We would like to thank all of our volunteers and donors for their help at Southwest Wildlife over the past year. Our onsite volunteers are quite aware of the pace at our facility! However, our offsite volunteers and financial supporters may not realize just how hectic a day at Southwest Wildlife can be. We thought we'd share with you some of the activities on a typical day at Southwest Wildlife so you'd understand how much we—not to mention our precious wildlife!—appreciate your support.

There are so many tasks that must be performed daily in order to care for the animals: cleaning crates, enclosures, and food bowls, preparing food, and providing fresh, clean drinking water. In addition, the phones must be answered, proper records kept, and food and medical supplies ordered and stocked.

Orphans and more critically ill animals, who reside in the clinic, bring added challenges: preparation of medications and special diets, loads of laundry (towels and blankets most commonly serve as bedding for sick animals), round-the-clock feeding schedules, and, of course, meds must be administered—which usually isn't easy with wild animals! The volunteer heroes who do this work understand that, although it may not be glamorous work, it is vital to the well-being of each and every animal that comes to us for care.

As you may imagine, a considerable amount of time is spent on wildlife medicine. On one typical, recent day:

• A volunteer veterinarian and vet tech arrived to evaluate recovering animals.
• One coyote with an injured leg that was not responding to treatment underwent an amputation in our surgical suite.
• A bobcat kitten with extensive tissue damage had to be sedated just enough to have her bandage changed.
• The Flagstaff rescuer of an orphan skunk was instructed on the care and feeding of the baby until it could hitch a ride to our facility.
• A mountain lion resident of our sanctuary developed breathing problems (later found to be due to Valley Fever) and had to be moved into the clinic for monitoring and medication.

Southwest Wildlife provides a safe haven for wildlife whether they are temporary rehabilitation residents or permanent sanctuary residents. Medicating, caring for, and feeding these animals takes a lot of time and money. So, whether you are a volunteer or a financial supporter of Southwest Wildlife...THANK YOU!

Make a donation.

Valley Fever, Coccidioidomycosis, is caused by a fungus that exists in the soils of the desert areas of the southwest. When this fungus blooms, it forms tiny arthrospores which lie dormant in the soil. These spores, when the soil is disturbed, are capable of floating in the air over long distances and for long periods of time.

What does this have to do with wildlife? It is important to realize that we humans are not the only ones who can contract Valley Fever. Our pets and wildlife are at risk as well.

As more and more virgin desert landscapes go under bulldozers' blades in the name of development, more and more arthrospores are released into the air we breathe. Inhalation of these arthrospores is what causes Valley Fever, which is NOT contagious.

Most animals, including us humans, will develop the self-limiting form of the disease and have virtually no symptoms. However, the more spores inhaled, the more likely it is that a more advanced form of the disease will develop. Symptoms of the advanced form of Valley Fever will vary, depending upon the organ(s) affected.

Because wildlife live outdoors, it is virtually impossible to limit their exposure to the airborne arthrospores released into the air by desert development. That is why Valley Fever has become an increasingly serious problem for wildlife.

Here at Southwest Wildlife, the toll Valley Fever has taken is high. Medicating wild animals is never easy—you can't just ask a bear to open his mouth and take a pill! In an effort to get the animals to ingest them, the medications must be specially compounded in different forms and/or flavors for different species. In addition, the safe and correct dosage must be carefully ascertained for each individual animal.

The ongoing medication regimen required for Valley Fever patients is costly: it eats up our staff time and medication dollars.

Unfortunately, more than just time and money has been lost to Valley Fever. Too many of our wild guests do not survive this serious disease.

Because your pets may also get Valley Fever and the symptoms of the advanced form can vary so widely, pets should be tested for Valley Fever if they exhibit signs of illness and during routine vet visits. For more information about Valley Fever, visit our website at www.southwestwildlife.org. Once there, click on Wildlife Educational Resources, then on Wildlife Articles-Selected Topics. You may also visit the website for the Valley Fever Center for Excellence at www.vfce.arizona.edu.

Make a donation.

Each evening in this series of fund raising events includes a nighttime tour of our Nature Center and concludes with a presentation by a respected wildlife expert.

Make your Walk on the Wild Side! reservations online NOW or call the Education Department at 480-471-3621.

Saturday, January 26
5pm – 7pm

Featured Speaker:
Stuart Wells, Director of Husbandry, Phoenix Zoo

Saturday, February 16
5pm – 7pm

Featured Speaker:
Randy Babb, Information & Education Program Manager, Arizona Dept. of Game & Fish

Saturday, March 8
5pm – 7pm

Featured Speaker:
Emil McCain, Project Biologist, Jaguar Borderlands Detection Project

Saturday, April 18
6pm – 8pm

Featured Speaker:
Chris Parish, Condor Conservation Director, Peregrine Fund

Dr. Steve Gilson & Dr. Mark Soderstrom of Sonora Veterinary Specialists

Dr. Lilian Rizzo, Dr. Carol Samson, Dr. Gorman, and the Veterinary Interns and staff at Sonora Veterinary Specialists

Dr. Leo Egar

Dr. Yael Berko

Dr. Chris Heinritz

Dr. Irv Ingram and staff of All Creatures Animal Hospital

Dr. Arch Robertson, Dr. Bryan Todd Smithenson, Dr. Ale Aguirre and staff of Vet Med Consultants

Dr. Ronald Sigler, Dr. Jennifer Urbanz, and Staff of Eye Care for Animals

Dr. Visser, Dr. Kaufman, and Staff of Aid Animal Dental Clinic

Dr. Barnes and staff of Del Lago Veterinary Hospital

Mark Finke, Nutritionist

AJ's Fine Foods for produce and meat

Albertsons-Via Linda for produce

Safeway at The Summit for produce

Basha's in Carefree for produce

Sprouts

USA Mobility for pagers

Extreme Internet for the web site

Safeway eScrip Program

Bill Hood,Scottsdale Accounting Service

Shalako Nut Farm

Nestle Purina

California Pools for maintaining the bear pool

Chris Hock of North Valley Pump

Wes Patrick and Kristin & Scott Patrick of Critter Control

Tohono O'odham Farming Community

Dale Husband of Husband Car & Truck Repair

Dynjan & Advertising for newsletter design

Hogue Printing for newsletter printing