressing that needed to be changed every other day. It was obvious that the bird was in a lot of pain and discomfort, but he tolerated the daily handling and the bandage changes for three weeks. After a re-evaluation by our veterinarian, he said the leg looked great and we could keep the bandage off and wait for the wound to completely close. After five weeks of being inside in a small cage the hawk was finally put outside in a large flight enclosure where he could once again spread his wings. After two more weeks outside, the hawk was taken back near where he was found and joyfully released back to the wild. After all of these years working with wildlife, I am still amazed at their resiliency and amazing healing abilities. Every animal that is released back to the wild is a success story. I am proud to say we have thousands of those.

Q: How can people help?

A: The Center for Wildlife is a 501 (c) (3) [nonprofit] organization that relies heavily on donations and membership. Joining the CFW allows us to continue to help injured, ill and orphaned wildlife. The Center has an ongoing wish list on our Web site of frequently used items.

For more information, call the Center for Wildlife at (207) 361-1400 or visit their Web site.

Catherine Coletti is assistant editor of the Gulf of Maine Times.

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