Belmont NY Wildlife Rehabilitator cares for young marmot since tragedy
By Andrew Harris
The groundhog is a common sight in the wilds of western New York State. Unfortunately, they are often seen on the road after being hit by a car. This is where Walter’s story begins.
A kind soul witnessed one of these sad scenes that ended in death for a groundhog earlier this year. But something caught the passerby’s eye: a baby groundhog was almost stuck to the side of the road next to its mother. It was exhausted, overheated and one might think it was filled with grief over the death of its mother.
Meet Walter the Woodchuck
Enter Madison Reed, who took Walter into her wildlife rehabilitation program. At first he had to be carefully fed with a syringe and received lots of affection from the keepers. It didn’t take long for his food preferences to change!!
Bananas and baby food were some of his first and still favorite solid foods. Weeks later, Walter is eating a wholesome diet of fruits and vegetables (thanks Giant Food Mart!!)
Madison says, “I’d love to keep him forever!” But that’s not the job of a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. As fast as Walter has grown, the time for his release into the wild is fast approaching.
To prepare for this big day, Walter is given more and more time in his “pre-release enclosure” to get used to the real world. After a few more weeks, he will be released into a local enclosure that will give him the best chance of long-term survival.
Walter’s life wasn’t perfect, but he got a second chance through Life on the Wildside. If Walter’s life and rescue inspire you, consider helping Madison and her crew with a donation.
Supporting Life on the Wildside is easy:
Send $5…$25…whatever you can spare to cover Walter’s expenses and support the next lost groundhog in need of help.
About Life on the Wildside
A 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to the rehabilitation of our orphaned and injured wildlife. We specialize in small mammals. We cannot take in bats, raccoons, or skunks. We do not currently take in birds or turtles. We can put you in touch with those who can.
