Tamarack Wildlife Rehabilitation & Education Center

The Gift of the Wild Ones
by Care Kerlin

It's a chilly December day as I brush off my car and get ready to make my weekly trek to Tamarack. I began volunteering a few years ago after an incident with a bat. The frantic little guy had gotten his feet glued to a loose strip of molding and was desperate to get free. I called Tamarack and help was on the way. Linda, the bat angel came to the rescue. With the help of some vegetable oil and patience, the bat was freed, albeit oily. With a little soap and kindness he was released and hopefully live out his days never being stuck in the same spot for too long again.

I decided I would like to give a little time to such a remarkable effort and started volunteering. After a divorce and a few moves, I stopped going to Tamarack. Many times, when I spoke to others about my experiences there, tears would come to my eyes and I knew that something very powerful was calling me back. About a year ago I started volunteering again and intended to stay for quite a while.

What is it that binds me to scrape the snow and ice from my car on this windy December day? It's the privilege of sharing the same space with Lady Hawk, red tailed hawk, as I clean her living area. She's magnificent with piercing eyes that speak to me from a world much purer and honest than my own. It's the humbling as I hold a bald eagle on my lap while Sue gently and efficiently administers food and water. It's the fascination as I watch Sue and Tasha net baby skunks that have lost their mother and transport them to Tamarack without getting sprayed. And it's the knowledge that in some small way I have helped make the world a better place for my friends the wild ones.