STEVEN A. McCALEB
103 ALVERADO DRIVE
LONG BEACH, MISSISSIPPI 39560
PHONE & FAX: (228)-868-8428
E-MAIL: info@mississippiwebsite.com
WEB SITE: www.mississippiwebsite.com
STEVEN A. McCALEB
103 ALVERADO DRIVE
LONG BEACH, MISSISSIPPI 39560
PHONE & FAX: (228)-868-8428
E-MAIL: info@mississippiwebsite.com
WEB SITE: www.mississippiwebsite.com
Monday, February 12, 2007
This is the new web page which
WRANPS, Inc. will try and suck you into
there society. I have researched WRANPS, Inc. when they screwed me out of
$7,790.00 plus profit and they stole my tools, I
found corruption, fraud, waste, & abuse.
This Society only wants your money and your free time.
Why do you think they are not open to
the public, the land they are on is owned
by the University of Southern Mississippi, President Horace Fleming.
I have requested information from
Horace Fleming concerning WRANPS, Inc. but it seems
he does not want to provide any information.
Not providing information has also
become a problem with elected officials and state agencies.
I have requested records under the, "Mississippi Public Records Act of
1983."
It seems if you are an elected official or state agency you are above the law in
Mississippi.
One example is when the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources/Tidelands gave WRANPS, Inc., $70,000.00 in grants (this is your tax money) over three FY. Even though WRANPS, Inc. is in the woods, and is not even qualified for any type of money from the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources.
The Secretary of State, Eric Clark is the overseer of the Tidelands Trust Funds.
This is where the politics showed up and shows how corrupt the system of government is in the state of Mississippi.
I have contacted the:
Governor
LT. Governor
Secretary of State
Secretary of State Staff
Department of Marine Resources
Mississippi State Tax Commission
Harrison County Supervisors
Harrison County Building Code Office
University of Southern Mississippi
Mississippi Power Company
Mississippi Representatives
(Congressmen and Senators)
and many, many more
But since Wranps, Inc. is a pet project of there's, getting any information is almost impossible.
It is sad to know how corrupt
Mississippi and its state agencies are, but to actually experience
the corruption is another thing.
Click WRANPS
911 to learn what to do if you have an orphaned or sick animal.
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HISTORY
Chronology
WRANPS has been in existence for 17 years on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and provides proper care for injured and orphaned wildlife. WRANPS operates under Federal and State permits, and volunteers at the WRANPS Wildlife Center attend workshops, seminars, and other ongoing training to provide the most up-to-date treatment for the animals in their care. In 1984, more than 400 wild animals passed through WRANPS doors. Our total number of animals in 1997 was over 1200! WRANPS is a non-profit volunteer organization that depends on volunteers and donations to carry on its work. The Director, Katy Pope, is the only salaried staff member and is instrumental in keeping the organization together. She also depends heavily on volunteers to carry on our mission to rescue, rehabilitate, release, and educate.
I have requested copies of WRANPS, Inc., federal and state Permits but I have to date not received any records.
Since WRANPS, Inc., in a non-profit organization why did the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources/Tidelands, give $70,000.00 of your tax dollars in grants to WRANPS, Inc.?
GLEN H. CARPENTER
executive.office@dmr.state.ms.us
E-Mail Address
Since the Director, Katy Pope, is the only salaried staff member, and as you read below how many programs WRANPS, Inc., operate. Where is all the money coming from, Katy Pope must be the most highest paid staff member in Mississippi.
The Wildlife Center in Pass Christian is open seven days a week, from 9 to 5 but is not open to the public. We try to provide a stress-free environment for our sick animals while they recuperate. In the spring and fall, WRANPS hosts an Open House where the public is invited in to see what we do. Then we often have educational animals, wildlife displays, and presentations to show and demonstrate to the public.
Why is it not open to the public, your tax money has been appropriated by the Secretary of State, Eric Clark. Maybe it is because the land in which WRANPS, Inc., is located is owned by the University of Southern Mississippi, President, Horace Fleming.
HORACE FLEMING
president@usm.edu
E-Mail address
We have an ongoing volunteer program and try to have orientations, meetings, and workshops often. If you would like to volunteer and are over 18, please give us a call at (228)-452-WILD (9453) for the next scheduled orientation. You must also become a member of WRANPS ($20 annually) in order to work under our state and federal permits. There are many jobs available for the volunteers. If you find you aren't able to handle the animal care, you can organize fundraisers, enter data into the computer, answer phone calls, make arrangements for an injured or orphaned animal, be a wildlife photographer, do carpentry work, or even run for a position on the Advisory Board. We would love to have you at our next orientation where you can get more information. In addition, we have an internship program that is sponsored by Chevron. Check out that page for more information.
WRANPS wishes to extend special thanks to the veterinarians and staff of the following establishments for their support:
Remember, all of these Animal Hospitals are providing free services. Whereas you are paying high prices for your animals.
| Animal Emergency & Critical Care |
| Animal Hospital of Orange Gove |
| Edgewater Veterinary Hospital |
| North Bay Animal Hospital |
| Pass Christian Animal Hospital |
| Pet Harbor Veterinary Hospital |
| Pet Haven Veterinary Hospital |
| Saucier Veterinary Hospital |
| Emergency Clinic |
Special Thanks to Jack Barrett of Modern Cleaners and Laundry for his much appreciated laundry services and to all of our volunteers and contributors for their time and donations.
MORE FREE SERVICES
And
finally, a big thanks to the WRANPS Organization
and Advisory Board members:
The organization of WRANPS includes 10 Advisory Board members, a recorder, a lawyer, and a tax attorney. Turnover is annual and biannual to insure continuity and anyone can be nominated to the board. In the past we have had several interesting boardmembers including University of Mississippi alumni, and Senator Gollott and his wife, Zelma.
WRANPS
ADVISORY BOARD
(new advisory board in
work)
HERE ARE THE NAMES OF THE OLD
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS.
WRANPS
ADVISORY BOARD
Click here
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Chairman: Linda Byrd |
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Members at Large |
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Ronnie Leggett |
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Michelle Durfey |
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Charlotte Timmons |
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Dr John Guyton |
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Robert Brooks |
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Secretary: Maureen Newcomb |
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Director: Katy Pope |
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Accountant: Plitz, Williams |
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Jennifer Buchanan |
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Kimberly Damon-Randall |
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Treasurer: Barbie Bassett |
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Attorney: Henry Laird |
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Larosa & Company |
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Volunteer: Coordinators: Sarah Strong and Sandra
Roberts |
LINKS:
MISSISSIPPI PEER COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Joint Legislative PEER Committee
PEER committee request for investigation of Mississippi Marine Resources-Tidelands
Timothy
Alan Ford
http://www.ls.state.ms.us/senate/gollott.htm
SECRETARY OF STATE Public Records Information
Rebuttal letter of Reilly Morse WRANPS,INC. attorney
Rebuttal letter of Reilly Morse; WRANPS, INC. attorney in 1991
WILDLIFE REHABILITATION A SCAM SOCIETY, INC.
RESCUE
The first rule of wildlife rescue is: "Do not rescue unless it needs rescuing". Sometimes this is hard to determine. Baby birds can be put back into their nests or in a makeshift one close by. Mom and Dad are around. Observe! Unless the baby is injured or both parents are dead, do not birdnap. It is a myth that the baby bird is rejected once handled by a human. Also mammal mothers will return for their young. If you do not see her, this does not mean she is not watching and trembling with fear as you approach her young. Again, observe!
How YOU can help wild animals
If you find an injured, sick, or truly orphaned (you've seen the dead parent) wild animal, put it in a warm, dark, quiet spot away from people and pets and call WRANPS at 228-452-WILD (9453).
This is your first mistake; do no get involved with WRANPS, Inc. at all cost!
Baby birds and mammals need to be raised by their parents in order to learn survival skills. If a baby is in danger, do all that you can to remove the danger while keeping the baby with its parents: keep your cats and dogs inside and under control when outside; if a baby bird is in the street, put it in the nearest bush if you can't find the nest, etc. The parents won't care that you've touched the baby to get it to safety.
Create a backyard habitat for wildlife. Landscape with native plants. Use insecticides sparingly and follow directions closely to prevent poisoning birds. Plant a butterfly garden. Make a bat house. Leave dead trees in your yard: they are wonderful condos for wild animals.
To prevent birds from colliding with windows, mark large windows with bird silhouettes, or hang sun-catchers, windsocks, etc. Even a few post-its put during migration and breeding times can help.
Recycle, repair, and don't buy products you'll just throw away soon. Wild animals are losing habitat to garbage landfills.
Don't pour harsh chemicals down the drain or near water sources. Keep them in their original containers and call your county waste center for disposal instructions. One quart of used oil can contaminate a million gallons of water.
Never throw anthing out of your car--even biodegradable items. Food attracts small animals to the road, which then attract predators, and they are hit by cars. Few animals can survive a collision by a car.
Don't leave pet food outside to attract wild animals, and don't handfeed fish-eating birds (like gulls and pelicans). Animals that associate food with people usually become a nuisance to someone who may harm them. Pelicans who wait for food around fishermen often become tangled in fishing line, usually causing the loss of a leg or wing.
Resist the temptation to feed Gulls on the side of our highways and roads. Many that are fed along Highway 90 are killed by cars. Additionally, many gulls are also hit by automobiles in parking lots. You are doing these creatures the biggest favor by not feeding them in locations which will later lead to death or severe injury.
Refuse to purchase or support the importation of wild rain forest birds of any kind. Nine out of 10 birds smuggled into the U.S. die during the journey.
Don't buy products made from endangered species or from companies who inflict cruelty to animals in their product process. You wield tremendous power through what you choose to buy!
To prevent animals from entering basements, attics and crawl spaces, seal all openings 1/4-inch or larger with mortar, caulking compound, or 1/8-inch hardware cloth. Call WRANPS at 228-452-WILD (9453) for suggestions on humanely dealing with unwanted wild visitors.
Let your elected officials know that you support a strong Endangered Species Act.
Let companies that are trying to minimize their impact on wildlife like, Chevron does know that you appreciate their efforts and will buy their products.
Before going to the beach or boat, eliminate packaging and other potential debris that could blow into the water. Help keep waterways clean for wildlife.
For cleaning jobs, substitute baking soda, vinegar and borax for more harmful detergents, bleach, and ammonia. Wild animals need unpolluted water (just as humans do).
Join WRANPS! Your membership dues are used for food, housing and medication for injured wild animals until they can be released back into the wild. You'll receive our quarterly newsletter, "The Call", keeping you up-to-date on our efforts, and informing you of other ways you can help wild animals.
*** We THANK you for caring about Mississippi Wildlife ***
REHABILITATE
This may involve as little as an overnight stay in a warm, dark, quiet place with appropriate food and water. Alternatively, it may mean One of our main goals at WRANPS is to rehabilitate the bird or mammal that comes through our doors. weeks, even months, of special food, medication, and physical therapy and, in the case of orphans, introduction to the wild. Improper diagnosis can mean an unreleasable or dead animal. Rickets, brittle bones, eye abnormalities and feather damage are a few of the ills that animals are subject to if fed inadequate diets. Housing an animal in conditions that are too hot, too cold, too cramped or too open to the public view can result in illness, mental problems, or death. Stress from humans can also easily kill wildlife. All wildlife consider humans a threat.
Also too much human contact can produce an animal that can never be released to the wild. The animal would be a danger to humans and to other animals. Unfortunately, we have seen too many cases where a well-meaning public citizen has tried to care for the animal with no knowledge of its natural history, or diet and housing needs. A bird has to exercise his wings and a mammal has to dig or climb. We try our best to see that every animal gets a chance to turn around and sometimes miracles do happen.
It is illegal to raise and keep wildlife unless you have a special handler’s permit and if caught, huge fines can be levied. Why endanger yourself and others with the diseases wildlife carry when a licensed rehabilitator can rehabilitate and release the animal back into the wild where it was meant to be? If you are really interested in helping wildlife, please come out and volunteer. You really CAN make a difference.
A RECENT REHAB STORY:
http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/gov.htm
CLICK HERE
Why is it that WRANPS, Inc., is not
listed under:
LINKS:
Alabama Game and Fish Division
Alaska Department of Fish & Game
Arizona Game & Fish Department
California Department of Fish & Game
Florida Game & Freshwater Fish Commission
Hawaii Division of Forestry and Wildlife (Pacific Regions)
Idaho Department of Fish & Game
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Massachusetts Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Environmental Law Enforcement
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Missouri Conservation Department
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
New Hampshire Fish and Game Department
New Jersey Division of Fish, Game, and Wildlife
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources North Dakota Game and Fish Department
Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Pennsylvania Fish and Game Commission
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Wyoming Game and Fish
Department
MISSISSIPPI IS NOT EVEN LISTED!!
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Baby Fox |
Mama Fox |
12 Baby Foxes
It was late afternoon on Friday the 13th of March when WRANPS (Wildlife Rehabilitation and Nature Preservation Society, Inc.) got a phone call about a baby fox that had been brought to the Fire Department in Pascagoula. Two of our dedicated volunteers quickly responded by saying there will be someone coming soon to get it since the finders couldn’t bring it to the Wildlife Center. After a few dozen phone calls, it was apparent that most folks were on their way home or otherwise, so the volunteers decided to go retrieve the fox themselves all the way from Pass Christian (easily 60 miles round trip). When they got there, one of the first things that was stressed is that if there were any more found (and litters can be as large as 10 especially during the El Nino season), they also need to be turned in immediately as it is illegal to raise wildlife in captivity. And if this baby was any indication, any others might also be in this bad shape. This baby was a pitiful sight, fur all matted with some sticky substance, very thin and dehydrated, and very small, only 3 or 4 weeks old.
Rushing back to the closest house, the volunteers tried washing the substance out of the fur (it took several baths) and they also noticed that one eye was badly damaged and the baby smelled of chemicals. A trip to the vet was planned the next day. Then, before they could call it a night, another phone call came in from the same place reporting more babies found in a drainage pipe nearby! It was a terrific feat in itself to retrieve the babies out of the long, narrow pipe but by 1:30 a.m. Saturday morning, WRANPS had acquired 12 baby foxes!
Later it was discovered that three had injured eyes, five had matted fur to be scrubbed clean, and that there were at least two litters found together (slight difference in sizes and ages). Nothing else could ever be found out about their unusual circumstances. In the next week, one baby died of internal bleeding due to parasites, salmonella, and anemia and another one died from undeveloped lungs and enlarged liver.
Of the remaining ten, the two smallest with the injured eyes (the third made it through with no eye damage) had surgery performed free of charge by Dr. Nan Saye of the Animal Emergency Clinic in N. Gulfport. She removed the useless eye and stitched the socket shut. They can still survive in the wild with one eye as their keen sense of smell and hearing leads them to dinner. We will need to keep these isolated for a while but after healing and being reunited with the others, we will try to release them sometime in late August into areas away from humans and cars.
In the weeks that followed, WRANPS discovered that feeding and housing the baby foxes has proven to be very expensive and an intensive adoption effort was kicked off resulting in donations of approximately $2200.00 coming in thus far. Unfortunately it costs almost $80 a day to feed the babies mice and rats and the wonderful compound (built by volunteers) cost close to $1000. This has been an incredible learning experience for all at WRANPS and we are keeping detailed records on their care for future reference, but we hope never to see these circumstances duplicated again.
And Now For The Rest Of The Story.....24 August 1998
The
day had finally arrived when the foxes were very ready to be released.
These 10 babies were now six months old and were beautiful and healthy.
They all demonstrated their hunting, digging, and climbing skills very well.
Five of the foxes had already been moved to another location to be "hacked
out" which means they got somewhat familiar with their new surroundings
(sights, sounds, and smells) and then the compound door was opened. Back
up food (frozen mice and rats) was left nearby until they no longer returned;
this meant they had found food sources in the wild and are truly free.
RELEASE
Proper release (time of day, place, back up feeding, adequate food supply) is the ultimate goal of WRANPS for every animal that comes into The Wildlife Center. Those cute little bunnies, squirrels, or raccoons are not ours. Although they need the food, shelter, and protection we provide, they are meant to be free, to live wild. It is the most wonderful feeling to watch an animal that came to us sick, or hurt, or as a helpless baby, go free and to know we gave give it another chance to live. We have had great success over the years in doing this and in 1997, we had a 50% release rate which is way above the national norm.
What kinds of animals come to WRANPS to be rehabilitated? Each year we seem to have a different concentration of species. One year we might see a lot of Brown Pelicans, another year might bring a lot of raccoon babies. This year we have seen a lot of endangered Gopher Tortoises, baby squirrels, and baby raccoons. We suspect El Nino for some of it and, of course, habitat degradation. Some other animals that we rescue and rehabilitate on the Gulf Coast are fawns, opossums, skunks, armadilloes, foxes, bobcats, all different types of waterbirds like loons, gulls, and ospreys; raptors such as Barn Owls, Great Horned Owls, and Red-tailed Hawks, and also reptiles like turtles and aligators.
If
you have Microsoft's Excel, click here
to view the WRANPS
2000 Statistics stats.xls
or you can right click here
to download the file.
Disposition Of All 1997 Animals Received At WRANPS
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BIRDS |
MAMMALS |
REPTILES |
TOTAL |
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RELEASED |
290 ( 46.5 % ) |
302 ( 62 % ) |
14 ( 70 % ) |
606 ( 54 % ) |
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DEAD ON ARRIVAL |
38 ( 6 % ) |
40 ( 8 % ) |
0 |
78 ( 7 % ) |
|
DIED |
190 ( 30 % ) |
104 ( 22 % ) |
3 ( 15 % ) |
297 ( 26 % ) |
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EUTHANIZED |
89 ( 14 % ) |
26 ( 5 % ) |
2 ( 10 % ) |
117 ( 10 % ) |
|
TRANSFERRED |
4 ( 1 % ) |
0 |
0 |
4 ( <0.5 % ) |
|
PENDING |
12 ( 2 % ) |
12 ( 2.5 % ) |
1 ( 5 % ) |
25 ( 2 % ) |
|
TOTAL |
623 ( 55 % ) |
484 ( 43 % ) |
20 ( 2 % ) |
1127 |
Disposition Of All 1998 Animals Received At WRANPS
|
BIRDS |
MAMMALS |
REPTILES |
TOTAL |
|
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RELEASED |
225 ( 3 5 % ) |
396 ( 61% ) |
15 ( 68% ) |
636 ( 48% ) |
|
DEAD ON ARRIVAL |
30 ( 5 % ) |
10 ( 2% ) |
1 ( 4% ) |
41 ( 3% ) |
|
DIED |
238 ( 37 % ) |
199 ( 30% ) |
5 ( 23% ) |
442 ( 33% ) |
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EUTHANIZED |
141 ( 22 % ) |
24 ( 4% ) |
0 |
165 ( 13% ) |
|
TRANSFERRED |
7 ( 1 % ) |
2 ( <.5% ) |
0 |
9 ( 0.7% ) |
|
PENDING |
4 ( 0.6 % ) |
23 ( 4% ) |
1 ( 4% ) |
28 ( 2% ) |
|
TOTAL |
645 ( 49 % ) |
654 ( 50% ) |
222 |
1321 |
Disposition Of All 1999 Animals Received At WRANPS
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BIRDS |
MAMMALS |
REPTILES |
TOTAL |
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RELEASED |
293 ( 37 % ) |
382 ( 63 % ) |
14 (56%) |
636 (48%) |
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DEAD ON ARRIVAL |
49 ( 6 % ) |
24 ( 4 % ) |
2 (8%) |
41 (3%) |
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DIED |
247 ( 31 % ) |
130 ( 31 % ) |
4 (23%) |
442 (33%) |
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EUTHANIZED |
187 ( 24 % ) |
56 ( 9 % ) |
1 (4%) |
165 (13%) |
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TRANSFERRED |
10 ( 1 % ) |
0 |
0 |
9 (0.7%) |
|
PENDING |
4 ( < 1 % ) |
17 ( 3 % ) |
4 (16%) |
28 (2%) |
|
TOTAL |
790 ( 55 % ) |
609 ( 43 % ) |
2 ( 2 % ) |
1424 |
An Important Goal For The Future Of Wildlife
WRANPS is a source of information and has many programs aimed toward people of every age. They are presented in schools, nursing homes, and civic organizations sometimes with non-releasable wild animals, which have been acclimated to the presence of humans. Only when all of us recognize the codependency among man, animal, and environment, will we be willing to make the extra effort necessary to bring it all back into balance.
Some myths that persist although there is ample evidence to the contrary:
Myth # 1:
Once a human hand touches a baby bird, the mother will reject it and it will die.
NOT TRUE!
First of all, the best care a baby bird can receive is from the mother, so it is
important to try every possible way to reunite them. If you can’t put it back
in the nest or a safe spot away from cats and dogs, fix up a basket and hang it
close to where you think the bird’s home was (within 10 ft preferably).
Observe! The parents should be flying around concerned for their baby. The
father will also care for and feed his young, so if one parent is dead, the
other will pick up the slack.
Secondly, birds have many keen senses that they depend on to survive, but sense
of smell is not one of them. Do not handle the baby too much or it will stress
out and possibly go into shock. Please try to reunite the baby with his family!
Of course, if the baby is hurt (cat or dog attack, or broken wings or legs) or
is ill (for instance, from a lot of ant bites), then the baby needs to go to the
nearest rehabilitator so she or he can try to duplicate the mother’s care. It
is a very involved process to take care of baby birds. It needs to be fed from
sun up to sun down from every 20 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the age of the
bird. In addition, special diets are required (depending on what type of bird it
is) to ensure strong bones and healthy bodies. Did you know you can overfeed a
baby bird and when it starts to fly, it can break its wings? If you would like
to take on this type of commitment, come volunteer at WRANPS (or your nearest
rehab clinic).
Myth #
2: If a fawn is found in the woods, and there is no evidence of the mother
around, it has been abandoned and needs to go to a rehabilitator.
NOT TRUE!
This is actually the normal way of life for deer. The mother goes out to forage
during the day and comes back to nurse the baby, mostly at night. Another reason
she is not around is because fawns do not have a smell and she does not want to
lead a predator to her baby.
The fawn’s natural instinct is to remain quiet and still until the mother is
around to protect it. Of course, if the mother is found dead nearby or you
observe the fawn not being tended to for a few days, then it is time for the
rehabilitator to step in.
Fawns bond very easily to humans so it is most important that a qualified
rehabilitator raise and wean the baby the proper way or it can become
nutritionally deficient and unreleasable.
As with any wildlife raised by humans, they are dangerous and unpredictable when
grown, not to mention the parasites and diseases they can carry to you, your
family, and your pets.
WARNING
Fishing
line, Plastic
Six-Pack Holders
And Other Plastic Litter Are
HAZARDOUS!
Fishing line and kitestring act as invisible traps for birds like great blue herons, ospreys and owls. When someone leaves fishing line tangled in bushes or trees at the edge of a stream or lake, the birds can't see the line and become hopelessly entangled. The harder the birds struggle, the more entangled they become, and the more damage is done to their delicate wings. Sometimes they hang upside down, unable to bread free. In either case, a slow and painful death is the usual result.
Plastic six-pack holders are floating traps for ducks, geese, swans, and turtles. The plastic becomes caught on a leg, wing, or around the neck, and the bird is unable to break loose. Sometimes, circulation is cut off, and the leg or wing becomes paralyzed. Sometimes the six-pack holder keeps the bird from swallowing and the bird slowly starves.
Because plastic does not break down in the environment, plastic foam or plastic bags can remain dangerous for years. When washed into the ocean, whales, seals and turtles may swallow the plastic and die of internal blockage.
If
you care about wildlife, Care about litter!
Never leave litter behind you.
Take time to pick up dangerous litter left by others.
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How The Program Started One of our most successful programs where the public can get involved in wildlife care is our Hope Adoption Program. |
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Other Animals You Can Sponsor |
| The program was launched in 1996 when we had a contest to name the first adoptee, a baby fawn that came to us to be raised, because her mother was killed. |
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At WRANPS, we have many other animals to sponsor such as baby raccoons, red and gray foxes, opossums, squuirrels, a bobcat, pelicans, and a Kemp Ridley sea turtle. |
| We selected the name, Hope, from over a dozen entries as the word embodies the feelings we have for all of our wildlife patients. |
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Franklin, the only grey eyed Great Horned Owl known to be in captivity. |
| Hope grew up with other orphans and all were released successfully in a nearby safe habitat and many that adopted her helped buy the food and medicines that she needed. |
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Baxter, our Barred Owl. |
| If you would like to sponsor an animal, send your request and your donation of $20 or more to: WRANPS P.O. Box 209 Long Beach, MS 39560. You will receive a photo, certificate and an update on your animal. |
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Intern, Erica Seaver from Oklahoma holding a Cooper's Hawk. |
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Intern, Maureen McGowan from Philadelphia PA holding a beaver. | |
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Intern, Maureen McGowan from Philadelphia PA holding a baby opossum. | |
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Intern Michelle with baby gator. But you can't adopt this one. | |
INTERNSHIPS
Many thanks go to Chevron in Pascagoula, MS who has sponsored our internship program! Chevron provided enough money to feed and house a student who is interested in making a career in wildlife. The student selected must have a high school degree and preferably, some animal care experience. Then, for a three-month period, 40 hour a week commitment, the student is intensely immersed in the inner workings of a wildlife center. He or she will learn to perform emergency triage on an incredible variety of Mississippi wildlife on the Coast and participate in education programs. WRANPS is a growing organization and each new intern adds his or her unique contributions.
Internships are available year round. Please send your cover letter and Resume stating your availability and experience to:
Katy Pope
Director WRANPS Wildlife Center
23228 Woodland Way
Pass Christian, MS 39571
Remember, this is a 40 hr week, three month commitment. It is also preferred that the applicant be working towards a career in wildlife rehabilitation, wildlife biology, environmental education, etc.
WRANPS EVENTS
Interested in some volunteer work with WRANPS?
Meanwhile, here's some things you can do to help:
They hired me as a
contractor to build a privacy fence and finish the inside of a building they had
built by friends from New Orleans.
They have never paid me one penny of the $7,790.00 of labor and Materials I purchased.
So if you believe this society is working for the animals you need to read all the links of my web pages.
All WRANPS, Inc. wants is your money and your free time.
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Upcoming Events and Workshops |
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To
contribute or volunteer please contact the Wildlife Center at (228)-452-WILD.
You can also email Ms Kate
Pope
EVERYTHING LISTED ABOVE CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET.
SO DON'T BE FOOLED BY THIS SCAM SOCIETY!!
WRANPS GIFT SHOP
Beautiful T-Shirts with original artwork
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Least Tern |
Raccoons |
YOU WOULD BE BETTER OFF PURCHASING A "PET ROCK!!"
MEMORIALS
In memory of Alma
O'Dom Hatten, who died April 2, 1997, the WRANPS advisory Board established The
Alma Hatten Free Spirit Memorial Fund. She had loved wildlife in life and
supported the goals of WRANPS.
The purpose of the fund is to honor the life and spirit of loved ones, who are
no longer burdened with the constraints of the natural world, with a living
memorial. It also promotes the continuing efforts of WRANPS to release injured
or orphaned wild creatures back to the life their free spirits were created to
embrace.
If you would like to make a memorial to someone, send $25.00 to:
WRANPS
Attn: Alma Hatten Memorial
P.O. Box 209
Long Beach, MS 39560-0209
A beautiful certificate will be sent to whomever you designate. Please be clear when you include the name and address of the one receiving the certificate, your name and how you would like it to be on the certificate, and the loved one’s name and the date they passed on. We will select an animal that was released closest to that date. Not only does this honor the memory of a loved one, it also helps with the care and feeding of the many other animals that need rest and care so they can also go back into the wild.
MORE MONEY
I no doubt believe Alma O'Dom Hatten loved animals, but do you believe she would have wanted money too be made through her sprit?
"THE CALL"
Articles written by members of our staff.
1. "The Gopher Tortoise, A Vanishing Species" By Paula O'Briant
2. "Hurricane Georges" By Kate Pope
3. "Bobcat Needs Your Help" By Leigh Lanier
4. "Living With Wildlife" By Dianne Hunt
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
We get asked tons of questions everyday at the Wildlife Center and we use several really good books to help us answer them, including the HSUS book, Humane Treatment of Wild Animals.
http://www.hsus.org/marketplace/book.html
click
I could not find the book,
"Humane Treatment of Wild Animals"
www.amazon.com
click here
Question:
Can I keep a wild animal as a pet?
Answer:
In the state of Mississippi it is illegal to keep and raise wildlife in your
home without the proper permits.
Question:
What should I do if I find a sick, or injured wild animal? Should I try to calm
a wild animal by stroking or petting it?
Answer:
Strange sounds and smells, or stroking and "petting" will stress the
animal. We try to emphasize continuously that it is in the best interest of the
wild animal to be quickly transported to the nearest rehabilitator. In the
meantime, keep the animal in a warm, quiet place (like a cardboard box with lots
of airholes on a heating pad) and only check on it periodically. Try not to
"peek" or show the animal to others, this also stresses the wild
animal and it may lash out at you."
Question:
What happens to animals brought to the Wildlife Center?
Answer:
If possible, the animal is treated and released back into its natural habitat.
However, many times we receive an animal that has been at a private citizen's
home for weeks, months, even years, we try to "wild" them up. Many
times this technique is successful if they are young enough and if we maintain
minimal human contact and keep them together with others their age. Otherwise,
they have to go to a wildlife sanctuary or zoo.
Question:
I have raccoons in my attic that are tearing it up. How do I get rid of them?
Answer:
First of all, assess all entry and exit points. You will want to board them up
as quickly as possible with plywood and/or metal strips after the raccoons have
left. They are usually nocturnal and go out at night for food. It is more than
likely that this happened during "baby" season (spring and fall) and
mom raccoon just found the perfect spot in your attic to raise her babies. When
they are weaned and are old enough to venture out, mom usually takes them to a
ground location where they can learn other skills to survive in the wild. To
drive them out humanely, it helps to have lights on, a radio playing (noise),
and some rags soaked in ammonia spread around where they sleep during the day.
Please double check for sure that all babies are gone before boarding up the
holes. Leave a bowl of water out and if there is evidence of drinking, there may
still be babies around. Contact the Wildlife Center if you think there are
orphans.
Question:
I have a snake in my backyard that looks dangerous. Do you know what it is?
Answer:
It is hard to visualize snakes over the phone. One person may say it it is
orange and black, another brown and black. To make the best, positive ID, go to
your local library and look it up in a reptile book. Although there are a few
poisonous snakes in the coastal area to be careful of like rattlesnakes, coral
snakes, and water moccasins, the majority of snakes are non-poisonous and are
helpful to the environment. For instance, a rat snake eats other snakes and rats
that raid your garden. Don't destroy what you don't know! Read up on it.
Question:
Can we feed baby mammals, like squirrels and raccoons, milk and bread? How about
baby birds?
Answer:
NO. Cow's milk is only suitable for calves and humans (and sometimes we are
allergic to it!). Baby mammals do get their mother's milk until they are weaned
but it is very special milk and has just the right ratios of vitamins and
minerals so the babies can grow strong bones and teeth.
Many milk substitutes have been tested by wildlife nutritionists over the years
and it has been determined that Multimilk, Esbilac (puppy milk), or KMR (kitten
milk) are the closest mother's replacements. Any other off-the-shelf puppy and
kitten milks are not suitable and can cause nutritional deficiencies which may
not be evident until they are let go. Each baby mammal has a different
requirement so it is necessary to get guidance from your nearest wildlife
facility.
Also if the baby is cold, dehydrated, and has been without food for a while, it
can be fatal to introduce formula at this time (a little warmed Gatorade or
Pedialyte may be more beneficial). As for the bread, this has absolutely no
nutritional value for the animal and is not a natural food. If any food is
offered, research the animal's natural history.
Birds do not get milk from their mothers so it is not logical to give them milk
and just because they take it from you, doesn't mean it is the right food for
them. It is difficult to give one generic food or drink to feed baby birds
because each type of bird has a different requirement. WRANPS needs caring,
dedicated volunteers to help raise orphaned mammals and birds so please contact
the Wildlife Center and join the Home Care Volunteer Team. Then you can
rehabilitate under our state and federal permits legally.
Question: Can live-trapping animals humanely and moving them out to the country
cure my pest problem?
Answer: Sure, temporarily. But one of the major reasons raccoons and opossums
hang around is because there is a food source. Is there dog or cat food left
outside? Is there smelly garbage not in a can with a tight fitting lid? Your
garden and compost heap can also be an attraction. After food sources have been
eliminated or minimized (feed your animals indoors or just during the day), wait
a few weeks. Opossums are transient and will move on. Raccoons will also move if
food is scarce. Then if you still need to live-trap, go ahead. Just remember
that it is not humane to separate mother and babies (as well as illegal) so be
aware of the baby seasons. Call WRANPS for other humane ways to deal with pests.
WRANPS Photo Gallery
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New
Feature |
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Great
Blue Heron Release. Slide
Show |
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Index of Wildlife Photos with captions |
All material on this web site is protected by copyright
Other Wildlife-Related Sites
WRANPS
MEMBERSHIP FORM
Print and complete this form and mail with check or money order to:
WRANPS, PO Box 209, Long Beach, MS
39560-0209.
Name: __________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________________
___________________________ STATE: ______ ZIP: _____________
Telephone #: _____ -_______-________
General Membership $20 ________ Donation _______________________
This membership is for 12 months. Membership and donations are tax deductible. Give a gift of membership in WRANPS:
One-time payment categories are:
| Gold Life | $1,000 | ________ |
| Corporate | $ 750 | ________ |
| Life | $ 500 | ________ |
If you would like to volunteer to
help in any capacity, please let us know by commenting on this form. Thank you
for your support.
Comments: As you can see, this society is
not cheap. $1000, $750, $500, or a $20
Donation. But since this society is not open to the public, and is located on
land owned by the University of Southern Mississippi. How does one know what
they do with the money and grants this society makes.
AVOID THIS SOCIETY:
THIS WILDLIFE REHABILITATION & NATURE PRESERVATION SOCIETY, INC.
IS A
Wildlife Rehabilitation
& Nature Preservation Society, Inc.
P.O. Box 209
Long Beach, MS 39560
STEVEN A. McCALEB
PUBLISHED: MARCH 5, 2001
