Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center

Reuniting Families

As told by veteran volunteer Ellie Peevler

Several years ago, a woman from Louisville brought a baby squirrel to Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. Evidently, the baby squirrel’s nest had been disturbed and the mama squirrel moved her young ones to a new location, leaving this little squirrel behind.

A bit later, the same woman called to say that the mother squirrel was running around the yard frantically searching for her baby. Since I am a Greenwood volunteer and live in Louisville, Greenwood called to see if I could possibly take the baby back to the yard it had come from and try to reunite it with its mother.

A Swift Release

December 2008 – So many of the successful Greenwood tales are those of compassion and perseverance. The story of the Swift Fox, a species rare to Colorado, is no exception. Found immobile by the side of the road last fall, this young girl was brought to the Center by our veterinary colleague, Dr. Combs.

While scraped and bruised, the major concern was a serious eye abrasion. Was the eye salvageable? If not, her chances of hunting and surviving were nil. That’s when our team went to work. Her eye needed constant lubrication. The lid was swollen, hemorrhaged, and rolled back-she was unable to close it.Read More »A Swift Release

The Wonder Ducks

March 2007 – was a cold winter and the harsh weather compromised food sources and the health of many animals. During bitter cold weather, when… Read More »The Wonder Ducks

Loon Alert!

Loons can't walk on land. — Loons can’t walk on land.

Did you know that there are some birds that actually can’t walk on land?

Some water birds such as grebes and loons are excellent swimmers and divers. Their legs are farther back on their bodies than most birds. This feature allows them to move faster under water, although it also makes them almost helpless on land.

Claus Von-Soots, Chimney Miracle

January 2006-This is the time of year when many people turn their attention to chimneys. The cold weather finds many of us seeking warmth from these vestibules, and young children begin to anticipate the miraculous arrival of old Santa Claus through these unlikely entryways.

Here at Greenwood, though, we often have chimneys on our minds during the warmer months, as many a tiny miracle are born in, or transplanted to, these dark dens. One such example is “Claus-Von-Soots,” or simply “Soots,” a baby raccoon so named for being covered in the persistent, black substance after coming down a chimney in September 2005.

The Crow Who Gave Up Smoking

In October 2004, Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center treated a black crow with a unique condition, especially for a wild bird. The crow was suffering from nicotine addiction.

Before coming to Greenwood, the crow had spent five months with a well-meaning caretaker who made three near-fatal mistakes.

Read More »The Crow Who Gave Up Smoking

Watching a Raccoon Release

By Ellie Peevler, Spring 2004

coonincrate — One of Greenwood’s many raccoon patients

Spring 2004-Now in my 13th season of volunteering at Greenwood, I’ve been involved in a number of releases but had never seen any coons released, and when I walked into the Center the morning of March 4, they were just getting ready to do this.

This is a somewhat quiet time right now, so I asked the Animal Care Manager if I could go along since it would be a first for me, and of course she said I could.