The Wildlife Center of Virginia recently admitted its 100,000th patient – a wild animal whose predicament underscores the impact that humans have on the creatures around us. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.
The Wildlife Center in Waynesboro took in a Northern ringneck snake on Wednesday – its 100,000th patient in 42 years of operation. It was found stuck on a glue trap with two other, deceased, snakes. The species is a small – dare I say, cute – snake described as "secretive" by several herpetological resources.
CONNOR GILLESPIE: They found it was very thin, very dehydrated, and fairly weak. So it had likely been on that glue trap for some time.
Connor Gillespie, director of outreach, explained that the veterinarian team used mineral oil to gently release the snake from the adhesive and cleaned it with Dawn dish soap. They gave it fluids and heat support, but its condition continued to decline and the vets decided to euthanize the reptile. It's a prime example of why the center does not advise using glue traps to address a rodent or insect problem.
GILLESPIE: Anything can get trapped on them – we see snakes, we see frogs, we see chipmunks, we see birds, even owls that are stuck on these traps. And it's also very inhumane. … They don't perish right away. It's usually a very lengthy process.
But the milestone is still a testament to the collaborations that keep the center running.
GILLESPIE: We never would have reached patient 100,000 alone. … It took concerned citizens that are finding these animals, rescuers that are containing them and bringing them to us, those transporters, as well as the financial supporters of the center that are helping us give them the best medication, treatment, and care possible.
The day's intakes didn't stop there, though – this patient was followed by a great horned owl, a pied-billed grebe, and other animals in need.
