Wildlife rescue

[mwerner]

Despite the fact that our campus is in the middle of St. Louis, we have a fairly large assortment of urban wildlife around. Over the years, I've encountered possum, racoon, and even foxes in addition to the large population of squirrels and rabbits.
We have a pair of large red-tailed hawks:

http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/StratfordLandingES/Ecology/mpages/red-tailed_hawk.htm

in the area, and they have generated a number of calls from concerned members of the community. Usually, something to the effect that the hawk is on the ground and injured or "tangled in a bush". You have to explain that Mr. Hawk has just been trying to dine on a bunny, and missed.
Today, a lady flagged me down and told me that a hawk was caught in the batting cage at the softball field.
I was skeptical, but it was true. There were actually two red-tails, one on the ball field itself busily eating a pigeon it had just killed, and one inside the fenced batting cage. Dunno how he got in there... But there was a dead dove in there with him, so maybe it was a successful chase. The hawk dining on the pigeon was quite unconcerned by the police presence!

We propped open the gate to the batter's cage and put the dove carcass just outside, and Mr. Hawk eventually figured things out. Gorgeous birds.

Speaking of such things....Last spring we got a panicked call from some student about a momma duck. We always have a few waterfowl nesting on campus, including Canadian geese. This one had a whole flock of ducklings, and was busily making it's way to the adjacent Forest Park. Good idea, except that the route led directly across one of our big parking lots and also the very busy Skinker avenue.
So, the entire department responded, and shepherded Ms. Duck to the edge of the university property, then stopped traffic on Skinker while the little guys followed mom to the park.
And they say we don't earn our money...

 

[mete]

Remember that wild animals , even in the city can have rabies ! In NYC there have been a significant number of rabid animals caught just this year.

 

[Esav Benyamin]

Remember that wild animals, even in the city can have rabies !

It's amazing how many species show up in NYC. I remember finding where raccoons were living in Central Park. People run their dogs all around the Park, and I hope they keep up their rabies vaccinations.

 

[silenthunterstudios]

In Baltimore, there were unconfirmed sightings of a mountain lion in the heart of the city. Any time I visit friends in the city, I always see a couple deer. Not on the outskirts, but deep in the city.

 

[tarsier]

A few cities have established peregrine falcon nesting programs, with the large cement and steel "cliffs" to nest on and an ample supply of pigeons for chow. There was quite a lot of press coverage initially, but I haven't heard much lately.

One of David Attenborough's documentaries showed a bird (don't remember the species, think it was non-US) that had learned how to crack hard seeds by sitting on the traffic light and dropping them into the path of oncoming traffic. After a car ran over the seeds and crushed them, it would fly down, wait for the walk light to stop cars, then hop into the crosswalk to pick up the pieces.