1st Response Wildlife - Tucson's Humane Animal Trapping & Removal Services

The sad tale of two Red Tail Hawks

Red Tailed Hawks are one of the few hawks that mate for life. They can be seen sitting on power poles, along the highway in trees, and on the tops of Saguaro cactus. They are large, beautiful hawks, easily identified by their colorful red tail.

Recently 1^st Response Wildlife received a call from a homeowner that had “some kind of large bird,” in their back yard between their perimeter wall and some large rocks. The “large bird,” was immediately identified as a Red Tail hawk. It did not seem to want to fly away and the first impression was that it might be hurt. (see below)

Using Raptor gloves and a net, it was easily captured by 1^st Response Wildlife and, upon inspection of its wings, (see below), it was determined that they were not damaged but, two of its talons were at a 90-degree angle and appeared broken. This, however did not seem to be an external reason for the Red Tail to be on the ground and essentially immobile.

A 360 inspection of the Red Tail seemed to show it was in some state of shock and, while it could maintain itself in an upright position while holding on to the Raptor gloves, it did not seem to be ready to be released back into the wild.

Red Tail-easily provides for identification.

A decision was made to take it to a rehabber for closer inspection by a veterinarian and, the next day, it was learned it indeed had been sick, also was covered in mites, was dehydrated, had passed away, and probably had picked that homeowner’s protected spot next to the wall to die.

Having a Red Tail die, even of natural causes is sad. What was a bit out of the ordinary, in addition to having been present when a Red Tail had chosen a place to die was, that, in the area where this Red Tail was found, Red Tails are rarely seen so, to have one show up in that neighborhood was a surprise. (About a mile away, they are seen routinely, soaring and hunting, and scanning the desert floor from atop power poles.)

Surprisingly, almost immediately after this Red Tail was removed from the homeowner’s property and, for the following few weeks, another Red Tail Hawk has shown up and has been seen perched on the top of a Saguaro and also soaring/circling around the neighborhood. As, Red Tailed Hawks are almost never seen in this particular area, the fact another Red Tail Hawk has suddenly shown up and apparently has been looking for its now departed mate, makes this tale of the two Red Tails even more sad.

 

 

1^st Response Wildlife is a business that cares for the animals in southern Arizona and works hard to ensure their safety-both in the process of trapping and relocation. When animals and, in this case, mates, are separated permanently from their life long mate, it bears reporting because the fact that animals themselves care and are committed to each other is a story worth telling.

If you have any questions concerning wildlife or have nuisance animals that you would like to have relocated, please consider giving 1^st Response Wildlife a call.

Thanks for considering 1st Response Wildlife 

Josh's Cell (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), badgers, Javelina, coyotes, snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, hawks, ducks, opossums, squirrels (ardilla), peacocks, coatimundi (gato solo), skunks (mofeta), ringtails, exotics, and domestic cats and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, burrowing under your home, making nests, creating a nuisance, and raising their young too close to your pets or children or have an exotic sighting in your neighborhood. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

Stray, Injured Animal Capture and Transport by 1st Response Wildlife

From time to time, as a wildlife company, 1^st Response Wildlife receives calls asking for transportation of an injured wild animal to a animal rehabilitation hospital.  There are also calls for stray dogs to be caught and taken to Animal Control.  These calls come from homeowners and business owners who have not been able to find any other agency to help transport or capture and deliver an animal to an appropriate institution.

While wildlife services are the primary business for 1^st Response Wildlife, there are many times when the call for a sick, or injured dog has to be dealt with. In the case of dogs, almost all breeds can be transported.

Each call is different but 1^st Response Wildlife is prepared.  Below are but a few examples and the methods of transport provided to ensure a safe and rapid response to these calls.

In most cases, a call will be received for a simple transport to either an Animal Hospital ER, or to Animal control.  In other cases, a stray dog, a nuisance feral dog, or an injured pet is the reason for the call.

If a dog needs to be captured and transported, 1^st Response Wildlife has a variety of means for capture-none of which harm the animal.

Below are two large dogs that were captured, placed in transport kennels and taken to Animal control.

The two German Shepherds pictured below were found in a neighborhood and 1^st Response arrived on the scene and caught them in a back yard and transported them to Animal Control.

The first is being safely transported in a secure kennel and the second is at Animal Control being checked in.

From time to time, a sick or injured animal needs to be removed from a home or business and taken to an Animal ER.  Pictured below is a 160lb very sick dog that had to be taken to an Animal Hospital ER.

To handle domestic animals of any size, 1^st Response Wildlife has acquired a variety of equipment to handle the job.  Kennels of every size-small-to-large (the large ones are seen in the pictures above.)  For sick or injured animals, 1^st Response Wildlife also has a variety of animal transport stretchers from small-to- large and from soft-to-firm.

There are firm animal transport stretchers like this 6 foot pet backboard with slots for snug transport straps.

A 4 foot long wider animal transport stretcher

Then there are soft pet transport stretchers that provide for secure transport to move an animal out of a tight space or down a narrow hallway.  Below are a large-5'8" stretcher and a 3' stretcher

Again, while wildlife is the primary business for 1^st Response Wildlife, however, if you have a dog you would like transported or caught and taken to Animal Control, please consider giving 1^st Response Wildlife a call to discuss.

Thanks for considering 1st Response Wildlife 

Josh's Cell (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), coyotes, Javelina, snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, hawks, ducks, opossums, squirrels (ardilla), peacocks, coatimundi (gato solo), skunks (mofeta), ringtails, exotics, and domestic dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children or have an exotic sighting in your neighborhood. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

Coyote-Well On Its Way To Becoming a Chupacabra, Captured By 1st Response Wildlife

Coyotes in Southern Arizona are a fairly common sight.  Often you can hear them “singing,” at night if they have their next meal cornered.  For the most part, coyotes seen in and around urban areas have become quite comfortable living in close proximity with humans.  The challenge this presents, of course, is that an unattended small pet often becomes a target for coyotes, with stories each year of coyotes killing cats, small dogs, chickens, and pet rabbits.  The term, Anthropogenic, is used to describe a situation where humans have had an effect on nature.  This term is often used to describe how urbanization of what formerly were open spaces, has caused coyotes to adapt to humans, buildings, and man-made habits and structures instead of historical environments around southern Arizona that only had cactus, trees, desert, and creosote. 

Coyotes, living in urban areas, such as Tucson, South Tucson, Oro Valley, Green Valley, Vail, Saddlebrooke, and Catalina, because of their adaptive nature have expanded their food source from wild animals, road kill, and rodents to garbage, pets, and, in some cases cat/dog food from well meaning citizens who leave food out for feral cats.  Hunting range, limited by structures and homes can reduce hiding places for prey and increase the potential for a meal that might be easier to obtain that hunting down and chasing a bobtail or jack rabbit in the open desert.  This absence of fear has encouraged urban coyotes to the extent that they have been known to team-stalk someone walking their dog – where one coyote will approach from the front and the second and third will come up behind the dog walker and little dog(s) in an attempt to obtain an easy meal.  Often, coyotes can become bold and do not necessarily run away when they encounter humans.  Some might think this is because they mean to attack, but it may only be because former encounters with humans didn’t result in anything hurtful-reinforcing a comfort level that is not seen in other wild animals.

Recently, 1^st Response Wildlife was called to investigate and possibly trap a coyote that had been seen repeatedly around a heavily populated area.  What was of particular concern by the Property Management Organization was that one particular coyote consistently was approaching the residents/renters and had been observed as close as 5 feet.  It was also reported that this particular coyote did not look well and, in fact had begun to look like it was on its way to becoming a “Chupacabra.”  (A Chupacabra, if you Google it, was once thought to be a scary mythical animal that attacked at night and was eventually named a goat-sucker/Chupacabra because it attacked domesticated animals, was hairless, and somewhat emaciated=scary)  Scientists eventually realized that the term Chupacabra and the appearance of the animals documented were really just a coyote, a wild dog, or even a fox, with all having lost their hair due to Mange and, were probably too sick to chase normal wild prey.

There are three types of mange and all are caused by small mites called Sarcoptic mites which burrow under the skin, resulting in the animal scratching the area and eventually, as the mites spread, an animal becomes weaker and loses its hair in the areas where the infestation/mites reside.  In the worst cases, in addition to losing hair, the animal develops bacterial infections as well – resulting in a very scary looking and smelly “beast,” of mythical folklore. Untreated, the mites keep burrowing in the host animal and can be transferred from one animal to another but are unique to the type of host animal.  So, if a coyote has mange, also called Scabies, the mange is easily transferred in the den, where the coyotes come in close contact to each other, or to a dog that may have contact with a coyote but escapes.  If a human were to come in contact with that particular canine mite, while some mites could be transferred to the human and cause some itching, a canine mite cannot survive on a human host and will eventually die.

Below are a couple of internet copied pictures of animals (Chupacabras) that are examples of the end state of what mange can do. (They are but two of dozens that can be found and are shown here for comparison purposes to the pictures of the coyote in question-further in this blog.)

 

After an inspection of the area where the coyote had been reported/seen and, as a result of numerous eye-witness descriptions of a rather ugly/sickly/scary looking coyote, 1^st Response Wildlife set some traps that are specific to canines. 

The beauty of these traps is that they are not designed to catch cats, Javelina, bobcats, raccoons, or coatimundi.  They also do not harm the animal but, hold it until a trapper can arrive, transfer it to a carrier and move it to another location.  With respect to this particular coyote and, based on all the reports, 1^st Response Wildlife was fairly certain that this was probably a fairly sick coyote, with mange, that would need to, after capture, be taken to a rehabilitation location for inspection by a veterinarian.  (Left alone in the wild, the Property Management Company and the residents/renters who had encountered the coyote at close range, reported that, it did not look like a healthy coyote and, its lack of mobility suggested that, without medical attention, it might not survive.  In the mean time, however, they were all worried about the safety of their pet dogs and cats many of which were walked 2-3 times a day.)

Here we see the first picture of the captured target coyote.  It has not been hurt and is just waiting for help.

Here we see the coyote, transferred to a carrier for transport to a rehabilitation facility. (Note its undernourished condition and the absence of hair on the rear end of the animal above the tail.)

Here is a close up of the right hindquarters of the target coyote clearly showing all the hair missing with a full blown case of mange.  This animal, without help, certainly is on its way to looking like one of the Chupacabras pictured above.

The following day (animal was captured late in the evening), the animal was transported to a rehabilitation center which logged it into their facility where date, time, location of acquisition took place (for Arizona Game and Fish Department's records) and an assessment was made by a veterinarian. Thankfully, the animal was not harmed and there was a place in Tucson to take it for evaluation and follow through.

If you are a homeowner, business owner, Property Management Company and you find that you have a nuisance animal in or around your property, please give 1^st Response Wildlife a call to discuss options for dealing with it or humanely removing it.

Thanks for considering 1st Response Wildlife 

Josh's Cell (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, hawks, ducks, squirrels (ardilla), peacocks, coatimundi (gato solo), skunks (mofeta), exotics, and domestic cats and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children or have an exotic sighting in your neighborhood. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

Great Horned Owl Sounds Alarm-1st Response Wildlife Responds

Southern Arizona has some of the most spectacular sunrises and sunsets. Homes are built with picture windows that allow for viewing the sights as well as shielding the home in the summer months from the most intense sunlight. Perhaps you have windows like these or even larger.

In any case, these windows also can become incidental hazards for our avian desert dwellers. There are lots of reports of Cooper’s hawks chasing doves or quail during daylight hours and having those fleeing capture smashing into what, to the hunted, is an escape route. Homeowners report stunned or worse, maimed or killed, humming birds, quail, and doves that have mistaken a window as a path to safety. Rarely, but, recently, several incidences of Owls hitting windows, for whatever reason, have resulted in early morning loud thuds on picture windows. One such collision resulted in a Great Horned Owl hitting a picture window with such force that it set off the home alarms. Needless to say, the family and their dogs were startled and seriously concerned as to the nature of the sound of something hitting their picture window and then the subsequent screaming of their alarm. On the patio, outside the picture window, they found this Great Horned Owl, stunned and out-cold. 1st Response Wildlife was called and after an on-the-spot evaluation it was determined that, while the Owl was immobile, it was alive and should be taken to a licensed rehabber for further inspection. What remained a mystery was what had brought a Great Horned Owl onto a covered patio with such force that it ended up smashing into the picture window. 1st Response Wildlife carefully gathered up the Owl and transported it to a rehabilitation site. (Here you can see the Owl, in a safe transport carrier-still out-cold.)

Upon arrival at the rehabber, the Great Horned Owl, (pictured here), has recovered somewhat, but is still a little foggy.

The rehabber logged the Great Horned Owl into their facility-capturing location the Owl had its incident, time, and date. (This is for their log that must be kept and reported to the Arizona Game and Fish Department on all animals submitted for rehabilitation). A thorough inspection of the Owl was completed and it was determined that nothing was broken and it will be kept until it is fully back to normal, at which time, it will be released back into the wild. A discussion as to the reason for the Owl hitting the picture window in the first place remains a bit of a mystery but, since the rehabber has two more Owls that have also had picture window mishaps, there are some theories as to whether this particular Great Horned Owl was being chased by another Owl that wanted this one out of its territory. Theory being that there was no prey in or around the patio where this collision occurred and the Owl had to fly a ways into and under a significant patio overhang. There may never be a complete explanation for this mishap but, based on the physical condition of the Owl, and the care that will be provided by the rehabilitation center, the story appears to be headed to a happy ending for the Owl. The homeowner and the family where it occurred are happy that the Owl is doing well and they did not have any serious damage happen to their home.

While rescuing wildlife is not the primary service provided by 1st Response Wildlife, from time to time, capture and transport to a rehabilitation center is provided.

If you would like help with Nuisance animals, noises in your building, up in your attic, your chimney, see or hear something in or around your home, business, or property and would like help identifying it, humanely removing it, with the assurance it will be relocated to live in a safe environment, please give 1^st Response Wildlife a call to discuss your options.

Thanks for considering 1st Response Wildlife 

Josh's Cell (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), coyotes, snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, hawks, ducks, opossums, squirrels (ardilla), peacocks, coatimundi (gato solo), skunks (mofeta), ringtails, exotics, and domestic cats and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children or have an exotic sighting in your neighborhood. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

Roadrunner placed in Rehab by 1st Response Wildlife

Here in the Southwest, we have the largest member of the cuckoo family, the Greater Roadrunner.

Lovingly characterized in cartoons and folklore as an extremely fast runner, friendly and quirky, and mostly unafraid of human interaction, this bird really serves our area well as a significant predator. The Roadrunner feeds on insects, rodents, lizards, snakes, and, even snatches baby quail, from time to time.  These birds run through the desert with surprising speed-12-15 mph and, if really startled or attempting to avoid predators or cars, will fly short distances. 

Recently, 1^st Response Wildlife was called to inspect a residence for nuisance animals and, during the course of checking the perimeter, discovered the presence of feral cats.  It seems neighbors in three homes surrounding the property being inspected were placing food and water outside for the cats and several cats were living in the neighborhood, to include one found on the roof of the property under inspection.

Neighbors reported that, in addition to feral cats, a Roadrunner had been living in the area for a while but, recently, they had observed it seemed unable to walk very well and they were concerned that it couldn’t run fast enough to escape a feral cat attack or even capture some of its normal prey.  Fortunately, the Roadrunner was found in the back yard of the property where 1^st Response Wildlife was doing the nuisance inspection and it was captured and was taken to a rehabber.  The rehabber inspected the injured foot and determined that, after a period of rehabilitation, where it will be fed and safely protected, its foot will heal and it will be eventually released back into the wild.

Here is the Greater Roadrunner safely housed in a transport container on its way to the rehabber.

Many residents of Tucson and the surrounding communities really underestimate the number of species and variety of wildlife that live in close proximity to homes, businesses, parks, and neighborhoods. 

Arriving prepared for almost anything is fundamental to providing the quality of service 1^st Response Wildlife’s customers expect.  1^st Response Wildlife had the equipment, experience, and relationships with rehabbers to deal with the surprise of finding an injured Roadrunner in conjunction with a nuisance animal call.  If you have bobcats, ringtails, or raccoons creating a nuisance, snakes in and around your home or business, scurrying or animal noises in your attic, bats observed in places where they shouldn’t be, please give 1^st Response Wildlife a call.

Thanks for considering 1st Response Wildlife 

Josh's Cell (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, hawks, ducks, squirrels (ardilla), peacocks, coatimundi (gato solo), skunks (mofeta), exotics, and domestic cats and dogs. He delivers service that is 

Animal Education, Animal Capture, Animal Trapping, Animal Rescue, Animal Relocation-1st Response Wildlife Does It All!

Southern Arizona, the Sonoran Desert, and greater Tucson are homes to a number of wild animals.  Many are beautiful, when observed in the wild, but can be a threat to small pets, children, and a nuisance to a business or residence.  The Arizona Game and Fish Department has very clear guidelines for approaching situations where an animal or reptile is observed on and around property.  Whenever possible, the protocol is to observe, accommodate, film, and appreciate our wildlife-but not disturb.

However, if you, as a homeowner, a business owner, a Property Management Company, or a renter, feel that an animal, reptile, or even a dog has become destructive, a nuisance, or a threat to yourself, your family, or a pet, please consider giving 1^st Response Wildlife a call to discuss your options.

The general rule of thumb, 1^st Response Wildlife follows, is to first listen, understand, and investigate a concern.  Information and education about a particular animal may be all that is necessary to put one’s mind at ease.  However, if an animal or reptile turns out to be an orphan, is living too close to a home, burrowing under sheds, decks, and/or is destructive or threatening in nature, then a plan of action which often includes an open free style capture, trapping the animal, or even rescuing it, may be the best response.  In most cases, nuisance animals, reptiles, and birds, will be relocated to a safe but distant location from where they were captured. (Birds, rescued/retrieved from a chimney, often will be released immediately, in the area where they were captured-after the chimney/entry point has been sealed up, to ensure they remain in their home area but do not venture back down into an open-ended chimney stack.)

The list of animals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds which 1^st Response Wildlife works with customers to better understand and direct the recommended plan of action, is quite extensive.  With the exception of protected species and those which need special one-time permits from Arizona Game and Fish Department to remove and relocate, services available to homeowners, businesses, Property Management Companies, and renters include Education, Capture, Trapping, Rescuing, Relocation, and seminars about:

Animals and Reptiles of Arizona, Bobcats, Raccoons, Ringtails, Coatimundi, Foxes, Skunks, Squirrels, Pack Rats, Harris’ Antelope Squirrels, Kangaroo Rats, Rabbits, Gophers, Round Tailed Ground Squirrels, Lizards-exotic and regional, Colorado River Toads (aka Sonoran Desert Toad) Tortoises, Bats, Gila Monsters, Owls, Buzzards, Ducks, Hawks, Rattlesnakes-any species, Gopher Snakes, King Snakes, Night Snakes, Long Nosed Snakes, exotic snakes (which may have been released), Coyotes, Dogs, other former pets-Peacocks, Iguana, etc..  Special permits can be obtained by a homeowner or business for specific bird and animal removal or deterrents, but it is best to check with 1^st Response Wildlife and AZGFD for larger animals, such as Javelina, Puma, Bears, Badgers, etc.

Part of the service 1^st Response Wildlife offers, in addition to its primary work directly with animals, is giving seminars on reptiles or animals in Arizona, as well as helping homeowners, businesses, and Property Management Organizations better understand how to live with our diverse population of animals and reptiles.  Frequent discussions about how to snake-proof your home, how to keep rock squirrels, mice, and skunks from returning to your property, and in-depth property and building inspections to point out and close up points of entry for unwanted “guests,” is a key part of "a day on-the-job" for 1^st Response Wildlife.

If you have small children, animals or feel that animals, reptiles, or birds, native to the area should not be living as close to your family or business as they are currently, please give 1^st Response Wildlife a call to discuss safe and humane ways to work to potentially relocate them.

Thanks for considering 1st Response Wildlife 

Josh's Cell (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, hawks, ducks, squirrels (ardilla), peacocks, coatimundi (gato solo), skunks (mofeta), exotics, and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children or have an exotic sighting in your neighborhood. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

 

1st Response Wildlife Rescues

1^st Response Wildlife, in addition to trapping and relocating nuisance animals and reptiles, also works with homeowners and businesses that find and report an injured animal or bird to a rehabber-who then gives 1^st Response a call to participate in a rescue.  Tucson is blessed to have animal rehabbers and animal hospitals which treat and, when possible, nurse abandoned or injured wildlife back to health-until they are ready to be released into the wild.

Recently, 1^st Response Wildlife responded to two calls for help in capturing and brining injured raptors to be inspected and considered for rehabilitation.

The first was a Black Vulture that had been hopping from one neighbor’s yard to another favoring its right wing.  You have probably seen vultures soaring over the Sonoran desert in search of road kill or other “remains,” that they favor.  Here in the greater Tucson area, there actually two kinds of black winged vultures-the Turkey Vulture and the Black Vulture.  The Turkey Vulture is a bit larger and, if you see one up close, it has a red to maroon hairless head. The Black Vulture is a bit smaller and its head is hairless and black/grey.   (See a picture of a Black Vulture, courtesy of the National Geographic Magazine illustrated by Donald L. Malick, below)

 

When 1^st Response Wildlife arrived at the homeowner’s residence, the Black Vulture was on the ground, able to run and hop, but not able to fly.  The homeowner had seen it in the neighborhood for a few days and realized that it could not fly and therefore, it probably would starve, if left in its condition.  Using a net and carefully pursuing the Black Vulture, after following it through more than half a dozen back yards, the Vulture was captured, secured in a transport kennel (see below), and transported to a rehabber.  The rehabber, inspected it to determine whether is should be transported to Valley Animal hospital for treatment of a break in its wing. (You will note, in the transport, that the Black Vulture looks hot and has its mouth open. Remember, this vulture had not been able to fly, eat or have access to water, for at least 3 days.  In a few more days, it would have been too late to save it.)

 

The Rehabber, in the picture below, is seen, inspecting the Black Vulture's wing

 

The second rescue occurred in response to yet another call from homeowners who had observed a Red Tailed hawk which also appeared to have a damaged wing.  This raptor could get up into a tree, hop from branch to branch but, clearly, after several days, the homeowner and neighbors reported it could not fly, soar, and easily dive to capture food.

When 1^st Response Wildlife arrived, the Red Tailed Hawk had managed to make its way almost 35’ up into a tree.  Using a ladder and an extension pole, the Red Tailed Hawk was encouraged to hop to an outer branch, from where it was able to soar safely to the ground.  It was not able to fly, so again, carefully approaching it and using a net, 1^st Response Wildlife was able to safely capture it.

Below is a picture of the Red Tailed Hawk, secured by Josh, from 1^st Response Wildlife, followed by a picture of the Hawk in a transport.

 

In the transport, on its way to the rehabber.

 

Here we see the rehabber carefully inspecting the Red Tailed Hawk’s wings to determine where the injury was located, before making a determination as to whether it needed attention at the animal hospital or whether a few weeks in an aviary with time to heal would allow for its release back into the wild.

 

Rescues of raptors, injured, orphaned, or abandoned juvenile animals, reptiles, and birds, are not the-day-to-day line of business for 1^st Response Wildlife.  However, being able to work with rehabbers, animal hospitals, homeowners, and businesses to help preserve the wildlife we enjoy here in Southern Arizona, is one of the services that makes the job of animal management worthwhile.

If you have an injured or orphaned animal on or near your property, please consider what role you can play in helping that animal survive.  There are a number of rehabbers in Tucson who nurse these animals back to health and then release them into the wild.  Feel free to call a rehabber and discuss what you observe and together it will be determined what plan of action would be appropriate.  Rehabbers will determine if a rescue is called for and that is where, very often, 1^st Response Wildlife is called to humanely capture and rescue the animal.

For any nuisance animals, burrowing around your foundations, noises in your attic or chimney-or other trapping needs, please give 1^st Response a call.

Thanks for considering 1st Response Wildlife 

Josh's Cell (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, hawks, ducks, squirrels (ardilla), peacocks, coatimundi (gato solo), skunks (mofeta), exotics, and domestic cats and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children or have an exotic sighting in your neighborhood. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

 

 

 

Rescuing Juvenile Owls in Greater Tucson-1st Response Wildlife, Helping Them Survive

Owls in the Sonoran Desert come in a variety of sizes.  Burrowing, Screech, and Pygmy Owls are small and often seen only as mature adults.  Two of the largest owls, found in the Sonoran Desert, Barn Owls and Great Horned Owls, while not often seen in the daytime as adults, are found routinely as juveniles.  You might ask why that is.  Primarily, when these larger owls grow to a size where, when it is time to test their wings and begin active competition for space, if they fall from their nest and not be able to get back to its safety, they are so large that they are easily noticeable by homeowners and business people.  Also, because of their size and the fact they are still juveniles, not quite able to fly/escape; they are easy prey for coyotes, dogs, cats, and other larger predators.  In some cases they have been hurt when they tried to fly, their parent may have been hurt or killed in a night-time hunting accident, or, as is often the case with Barn Owls, a nest in a bale of hay is sold and transported to a feed store and, only then are baby Barn Owls discovered-parent-less. 

Whatever the reason, 1^st Response Wildlife averages several calls in the spring to pick up and transport juvenile Owls to rehabbers, where they are raised until they can fend for themselves before they are safely returned to the wild.  Again, because of their size, while there are calls to rescue and nurture smaller owls to maturity, the vast majority of Juvenile Owl calls in the spring are for the larger juvenile Great Horned Owls and Barn Owls.

Below are but a few of the pictures of Juvenile Great Horned Owls and Barn Owls which have been rescued and transported to one of the rehabbers which takes in, nurtures and then returns Owls to the Wild. (If you hover your cursor over the pictures, there are labels which identify what is pictured.)

These Juvenile Barn Owls, pictured below were, similar to others that were discovered last year in hay delivered to a feed store, living parent-less in hay and, without a quick response and transport to a rehabber, where they are being, for the moment, hand fed, it is easy to see, based on their age, that they would not have survived.

 

Four other juveniles were also among almost half a dozen Juvenile Great Horned Owls 1^st Response Wildlife has transported to a rehabber this spring.  (Each juvenile has its species, location where it was found recorded, the individual or business that discovered and reported it logged, and paperwork is submitted to Arizona Game and Fish Department.  This helps document territorial population of the species etc.)  Again, without direct care and nurturing to maturity, it is highly likely that none of these would have survived.  Below are pictures of transport, physical evaluation by a rehabber, and current juvenile accommodations.  Once these juveniles have completely feathered out, they are transferred to a large fly-way structure where they will practice flying, learning to eat food naturally found in the desert and, finally released back into the wild.

 

 

If you find an owl of any size that appears to be abandoned, hurt, or unable to find its way back to its nest, please call 1^st Response Wildlife or one of the rehabbers in the Greater Tucson area and we all would be happy to work with you to determine the best course of action to protect these valuable resources.

Thanks for considering 1st Response Wildlife 

Josh's Cell (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, hawks, ducks, squirrels (ardilla), coatimundi (gato solo), skunks (mofeta), exotics, and domestic cats and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children or have an exotic sighting in your neighborhood. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

1st Response Wildlife Works to Protect Mother Duck and Her Brood

Ducks and other water fowl enjoy access to water all across greater Tucson in natural settings as well as backyard pools.  While your backyard pool might not be your choice for a mother duck to raise her young, it may be appealing enough for a mother duck to choose somewhere in close proximity to your home or pool to make a nest.  The fact that there is water close can make the building of a nest under a Texas Ranger bush, or other sheltered area an ideal choice for mother duck.  At other times, ducks will make a nest in a neighborhood, miles from natural water, but in a safe, to the mother duck, sheltered spot. 

Regardless of whether a homeowner discovers a nesting duck or a mother with her newly hatched brood of ducklings, if you are worried about their safety, please call 1^st Response Wildlife for a humane and safe removal/relocation.

1^st Response Wildlife gets numerous calls for these types of duck family removals, especially in the spring, when mother ducks decide to lay their eggs in close proximity to homes and businesses.  While the selection of nesting areas may seem protected and adequate to a mother duck, residents with children and pets may become concerned that, when the eggs hatch, the ducklings will not be safe.  In other cases, home and business owners, worry that a nest in an exposed area leaves little protection from predators.

Fortunately, the rehabbers in Tucson are happy to accept mother ducks, with ducklings, and raise the ducklings to maturity.  Once they are able to survive on their own, they are all released back into the wild where there are several safe waterways, lakes, and ponds for them to establish their new homes.

Below are two pictures of a mother Mallard duck with her 9 ducklings.  The first picture appears bluish because of the light, at the time they were rescued by 1st Response Wildlife and delivered to a rehab organization that accepts ducks.

The second picture was taken 2 weeks later, showing the mother Mallard is fine and the ducklings are growing.

 

 

If you find an unwanted family of ducks making their home in your yard or around your business or, as the summer progresses, you find that an individual or family of ducks has decided that your pool area looks like a great place to call home and you would like to have them relocated, 1^st Response Wildlife would be happy to work with you relocate them.  The welfare of the ducks and your property will be given every consideration.  If it is determined that the ducks would be better off being introduced elsewhere or, if they are injured in any way, 1^st Response Wildlife will work to relocate them safely and, if necessary take them to a rehabber until they can fend on their own.

 

Thanks for considering 1st Response Wildlife 

Josh's Cell (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, hawks, ducks, squirrels (ardilla), coatimundi (gato solo), skunks (mofeta), exotics, and domestic cats and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children or have an exotic sighting in your neighborhood. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

Tucson 1st Response Wildlife Gives Back With Educational Sessions

The Arizona Sonoran Desert is recognized world-wide for its diversity of animal and plant life-some only found here in our area.  We are blessed to have the largest number of rattlesnake species, strong populations of amphibians, mammals, and birds, and a supporting climate that allows the species found here to thrive.

While 1st Response Wildlife is focused on the core business of humanely capturing, relocating and, if an animal is orphaned or hurt, working with rehabilitation organizations to bring that animal along, when possible, to a point where it can be released back into the wild, there is another aspect of its mission, which is to educate the public.

It is surprising that so many residents of Tucson, Oro Valley, Green Valley, Marana, Catalina, and Sahuarita live in close proximity to this plethura of animal life and yet, may not ever see, understand, or appreciate those species that live just on the other side of their walls or along the trails they hike.  Some of our animals and reptiles are gorgeous and helpful and others are dangerous.

As a trapper, licensed by the Arizona Game and Fish Department, a key part of the mission of 1st Response Wildlife is to educate the public about how to interact with our wildlife particularly in regards to those that can be harmful and especially the ones that are commonly encountered by you, your children, and pets. Seeing those animals, reptiles, and amphibians in person and hearing the facts relating to the appropriate responses one should employ if they are encountered, helps protect family and pets from harm. While we are blessed to have a place where much of the wildlife in our area can be seen up close-the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum, there are still many unanswered questions and thousands of children and residents who would benefit from a more personal educational session that allows for questions and answers and first hand experiences and facts which 1st Response Wildife can provide.

One of the ways 1st Response Wildlife gives back to the community is through educational sessions where either slide shows, accompanied by talks regarding these animals are presented or, sessions, where a few representative specimens, when possible, are brought along, as part of a demonstration to help the public understand their "neighbors."  Being able to identify and understand when and how to respond in a situation where one encounters an animal or reptile, can save a life!

Recently 1st Response Wildife had the opportunity to bring several specimens to a school and conduct two sessions in a safe outdoor setting.  The sessions encompassed demonstrations of non-venomous constrictors (snakes that capture and kill by constricting and suffocting their prey-rather than using venom) of Arizona as well as some venomous reptiles and one amphibian. Children were encouraged to view the dangerous species, safely housed in display cages and, for the non-venomous species, they were encouraged and allowed to inspect, touch, and feel their cool smooth scales. 

Below is a video that takes into account the scene where a Gopher Snake and a Mountain King Snake are held for the children while, on the table, between the two presenters, the venomous species are safely housed for viewing, but not touching.

http://youtu.be/TxVTaRJupfw

Below is a picture of children touching the beautiful Mountain King Snake-a constrictor that eats rats, mice, and even rattlesnakes

 

Children being introduced to a Gopher Snake-another constrictor that eats pack rats, mice, etc.

 

Safely housed in a display case is a Mojave Rattler-its venom contains both neurotoxins and hemotoxins.

 

Beside the Mojave is a Western Diamondback Rattler, probably the most common rattlesnake found around greater Tucson-its venom is a hemotoxin.

Most often seen after a Monsoon rain, the Sonoran Desert Toad (aka Colorado River Toad), is extremely dangerous to pets and can cause allergic reactions in people if handled without gloves.

The Gila Monster lives underground most of the time and eats round tailed squirrels, pack rats, eggs, etc.

 

Along with these demonstrations, 1st Response Wildlife also educates the attendees about the reptiles and amphibian lifestyles, dangers, and what to do if they are encountered.

If you would like to have 1st Response Wildlife come and present to your Home Owner's Association, school, business, or organization, please feel free to give 1st Response Wildlife a call and an educational session can be set up with live specimens or powerpoint slides. Discussions will include habitats, how to react when encountering animals, reptiles, and amphibians, as well as what to do if you, your children, or pets are bitten.

Thanks for considering 1st Response Wildlife 

Josh's Cell (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, hawks, squirrels (ardilla), coatimundi (gato solo), skunks (mofeta), exotics, and domestic cats and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children or have an exotic sighting in your neighborhood. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

1st Response Wildlife Skunk Myths and Facts

It seems every year there are news stories, reports and some hysteria about skunks, here in the greater Tucson, Green Valley, Catalina, Oro Valley and Marana areas.  One of these has to do with rabies and others include concerns about whether a homeowner or business should call a trapper to remove and relocate them.

Recently, in a conversation with one of the authorities on skunks, I came across a really nicely organized list of skunk Myths and Facts.  After contacting the author, who had posted them on her web page, permission was granted for a reposting on my site.  I would like to thank Share Bond, President of S.K.U.N.K.S, for allowing the reuse of Myths and Facts, with a few edits, for my blog.   

Thanks to Share, I am happy to include the following "Myths and Facts," for you:

FAQs about Skunk Facts and Myths

http://www.stinkybusiness.org/myths.htm

1.  Myth:  Skunks are rabies carriers.  (Fact:  This erroneous statement implies that all skunks carry rabies.  All mammals can contract rabies if infected from the bite of a rabid animal.  Most wild animals stay clear of skunks to avoid being sprayed in the eyes, so the odds that a skunk will get bitten by another species are rare.)

2.  Myth:  Skunks are the number one carrier of rabies.  (Fact:  Unvaccinated outdoor cats and free-roaming dogs are a much higher risk because of their access to wild animals.  The reported totals of how many skunks have rabies are very biased numbers.  Each county has a different animal that ranks number one.)

3.  Myth:  Foaming at the mouth is a sure sign of rabies.  (Fact:  Foaming at the mouth can also be a symptom of distemper, coccidian, round worms, ticks, or other internal or external parasite overload, diabetes, poisoning, liver failure, epilepsy, allergies, herpes, and severe dehydration and emaciation, all of which are more common than rabies.)

4.  Myth:  If you are bitten by a rabid skunk, you will die.  (Fact:  Research statistics show that 70% of those untreated victims of rabid animal bites did not get ill or contract rabies when they followed proper and immediate cleansing of the wound.)  Still, it should not be treated lightly!

5.  Myth:  Animal rehabilitators might accidentally release rabies-infected orphan skunks.  (Fact: Highly unlikely if done right.)  In the four to five months it takes to rehabilitate baby skunks, any who have rabies would have shed the virus and already died.  Any skunks released will have been observed long enough to be confident they do not have rabies.

6.  Myth:  Skunks carry rabies up to two years.  (Fact:  This has never been proven.  Even IF it were true, you can only get rabies from a bite of a rabid animal up to a week before it shows clinical signs of rabies whether it is two weeks or two years.  At that time the rabies would be in the saliva where you could contract the virus.  The rest of the "carrying" time you, nor any other animals, would not get rabies.)

7. Myth: According to the Dept. of Game & Fish, the only way to check an animal for rabies is to remove its head and examine the brain.  (Fact:  There are procedures that can be done on live skunks.  Saliva, tear duct, hair follicle, and estrogen testing are four, but they aren't considered as reputable.  It is even possible that a piece of brain tissue could be extracted from boring a little hole in the brain where the animal wouldn't have to be destroyed. What is considered to be the most reliable method to confirm rabies, however, remains removal of the head and examination of the brain.)

8.  Myth:  There is no rabies vaccine for skunks.  (Fact:  This is not true!  There is documented proof that the Imrab "killed virus" rabies vaccine works on 100% of the tested skunks, and it immunizes from one to two years.  This vaccine has been sold for over 20 years for dogs, cats, ferrets, and other animals, with coverage ranging from 1-3 years after inoculation.)  It may not appear on labels from the manufacturer so it is best to check with your veterinarian if you have or are considering a skunk for a pet.  For rehabbers, vaccinating skunks before release helps in rabies control.

9.  Myth:  Skunks walking around during the day is a sure sign that they have rabies.  (Fact:  Skunks will come out any time of the day or night when there is food available.  Trying to fool skunks by placing pet food outside during the day does NOT work.  Orphaned baby skunks look for their mother, food and help 24-hours a day until they find what they need.  You would most likely only see them during the day.)

10.  Myth:  You can get rabies if sprayed in the eyes.  (Fact: You can only get rabies from the saliva when bitten.  There are rare cases where one could get rabies from handling the blood of a rabid animal's brain or if a rabid animal was shot in the head and it got into a cut or eyes.)

11.  Myth:  If you are sprayed in the eyes by skunk spray, you will go blind.  (Fact:  This is not true.)  There are a couple rare cases where an animal and a human died after being sprayed in the eyes by a skunk, but it was because of the stress from it that caused a heart attack.  The dog was left without being cleaned of the stench and it couldn't handle this.  The man had such a bad heart that any kind of stress would have had the same results.

12.  Myth:  Skunk spray is urine.  (Fact:  It is an acrid yellow oily foamy spray that comes out of a gland that is just inside the anal area.)

13.  Myth:  Skunks spray each other.  (Fact:  Skunks do not spray each other.  They may "whiff" when they are startled, play/fight or mate, but this airs out quickly.)

14.  Myth:  Skunks spray all the time.  (Fact:  If not startled or defending their young, they will rarely spray.  They give plenty of warning signals before spraying.  Their spray is a precious commodity that is saved for only life-threatening situations.  In a perfect situation, a skunk could actually go through life never spraying anything.)

15.  Myth:  Skunks cannot spray unless their back feet are on the ground.  (Fact:  Because skunks rarely spray, this is how these myths were determined.  A skunk can spray when the tail is held down or under, when it is doing a handstand-especially in the case of a spotted skunk, and when being hung by their tail.  They simply choose not to most of the time.)

16.  Myth:  A skunk cannot spray when hung by the tail.  (Fact:  See #15.)

17.  Myth:  A skunk cannot spray when the tail is tucked underneath to hide the anus.  (Fact:  See #15.)

18.  Myth:  Skunks smell.  (Fact:  They are very clean animals and actually smell better than dogs.  It is only what they spray that smells.)

19.  Myth:  Skunks can jump and climb well.  (Fact:  Only the little spotted skunk climbs.  Striped skunks have limited climbing abilities and don't fall well.  They cannot climb items such as table legs or jump like a cat.  A wild skunk can only get into a garbage can or onto a picnic table if there are bags of garbage piled next to it, or if the benches are next to the table.  To get over a fence, one side of the fence has to have a heavily-foliaged bush next to it or a huge pile of lumber that they can scramble up onto, but then when they get over to the other side, they have to make a long fall and sometimes can't get out/down.  With the exception of the spotted skunk, skunks don't climb into your attic, chimney or roof.  If you smell a skunk up there, there is a rare chance that it could be a spotted skunk, but more likely that it is an owl that was sprayed while killing a skunk.)

20.  Myth:  Skunks kill chickens.  (Fact:  Skunks cannot chase and catch fast animals such as the mouse, rat, or chicken unless it is dead, injured or trapped.  They usually eat the eggs, babies in nests or slow chicks.)

21.  Myth:  Skunks are useless vermin.  (Fact:  Skunks are important to the balance of nature.  They kill all rodents; black widow spiders, rattlesnakes, scorpions; and garden pests such as snails, crickets, gophers, grubs; cockroaches and all other insects.)

22.  Myth:  Skunks are polecats.  (Fact:  A polecat is a weasel.  The European polecat is the common household pet, the ferret.)

23  Myth:  Skunks are in the weasel family.  (Fact:  Skunks are no longer considered to be in the mustelid family, but a family of their own.  They never were really "in the weasel family" even when they were considered a mustelid, any more than that they would be in the otter, wolverine, badger, etc. family.  They are now in the mephitid, or mephitidae, family.)

24.  Myth:  Domestic skunks are just wild skunks.  (Fact:  Any animal that is more than three generations removed from the wild is considered domestic, but reputable skunk breeders have been breeding their stock for up to 60 years.)

25.  Myth:  If a domestic skunk escapes from a home, they can survive.  (Fact:  Only wild mothers teach their young how to survive in the wild.  Plus domestic skunks are descented; hence they have no way to protect themselves.)

26.  Myth:  If domestic skunks escape, they will spread disease to the wild skunk populations.  (Fact:  They are rabies free because of breeding, have been inoculated with the rabies vaccine, and are much healthier stock than the wild skunks. However, (25), since many domestic skunks were raised in captivity, they cannot fend for themselves when they escape.  It is best to call an animal trapper immediately to get help in re-capturing them to help them survive.

27.  Myth:  Skunks are nocturnal.  (Fact:  They are crepuscular which means they come out mostly at dusk and dawn.)

28. Myth:  Skunks are afraid of bees. (Fact: Skunks love to eat bees.  One of the reasons bee keepers build hives up and away from the ground is that skunks are not good climbers and a commercially set-up bee hive is relatively safe.  A bee hive occurring in nature, however, low to the ground or in the case of ground bees, is a great target for skunks.)

29:  Myth: Skunks are afraid of other animals.  (Fact: Skunks are fairly self reliant because they are aware of their ability to spray, which really annoys other animals.  You may see skunks frequent an area where people are consistently leaving out food for feral cats. Skunks can be drawn to food left out for these cats and get used to co-mingling with them.  Cat food, canned tuna, as well as other odiferous offerings call skunks as well as cats and this can be both annoying to neighbors when skunks are surprised and spray, or create a nuisance in the neighborhood because residents do not like skunks around.  The easiest way to reduce the number of skunks competing with the cats for food is to build/place the food up off the ground and call the cats when the food is offered and leave the food out only for a limited period of time before taking it away.  Never leave the food for long periods of time or overnight.  Using this method, the cats will learn to come when called and become familiar with time limits.  By the time skunks or other animals would have come to look for the source of the smell of food, it will be gone and soon they will lose interest.)

Thanks for considering 1st Response Wildlife 

Josh's Cell (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, hawks, squirrels (ardilla), coatimundi (gato solo), skunks (mofeta), exotics, and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children or have an exotic sighting in your neighborhood. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

Tucson 1st Response Wildlife's 3 Most Encountered Hawks of the Sonoran Desert

In greater Tucson and Pima County, we are blessed to see several different hawks over the course of the year.  In the winter months, we will see a wider variety but, in the winter of 2014, for example, the warmer weather probably has reduced the wider variation seen in other years.

Three of the hawks we see, here in the Sonoran Desert most often, are the Red Tailed Hawk, the Cooper’s Hawk, and the Harris Hawk.  Each has its own personality, behavior and range. 

The Red Tailed Hawk is a large hawk found all over the US and is probably the most prevalent hawk you will see soaring as you drive.  Their name comes from the red on the underside of their tail feathers that develops as they mature.  I rarely get calls from a homeowner or business owner to capture and relocate them because they hunt in the open and attack from above.  Where 1^st Response Wildlife does get involved in Ret Tailed Hawk calls is primarily to help rescue one that is injured or a young bird that has, for some reason an undeveloped wing that, will not allow the hawk to develop and survive.

The one pictured below is a gorgeous specimen that cannot fend for itself because one of its wings has not developed and has become an educational bird that is living at Forever Wild-a rehabilitation center just south of Tucson.

 

The Cooper’s Hawk is a medium sized hawk and is easily distinguished, at rest and in flight, by its shorter wing span and longer tail.  This hawk is very fast and able to maneuver to catch pigeons, doves, and other birds in flight.  In fact, if you have a bird feeder, you have or will see a Cooper’s Hawk visit and probably attempt to prey on the larger birds from time to time.  This hawk’s range is from southern Canada to northern Mexico and you will see them all over this region.   1^st Response Wildlife does get calls to help capture and release Cooper’s Hawks from businesses and other locations where they may have chased a bird into a warehouse or structure and then find they cannot figure out how to exit.  Because they are so focused on their prey, they will sometimes hit structures and injure themselves, fly into buildings, and need to be rehabilitated.  I have even had customers report seeing them attached by a bobcat from below and behind when they were sitting on a homeowner’s wall looking at doves in a tree.   For those injured, I find that taking them to a rehabilitation center, like Forever Wild, allows them to be inspected, treated and then, if possible released back into the wild.  For those I capture in structures, garages, and warehouses, after inspection, if they are unhurt, a simple release allows them to return to a life of freedom.  The Cooper’s Hawk below is currently one that Forever Wild is rehabbing for release.

 

 

One of my favorite hawks of the Sonoran Desert is the Harris Hawk.  These are large Hawks and are only found in the Southwest US-AZ, NM, Texas, Southern CA and south to Argentina.   They feed on larger animals like ground squirrels, rabbits, reptiles, and ground birds like quail and partridge.  What makes them unique is that they are one of only two raptors that live and hunt as a family.  In and around Tucson and the Sonoran Desert, you will see them in family groups of between 3 and 8.  They cooperate in catching their prey much like coyotes or wolves hunt, driving their prey toward another family member and spelling each other as the chase evolves.  You will often see them together on a tree limb or electric power poll sitting close and even on top of each other and frequently exchanging places.  In fact, one of the more common causes of death for these hawks is that they will land on top of each other on an unprotected electric wire and one will fall off, hit a wire, make a connection and get electrocuted.  The Harris Hawk family is matriarchal, where the dominant female is in charge.  They tend to find a territory and, if prey is plentiful, you will see them frequently. 1^st Response Wildlife gets few calls for relocation of the Harris Hawk.  Most calls are for an injured bird which will result in a stint at a rehabber where it is nursed back to health.  As mentioned above, because these birds are territorial and somewhat friendly to humans, it is not uncommon for a Harris Hawk to be nursed back to health, released in the wild, and then adopt the territory of the respective rehabber as part of its new home.  Below are two pictures of Harris Hawks.  The first is one that has an injured wing and will remain as an educational bird by the rehabber, Forever Wild.  The second is a rehabbed and released to the wild, Harris Hawk that has adopted, as part of its territory, an area around where it was rehabbed and can be seen often, returning to hunt in the area of its adopted human family.

 

For a great experience in having an opportunity to see these and other hawks in flight and up close, be sure to make time to check when the raptor demonstrations take place at theArizona Sonora Desert Museum. They schedule a raptor demonstration that exposes visitors to several types of Hawks and, in addition to seeing them in their structures, the Hawks are, during demonstrations, released to fly overhead, land close by, and accept food from the docents.

If you have a Coopers Hawk in one of your structures, find any injured Hawk on your property or close by, please consider giving 1^st Response Wildlife a call and I will work with you to humanely accommodate capture, inspect, and either transport it to a rehabber or release it back into the wild.

Thanks for considering 1st Response Wildlife 

Josh's Cell (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, hawks, squirrels (ardilla), coatimundi (gato solo), skunks (mofeta), exotics, and domestic cats and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children or have an exotic sighting in your neighborhood. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

Tucson 1st Response Wildlife Diamondback Rattlesnake Rescue and Humane Relocation

Diamondback Rattlesnakes are common in Tucson and the surrounding Sonoran desert.  Attracted to dwellings which have an abundance of mice, lizards, and pack rats, homeowners and businesses see them on a frequent basis.  Rattlesnakes, in general are not aggressive if they are left alone.  However, if you bother them, they have just eaten, are close to delivering their young, or as you begin to trim a bush, you reach your hand under a branch and surprise them, a swift reaction, on the part of the rattler usually results in a strike.  In fact, the vast majority of snake bites in Pima County come from person-to-snake contact that has resulted from the snake being surprised, rather than the rattler aggressively pursuing the human.

From time to time, I get calls from homeowners who have set out a garden and, to keep out birds, they have surrounded it with bird netting.  Recently a homeowner called with a medium sized diamondback tangled up in his bird netting-probably while it was in pursuit of a lizard or a mouse.  Left alone, the diamondback would have died because it was so tangled up that the harder it tried to push out of the tangle of nylon bird netting, the tighter the strands became.  There really was no future for the rattler in that situation.  The homeowner did not want the snake killed, so a decision was made to rescue the rattler by stabilizing it and then carefully cutting the nylon netting.  As you can see from the picture below, taken with a phone camera, left alone in the Arizona heat, this diamondback was not going to untangle itself and would probably not have made it another day.

 

After carefully protecting hands and scissor work from the rattler’s head and fangs, the nylon was snipped away and the diamondback was transferred to a holding container to spend a couple of nights resting.  As you can imagine, the diamondback did not really know what was going on and, it was none too happy while it was being held down as part of the process in getting the netting cut off. 

Managing a rescue of this sort puts a great deal of stress on the snake.  When the netting was cut off and the diamondback was transferred to a holding container, I let it rest for two days so it could calm down.  It was inspected and appeared to be in good health, was offered water and was kept out of the heat of the desert while it had time to rest.

Two days later it was released outside the wall of the home where it was found, in the desert, within probably several hundred yards of where I suspected its den should have been.

Rescues of this sort are not easy.  In fact I had an associate help me hold the rattler while I cut away the remaining portion of the netting.  However, it is pleasing to treat a rattler with respect, have it rested and then return it to its natural habitat so it can continue to play a role in the circle of life.

If you find you have a rattler of any kind, not just a diamondback, that is caught or tangled up, like this, one that you determine may be too close to your home or business and would like it removed and relocated, please give 1^st Response Wildlife a call and I would be happy to come and work with you.

Thanks, Wildman Josh :)

Josh's Cell (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, squirrels (ardilla), coatimundi (gato solo), skunks (mofeta), exotics, and domestic cats and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

 

Exotic mammals, reptiles, birds, and amphibians capture and removal in the Tucson area

Exotic animals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and arthropods can be found in Tucson and the surrounding areas of Vail, Catalina, Oracle, Marana, Green Valley and Sahuarita by the hundreds, if not thousands in homes, businesses and pet shops.  The business of selling, feeding, gifting, and breeding exotics is quite extensive and I have found that it is just another part of my business to get a call to search for, capture and rescue of exotics. 

While the list of exotics found in the greater Tucson area is quite long, I am called most often to help families, and occasional a retailer in recovering or capturing and escaped boa, python, monitor lizard, iguana,  a large African tortoise, or an injured exotic bird.  Some exotics that have been “adopted,” or brought into Arizona are either no longer legal to sell or legal to have as pets.  

Most reptile breeders and retail stores can tell you which animals, birds, or reptiles are legal and safe to have in your home.  If you have questions about something and are not sure as to whether it is ok to have it in captivity,  you can always look it up on the internet under posted articles that describe and name what is legal in Arizona and what is protected.  Using the following categories and reference numbers, you can easily check before purchasing or acquiring a new addition to your collection or buying one as a pet for a family member.

ARIZ. COMP. ADMIN R. & REGS. R12-4-406 - Restricted Live Wildlife

Article listing "restricted live wildlife" as defined in R12-4-401 is quite exhaustive and names what is restricted and not permitted.

Most of my calls for exotics entail capture of a pet that has escaped and the owner just wants it returned. This does not mean that the owner necessarily knows it has escaped.  Sometimes a neighbor will find a large monitor lizard wandering through their yard, a large African Tortoise walking up their driveway, or a 6’ or larger python hanging around a bird feeder trying to catch its lunch.  Other times, a pet iguana, (shown below) has escaped and, since the owner has raised it from when it was 6” long at the pet store, she just wants her pet back.  

In all of these instances, I am happy to work with the owner, neighbor, or business that has an exotic on their property, has one that has escaped, or found one that is injured.  For the most part, I will return the exotic to its owner, if known but, sometimes a large reptile may have been purposely released or abandoned-especially if it is a 6-9’ python, a 5’+ monitor lizard, or 100lb or more African tortoise.  In cases where no owner can be found, I will try and find a home at one of the rehabilitation organizations I work with, such as, the Desert Museum, or one of the licensed rescue organizations which accept large rescued reptiles, amphibians, and birds.  Please give 1^st Response Wildlife a call if I can help or if you have a question about an exotic that has escaped, one that has shown up on your property or you would like help identifying what it is that may be causing concern in regards to whether it might dangerous to your pets or children.

Thanks, Wildman Josh :)

Josh's Cell (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, squirrels (ardilla) , coatimundi (gato solo), skunks (mofeta), exotics,and domestic cats and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

 

Tucson Humane Nuisance Wildlife Animal Removal & Relocation-Skunks

Skunks, Spanish name-mofeta, in Arizona and the Sonoran desert, represent one of the most useful and effective insect hunting mammals you will find in your neighborhood.  Of all the wildlife you don't see, skunks may actually, along with ringtails, be our most valuable nighttime friends.

Here in the Sonoran desert, you may see one or more of the 4 skunks which live in our state. (Hog Nosed, Hooded, Spotted, or Striped)  Below is a spotted skunk.

 

Fig. 1. 1st Response Wildlife humane skunk capture ready for relocation

These wonderful little animals have a bad reputation and often are, by home/business owners, considered nuisance animals because of either their reputation from folklore or the homeowner or business owner recognizing the presence of a pungent scent skunks are known for when they spray.  Skunks protect themselves in three basic ways: first; by trying to amble away from danger, secondly; by facing another animal or human that challenges them and stamping their front feet, and finally; if they still feel threatened, spraying-with great accuracy.

Because of their protective spray, with the exception of hawks, owls, and sometimes foxes, skunks have few natural enemies. Since Skunks do not see very well or run very fast, they are probably killed in larger numbers in urban areas as they try to cross roads than by predators.

Skunks are omnivores, meaning they eat almost anything.  In fact, they are a walking pest control in their own right.  Their diet consists of insects, berries, small rodents, and spiders many of which are exactly the pests you detest most-Black Widow Spiders, roaches, scorpions, crickets, gophers, grubs, and even rattlesnakes.  Skunks also love to go after bees and wasps as well as eggs, young hatchlings and almost anything they can find in their respective range.  They have a good memory as well, so if you have grubs, or there is food available in any quantity, skunks will return to look for a repeat meal and, as they raise their young, they have been known to bring them back and train them to look for food in the same areas again and again.

You may not see skunks much during daylight hours, but observe them at dusk or dawn crossing the road or in areas where there are flood lights or driveway lights.  This is crepuscular behavior, which means they come out to hunt and feed at dusk and dawn.  It does not mean you will not see them at night as well but typically, if you see a flash of slow moving shuffling white fur in the evening or on your way to work in the early morning, you are looking at a skunk. Of the four skunks we find in Pima County, with the exception of the smallest member of the skunk family, the spotted skunk, skunks do not climb.  What this means is that if you think you have a skunk or family of skunks living in your neighborhood, it is probably living under a porch, under a mobile home or mobile construction module, a shed, garage, in a den it has assumed from another animal, or one it has burrowed itself. 

Some of the signs which suggest you have skunks living nearby, beyond having a consistent strong and unmistakable odor in your area, can be mild to moderate destruction of your lawn or landscape evidenced by signs of shallow digging (grubbing), debris from ground bees/wasp hives, parts of insects, or, having one of your pets getting sprayed.

If you feel that you have a skunk or family of skunks which have become a nuisance in and around your home or business, have a skunk that has been injured, or have questions regarding what might be rooting in your lawn or landscape please call 1^st Response Wildlife @ 520-260-9517. 

I have had great success in capturing and relocating skunks but, if they are not causing any trouble for your pets, are not grubbing and digging up your landscape, or spraying, I may recommend you let them alone to eat insects and generally act in a preventative way to help keep your cockroach, spider, scorpion, and ground bees under control.  In fact, the lures that I use reflect the primary components that make up a skunk's diet.  Below is another great shot of a spotted skunk that was quite drawn to food that smelled, tasted, and looked like a favorite food.

 

Fig. 2. Spotted Skunk searching for more of my lure

My customers sometimes find that they think they have a skunk problem but, after further discussion and inspection of their property, together we determine that, if they had a skunk, it had
moved on while others have found evidence of an animal grubbing in their yards that is actually the work of a raccoon family.  I am happy to discuss and inspect an area with my customers to help determine what approach is best for the homeowner or business owner.

Thanks, Wildman Josh :)

Josh's Cell (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, squirrels (ardilla) , coatimundi (gato solo), skunks (mofeta), exotics, and domestic cats and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

Animal Removal & Relocation ~ Rock Squirrels

Here in greater Tucson and the Sonoran desert, we have a fairly large ground squirrel, the Ground Rock Squirrel (Spermophilus variegatus) Spanish name- ardilla. Weighing up to a pound and equipped with excellent digging claws, the Rock Squirrel can be quite a nuisance and harbor fleas-which are known to spread bubonic plague. 

Rock Squirrels look similar to a tree squirrel but its ears are set farther back on its head and its coloration, as seen in the one pictured here, may be a combination of speckled  grayish brown- with a long bushy tail.  They are good climbers, and although you may see them in trees in springtime feeding on young buds, these squirrels dig and live in burrows underground.

My customers most often call for trapping and removal of Rock Squirrels when they find their landscaping, yard, or surrounding desert has been invaded.  When these squirrels move in, they tend to dig several burrows with holes large enough to cause a child, horse, or even an adult to trip and possibly get injured.  In addition, especially in a landscaped area, the mounds of dirt they excavate when digging their burrow, destroy the contour of the surrounding area and make that area look messy.  I try to also remind my customers that, beyond creating a mess in the yard, Rock Ground Squirrels also can carry disease.  Because ground squirrel’s fur is constantly in contact with the soil, they can harbor fleas, which can be transferred to your pets, your living area, and back yards where your children play.  Fleas have been known to be a source of bubonic plague and, for this reason, I wear gloves when handling any of them-alive or dead.

Rock Squirrels can be seen throughout the year, here in southern Arizona.  On the coldest days of December through to March, they may be seen less because they are spending time in their burrows to stay warm, coming out on the very warmest days for a few hours.  In higher elevations of Arizona, these squirrels will go into hibernation but, this happens less so here in southern Arizona with these animals instead, taking shorter periods of inactivity in their burrows, known as Torpor.  (Torpor is similar to hibernation, in that an animal will reduce its heart rate, drop its temperature and conserve energy.  Rock Squirrels, however, do not stay in this state long, here in southern Arizona-usually 1-4 days).  You can expect Rock Squirrels to emerge from their burrows during the warmest part of the day in winter.

If you find that you have a problem with Rock Squirrels in your yard, surrounding desert, or feel uncomfortable and believe they have become a nuisance, please give 1^st Response Wildlife a call.  Also, if you have a pet who has been injured or you find a Rock Squirrel that you would like removed to a rehab center because it cannot fend for itself, please give me a call for that as well. 

Thanks, Wildman Josh :)

Josh's Cell (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, squirrels (ardilla) , coatimundi (gato solo), exotics, and domestic cats and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

Animal Removal & Relocation ~ Raccoons

Raccoon Family Transitional Release

Full grown raccoons (Procyon lotor)-Spanish name, “el mapache,” in and around your home, can be quite a nuisance.   When, a mother decides to make your place, her place to deliver and raise her young, things can get really problematic.  Holes in your roof, under your porch or in your shed, noises in your chimney, all can be indications that you have a mother raising her young in or around your home. 

I had a recent call where a mother and three young raccoons were causing a lot of issues for a homeowner.  After trapping them and determining that I had all the family members-a mother and her three youngsters, the job of preparing them for a transition back into the wild began.

My first step, after confirming with the homeowner that there were no more young observed around their home, was to move all the family members from their respective traps to a common transition cage.  Bringing the family together in a safe environment, and reuniting the young with their mother, reduced the anxiety on all family members.  Next, I did a physical inspection of each to ensure their fur was clean and normal in appearance, there was no observable injury, and no obvious disease or infections. Food and water were supplied.  I was careful not to spend a lot of time around these animals as I prepared to transport them to a new home.  One way I accomplished this was by retaining a healthy distance from these raccoons so that they were totally reliant on their wild instincts and were prepared to return to the wild and fend for themselves.

The proper handling, preparation for, and the ultimate transitional release of wild born animals trapped in response to a nuisance call, requires special knowledge that the general public does not have.  The approach, for example, used for a mother raccoon and her young is similar, but different than the technique used for the transitional release of a single adult raccoon or other large mammal.  In this case, I was careful in transporting all the animals to a location in the desert that provided support for the animals in surroundings, food, and habitat.  I created a safe environment for this release, and included a rest factor which gave the mother time to investigate her new surroundings and make her own decision as to when she would leave the protection of my transition cage and encourage her young to follow.   I did not rush this mother to leave the protection afforded her in the picture below.  I allowed this raccoon family to spend time in the outdoor enclosure, become familiar with the smells, sights, sounds, and orientation of the area. Eventually, after an overnight, I left the door to the transition cage ajar so that the mother could come and go without restriction.  This technique allows the mother raccoon to leave her young in what has become a “safe” environment for them, as she investigates the area and finds a new den. 

I checked on my family each morning and, after a few days, this raccoon family felt comfortable enough in their new surroundings to have found a place of their own and moved on.

If you have raccoons that have moved into your living space and would like them trapped and removed in a similar humane fashion, please feel free to call 1^st Response Wildlife.  I would be happy to relocate a family of raccoons for you, transport an individual that has been injured or orphaned to a rehab location, or simply help you determine what your next steps could be to patch up points-of-entry or remove a food source that has made your home or business attractive for an individual or family of raccoons. 

Thanks, Wildman Josh :)

Josh's Cell (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, squirrels (ardilla) , coatimundi (gato solo), exotics, and domestic cats and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

Animal Removal & Relocation ~ Ringtail

Ringtails - (Bassariscus astutus)

The Ringtail is Arizona’s State mammal.  While Arizona claims them as “its” mammal, ringtails range widely in the west and are found in California, Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado, Oregon, Texas, and east to Alabama.  They have also been reported in Ohio where, it is believed they may have “arrived,” after hiding out in a train car, at one time.

Ringtails are not cats, but are related to Raccoons and Coatimundis. They get their name from their bushy tail that is “ringed,” with black and grey/white rings. They have slim elongated faces with bulging eyes, with stripes around them-which are very helpful in night hunting.  They never get as large as a raccoon so they can easily squeeze into smaller entrance holes or openings than what I typically see when a racoon is causing problems.  (Miners often mentioned them in their stories, calling them “miner cats,” because they found ringtails could be domesticated and were excellent mousers.) Here in the Sonoran desert, raccoons and coatis appear to be more prevalent because raccoons and coatis are larger and they often travel in groups of 3 – 5 for raccoons, and bands of 10-15 for coatis. Although there are quite a few ringtails right here in the greater Tucson area, many Arizona residents have never seen one in the wild.  

Ringtails, except when they mate and are raising their 1-2 young, are loners and live in rock outcroppings, around riparian areas in stumps, or other protected areas which can include an attic. 

Ringtails are voracious hunters and will eat mice, small birds, lizards, snakes, pack rats, as well as berries, fruits, and nuts. They can climb any tree, wall, fence, and most rocks.  Their back feet can be rotated to almost 180 degrees, which makes it easy for them, in either a vertical or horizontal pursuit of their next meal.

Ringtails are typically not considered a “nuisance animal,” but, in my professional career, I have found, in greater Tucson, several occasions where I was called to hotels, restaurants, schools, and businesses that felt something was making homes in their roofs, and even in attics.  For example, in one recent year, I trapped and released over 2 dozen ringtails from places where the business,or home owners were concerned about the ringtails which were either living or feeding inside their establishment and wanted to have them humanely removed.  If ringtails are in your attic or, in the case of a business-the ceiling, you can hear them moving around and, until you call 1^st Response Wildlife, you may not know if you have pack rats, raccoons, or even a bobcat. 

This ringtail, pictured above, along with the second one pictured below was considered a “nuisance,” because it had found a way into a food kitchen and, together with the second ringtail, was getting comfortable helping itself to anything it could find.  After I captured them, there was some work to close up points-of-entry because, even though I released the two of them some distance from that business, it would be very easy, as it is with many animals, for them to go back to that location and pick up where they left off foraging on prepared food.

After release, I took these two pictures of the ringtails.  They are gorgeous animals and, as you can see they blend in with the background, even when you know where they are-which is another reason why they are rarely seen in the wild.

If you are in need of 1st Response Wildlife's Services, just give Josh a call 24/7 at:

Josh's Cell (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517

Thanks, Wildman Josh :)

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, squirrels (ardilla) , coatimundi (gato solo), exotics, and domestic cats and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

Great Horned Owl Removal and Relocation

Great Horned Owls are the second largest owl found in the US.  Their range brings them to Arizona where you may see them in the rafters of hay barns, sometimes in tall palms and, occasionally, if they are wounded or hurt, in a conspicuous place such as on a swing set, or even on the ground with a drooping wing. 

These are large birds which hunt at dusk and at night.  The female is actually larger than the male.  They stand almost 2’ tall and their wing span can be up to and sometimes exceed 4’.  What makes these owls so cool, in my opinion, is that they are almost 100% silent when they swoop in for the kill on rodents, small snakes, or other prey.  It is only when they are climbing up and away with their prey firmly in their talons, that you might hear a slight, “whoosh,” but, for the most part, they are really prolific hunters because they are so quiet.

From time to time, homeowners have reported that they fear for their small pets or juvenile members of a dog or cat litter that may go outside to play in their yard.  If you think that a Great Horned Owl is creating a problem, call a professional, like myself. These Owls, along with all other Owls in Arizona, must be left alone and only handled, if necessary, by a professional who has a permit to work with them.  If you find an injured Great Horned Owl or have one that you think could create a problem for you or your pets, please call  1^st Response Wildlife 520-260-9517.  If it is determined that the owl is hurt or injured, an attempt will be made to capture it and take it to a rehabilitation center.

The Owls pictured here, in fact, are but two of a dozen rescued owls currently being rehabilitated for release.  Almost all of these will be ready for release back into the wild-with the exception of a few that have broken their wings or other injuries that may require them to be cared for continually.

Josh's Cell (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, squirrels (ardilla) , coatimundi (gato solo), exotics, and domestic cats and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

Arizona Game and Fish Urban Wildlife & 1st Response Wildlife

AZ Game and Fish Urban Wildlife

I believe one of the most important parts of my responsibilities as a licensed humane trapper and relocation expert of animals, reptiles and birds of the Sonoran Desert, is helping my customers understand the rich mix of animals, reptiles and birds we enjoy.  I do not automatically hurry to capture and remove animals that are not injured or sick without talking to my clients about their individual situation and what they are experiencing with some animal that is found in and around their business or home.

Working closely with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, I carefully consider and discuss what is occurring and then, with my clients discuss the principles that the state of Arizona has in place to deal with an animal or reptile.  In many cases, a business owner or home owner can, with a little education, learn how to either live with, accommodate, or discourage an animal from being a nuisance and, one of the best resources I use is to refer them to the Arizona Game and Fish Urban Wildlife web pages, where there are extensive videos, discussions and suggestions concerning the wildlife in Arizona. 

This website, http://www.azgfd.com/w_c/urban_wildlife.shtml represents a great compendium of information and also represents the commitment that Arizona has to helping you co-exist with the animals we find here.  Along with my blog, I find that my clients are more comfortable with my approach, suggestions and, if I really do need to remove, relocate, or capture and take an animal or reptile to a rehabilitation center, everyone involved, including the critters, have a better outcome.

I communicate with Arizona Game and Fish on a regular basis and, in fact, their regulations in managing wildlife require that I keep them informed about my work as well as report and seek counsel on an ongoing basis so they can better understand what I see happening with wildlife, where it is happening, and how our wildlife management can be improved.

For more information about my approach to helping you with your wildlife questions, nuisance animals, or injured or sick critters, rattlesnakes, and bats, feel free to contact 1^st Response Wildlife, www.1stResponseWildlife.com, or my cell at 520-260-9517.  If you want to read more in-depth explanations and descriptions of our extensive animal and reptile population and find ideas on how you can co-exist with them, you will find that the Urban Wildlife section of the Arizona Game and Fish website, above, is an excellent resource.

Josh's Cell (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, squirrels (ardilla) , coatimundi (gato solo), exotics, and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

Barn Owls Removal and Relocation ~ To Rehabilitation

Barn Owls are somewhat unique in that they are distinctive in appearance and coloration. These owls have a pale-to-almost-white coloration, are a medium sized owl with no ear-tufts, and a heart-shaped face.  They are primarily nocturnal hunters but you may see them at dusk or dawn. Unless a family has taken up residence in your immediate area, you may never see them anywhere but at the Desert Museum or you may inadvertently discover young, as those pictured here were found, in a nest built in hay.  (As their name suggests, Barn Owls are found to frequent hay barns, church steeples and places that offer good protection.)

The Barn Owls you are seeing here were found as juveniles in a load of hay that was delivered to a local feed store and, needless to say, as the hay was being unloaded, the feed store staff was quite surprised.

The Barn Owls were fairly young and unable to survive on their own but were safe and protected where the nest was built. However, when the hay was moved, they were exposed to a life without adequate feeding or a chance, on their own, to survive.

In this instance, their survival is a great success story.  They were taken to a rehab center where these pictures were taken.  While they have been raised from juveniles to almost adults, the process of humanely caring for them has prepared them for release back into a life on their own without domesticating them.  I have been following their growth and maturation process for weeks and I can tell you this is a good example of animals becoming orphans, through a fluke in their normal habitat being moved during their time in their nest, but being rescued and carefully nursed correctly.  Volunteering at a rehabber's facility and helping care for these Barn Owls and the rest of the animals, is but one example of  why 1^st Response Wildlife does what we do and also highlights why, as a standard business practice, I feel so strongly that understanding the animals we have, here in the Sonoran Desert, and helping, when we can, give back to the community by bringing hurt or orphaned animals to and also volunteering, as often as I can is a fundamental part of what 1^st Response Wildlife 520-260-9517 is all about.

(As a side note, rehabbers, in general, are 100% non-profit organizations which serves the greater Tucson area by accepting and rehabbing sick, hurt, and orphaned animals.   Any donations contributed to this important work goes directly to the care, feeding, and rehab of animals.  If you would like to contribute monetarily, you can do this on line at their web page or in person.  From time to time, The Desert Museum will also accept orphaned animals, as will a few rehabbers up in Phoenix.) 

Josh's Cell (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, squirrels (ardilla) , coatimundi (gato solo), exotics, and domestic cats and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

 

Sumatran Blood Python ~ One of the Meanest Snakes on the Planet

This beautiful snake, aSumatran Blood Python which is known to be one of the meanest snakes on the planet and a very difficult snake to raise due to their aggressive nature, has over the last 8 years, grown from this size to over 15'.  It currently resides at Tropical Kingdom Animal, fish, bird, and reptile store on Prince and Campbell here in Tucson.  So far, with the help of an albino python, this girl has laid over 100 eggs which have hatched over 95 live pythons.

If you are in need of removing an exotic snake or lizard or any domestic animal, give Josh a call at 1st Response Wildlife at 520-260-9517 (Hours of Operation 24/7) and he will find a forever home for your reptiles and pets that you can no longer care for and be completely compassionate and understanding.

 

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, squirrels (ardilla) , coatimundi (gato solo), exotics, and domestic cats and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

Raccoon Babies ~ Removal & Relocation ~ 1st Response Wildlife

1st Response Wildlife received a call awhile back to remove some raccoons from a client's attic (although they probably just heard the sounds and scratching). When they got up there they actually found 3 orphaned baby raccoons and they were moved to a Rehab Center until the reach full size.  At that time they will be released back into the wild. Here is a photo of them...they are obviously just a tad bit camera shy! ;)

Be Sure to give 1st Response Wildlife a call if you hear noises in your attic or crawl space!

Cell: 520-260-9517 (Hours 24/7)

 

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, squirrels (ardilla) , coatimundi (gato solo), exotics, and domestic cats and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

Coatimundi Animal Removal & Relocation to a Licensed Rehabilitation Center

This adorable coatimundi unfortunately will never be able to be released back into the wild. It was being fed on a large property for a long time and lost it's ability to forage on it's own, so now it must be cared for at a licensed rehab center for the rest of it's life.  This is one example of why it's not a good idea to get wild animals dependent on humans on their food and survival.  If you come across wildlife that you suspect that have become dependent on humans for food, call 1st Response Wildlife and they will quickly and professionally remove and relocate them for you.

Call Josh (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, squirrels (ardilla) , coatimundi (gato solo), badgers, coyotes, Javelina, Possums, exotics, and domestic cats and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

Josh Waling, Humane Wildlife Catch/Release

Licensed Animal Trapper in Arizona

Cell: 520-260-9517

Hours of Operation: 24/7

Location: Tucson, Arizona (surrounding areas)

Email: [email protected]

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and relocates and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, squirrels (ardilla), rock squirrels, Colorado River Toads (Sonoran Desert Toads)coatimundi (gato solo), ringtail, skunks (zorrillo), gophers, coyotes, badgers, Javelina, exotics, and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

Scroll down to follow me and see posts with photos, videos, and educational information on the wonderful animals, and reptiles that call southern Arizona their home. 

Thanks, from 1st Response Wildlife~Josh!

Animal Removal Services ~ Raccoons

Have you ever heard sounds in the attic? Those sounds might be raccoons and you should call 1st Response Wildlife to take care of this nuisance wildlife animal for you right away. Here is picture of a raccoon family that was taken out of an attic and is now headed for relocation in a safe place.

If you think you have raccoons, ringtails or other animals in your attic, please call 1st Response Wildlife (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517

 

 

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, squirrels (ardilla) , coatimundi (gato solo), exotics, and domestic cats and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

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Hi, my name is Josh Waling and I have loved animals since the day I was born. I live in the heart of the Sonoran Desert-Tucson, Arizona, which is one of the most unique places in the world. We have as much indigenous wildlife as the Peruvian and Amazon jungles. I have been catching and handling exotic reptiles for over 25 years. I've been humanely trapping nuisance wildlife here in the Sonoran Desert for 10+ years and I love my job. I get to help sick, injured or orphaned animals find their way back to the wild. I also like to educate the public about our animals here in the Sonoran Desert to help both people and wildlife live together harmoniously. My passion is reptiles, but I have found a love for working with all animals including bobcats, skunks, rattlesnakes, coyotes, ringtails, raccoons, coatimundi, badgers, javelina, and even domestic dogs. So, I hope everyone will enjoy following my adventures. Check out the posts, videos and pictures below to see what I've been up to lately. :) Since I have a GoPro head mounted camera, and a number of field cameras that capture photos and video day or night, if there are any animals or reptiles you would like to see that I haven't posted, feel free to email me.

 Give me a call if you need help with any animals that may have found their way onto your property and need to find a way back to their home, ask for an education session or just call for information on animals you would like to know more about. I would be happy to chat with you and, if you need my services, I will be there in a timely and professional fashion to remove them from your home and help them find their way back to either nature or a proper rehab facility. Thanks!

Josh's Cell (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517

Thanks. Josh

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), skunks, coyotes, pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, pigeons bats, squirrels (ardilla), coatimundi (gato solo), coyotes, badgers, possums, javelina, ringtail, rock squirrels, exotics, and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children. 520-260-9517 Thanks!