Dateline – July 4, 2020 – Dallas, Texas
You may remember, from a few weeks ago, our article about wildlife rehabber, Sharon Finney and her newest charge, Andrew the albino Raccoon. Well, over the weekend we had occasion for a followup visit. It was way past time to check in and see how little Andrew was doing.
What a difference a few weeks makes! Since the last time I visited, Andrew has been moved into a larger outdoor enclosure, which he continues to share with his friend, April—a similarly aged female with typical Raccoon coloration. When we first met Andrew and April they were only a few weeks old and still required bottle feeding. Now both Raccoons are several times larger, fully weaned, and always hungry.
I arrived at Sharon’s house just in time for the Raccoon’s mid-day feeding. Grapes, lettuce, dog food, peaches, oranges, tuna, raw chicken, and yogurt covered raisins were on the menu this afternoon. The plump, green grapes were clearly a favorite, but none of the food lasted long before the onslaught of these two hungry Raccoons. I sat in the corner of their enclosure, taking pictures and thoroughly enjoying the antics of the mismatched pair as they gorged themselves in comical ways. Mischief-making is never wanting when it comes to Raccoons.
a signature Raccoon behavior!
Afterwards, Sharon had another surprise for me. As if an albino Raccoon was not enough of a rarity for one baby season, Sharon had just recently accepted another very unique baby animal in need…
Meet Cinnamon, a young Opossum with a distinctive soft, reddish-brown coloration that inspired her name. Opossums are typically a darker shade of gray, and Cinnamon’s unique coloration was fascinating to see. This little Opossum was rescued from a swimming pool, and she will stay in Sharon’s care until a permanent home can be found for her.
As we were returning little Cinnamon to her cage, there came a knock at the front door. It was a group of Sharon’s friends bearing gifts—five more baby Opossums! In addition to Cinnamon, Sharon already had eleven other Opossums under her care. The oldest were a group of nine siblings. Add to that another two, slightly younger Opossums… all still requiring tube feedings. With the new set of five—even younger—Opossums, feeding time at Sharon’s place will be very busy for a long time to come.
They are produced and supplied to rehabbers like Sharon by a team of volunteers
Once again, all of this good work is made possible by the support of Texas Metro Wildlife Rehabilitators, a nonprofit organization located here in the metroplex. Their network of dedicated wildlife rehabilitators work together to aid and assist injured and orphaned wildlife. If you would like to learn more about Texas Metro Wildlife Rehabilitators, offer your volunteer services, or donate to the cause please visit their website by clicking the link below…
To get timely updates on their latest wildlife rehab cases and other important news, follow TMWR on Facebook…
If you need help with an injured, orphaned, or nuisance wildlife situation, please contact the DFW Wildlife Coalition for their expert assistance…
