Pine Tree Hill Wildlife

Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation in Camden, South Carolina

Pine Tree Hill Wildlife

Carrying Capacity of the Land

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The most triumphant phase of wildlife rehabilitation is when rehabilitation is complete. It does not matter if the animal is with us a few days or several months, releasing an animal back into its natural habitat is WHY we do what we do.  If we do not have release sites, we cannot rehabilitate animals that have nowhere to go when they are ready. It is a struggle some years and, in the past, has prevented us from rehabilitating certain species. Wildlife rescue is not just about our ability to properly care for and make ready each species to return to the wild. It is also about ensuring a safe, secure area for those animals to live the rest of their lives.

A lot of homework goes into choosing a place to release an animal. We must determine if that species naturally thrives in the area. What natural resources are available? Are there homes or businesses nearby? And most important, what is the carrying capacity of the land for that area. 

The carrying capacity of the land is the maximum number of individuals of a given species that an area’s resources can sustain indefinitely without significantly depleting or degrading those resources. It is important for us to not reuse any given area multiple times for our release sites because if we do, we risk exceeding the carrying capacity.  

If you exceed the carrying capacity of an area the result is the species directly affected will either starve to death or must move to a new area. Moving to a new area is not usually a successful option as most species are territorial and will not allow newcomers to be incorporated into the existing populations. 

We are often consulted about wildlife populations in neighborhoods or on private land. One question we are often asked is, “Where did all the wildlife go?”.  Folks will notice there are no birds or squirrels or cottontails and wonder why. In one area a neighborhood homeowners association contacted us after their squirrel population disappeared from one season to the next. Their concern was that someone could be harming the squirrels. After a thorough study of the area, we were able to determine that basically the carrying capacity of the area had been used up. There were no more resources to sustain a squirrel population. Residents had been feeding squirrels for at least five years. The abundance of food increased breeding. The increase of breeding put a greater demand on the natural resources and eventually the squirrel population exceeded the carrying capacity of the land.  The result? The area could no longer sustain squirrels and they either moved on or died.

As a rescue we can only release on privately owned land with the landowner’s permission. It is unlawful to release wildlife (or pets) in parks, preserves or wildlife management areas. A minimum of 50 acres is required for every 10 animals we release. We never release animals near homes, in neighborhoods, or near businesses. Once used, we give each of our release areas a few seasons to recuperate before we release there again.  We must take into consideration that not only will the animals we release need the natural resources there to survive, but so will any offspring they reproduce. If we released in the same area multiple times a year for several years it would be a death sentence for the released animals and the wildlife already inhabiting that area once the natural resources are depleted. We also have to take into consideration what is beyond the area where we are granted permission to release. Eventually our release populations could spill over beyond the acreage we have permission to use.  We never want to cause landowners beyond our release area issues with wildlife.

It is important that we only release healthy wildlife to protect all native wildlife that lives where we release.

On a global scale, exceeding the carrying capacity along with habitat destruction can be directly linked to extinction of some species. Our communities, no matter how small, are all part of the bigger picture so we are very careful about where our rehabilitated wildlife is released. 

Each year we scout for possible release sites. If you have undeveloped land in SC and are interested in being a release site for us let us know. You can email pthwildlife@gmail.com

Sideshow Freak

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Years ago, we did a lot of wildlife and exotic animal education programs. We loved it. Educating the public about the wildlife in their backyards was our favorite thing to do.  We loved seeing the people in our community and people loved seeing us, but mostly people loved seeing the unusual variety of animals we shared.

After a few years of doing this, especially when we were doing multiple programs each month, we noticed life in the public was not good for our animals. After these events many of our animals would show signs of stress.  It only took a few times of seeing the negative impact that public display had on the animals, and we said no more.

For the record, we never used any of our native wildlife rehab patients for programs. It is our job to protect releasable wildlife from human imprinting, habituation, or desensitization to people.  We usually shared some of our exotics and native non-releasable wildlife, like our King Snake named Pretzel or our giant tortoises.  Folks loved our Tarantulas, Iguanas and Bearded Dragons.  Our farm turkey, Buttercup, was quite the celebrity, too.

We stepped away from programs that required animal exhibition about 4 years ago. It hurt us a lot.  Our youth education programs were free and not a source of any income, but it was a way for the public to have one-on-one encounters with their local rescue. The negative impact for us was we stopped receiving donations since we were not in the public eye as much.  Ouch!

We learned that our main responsibility is the health and welfare of the animals in our care.  Most of the animals that come to us, both wild and exotic, have been through unimaginable abuse and neglect.  They came to us to heal, not to be sideshow freaks at an education program and certainly not to be used as an income resource.

We still enjoy the occasional local outing and will even bring our very social, crowd-loving tortoises to visit.  We have been to schools and career days to talk about what we do, and to community helper day at our local elementary school to educate students about what to do if you find wildlife.  We still have our yearly “Let’s Get Snakey” snake identification class, which we can also present to your business or organization.  But we just cannot be irresponsible stewards of the animals who trust us to provide a secure, stable environment for the rest of their lives.  And we cannot risk the chances for native wildlife in our care to not be able to be released back into the wild when rehabilitation is completed.

All wildlife (even most exotic pets) are high stress animals.  There is no such thing as TRULY domesticating or taming a wild or exotic animal.  Some species become human imprinted or human habituated, but wild and exotic animals NEVER lose their natural instincts.  They just use the ability to trust those instincts enough to use them.

Not all zoos, petting zoos, or animal education facilities are BAD.  There are a lot of great zoos and animal sanctuaries to visit in South Carolina.  When you do visit these places, native wildlife on display should only be non-releasable wildlife.  Releasable wildlife cannot under any circumstances, be human habituated, imprinted, or desensitized to people.  This means non-releasable animals should never cohabitate with releasable wild animals.  We believe in this so strongly at our rescue that once an animal is being weaned and ready for release, we do not even talk around them and a few weeks before release they rarely see us.  We limit the number of different people a wild animal sees while in care.  We need releasable wild animals to NOT associate people with food, security, or companionship.  We need releasable wildlife to have a natural fear of people and pets.

Finally, if you attend events or facilities that have wild, exotic, or even farm animals on display, please know that no matter how docile and friendly these animals appear, a person, place, or even a smell could cause stress.  Ask the animal handler before you try to touch or feed an animal.  Some facilities may already have instructions in place at enclosures detailing what is allowed.  Respect an animal’s personal space.  Social distancing isn’t just for humans.

Bella, one of our dedicated volunteers
and supporters, at a 4-H presentation.

Where Have All The Rescues Gone?

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South Carolina has 46 counties.  Last count, there are only 30 counties with local wildlife rescues. Many rescues accept animals from multiple counties.

Folks tell us all the time that there are not enough wildlife rescues in South Carolina.  We do not disagree.  Ironically there are not enough donors and supporters of wildlife rescues for more of us to survive. 

Wildlife rescues serve a much-needed purpose to communities.  Who do you call when you find orphaned, injured, or displaced wildlife? If you really want to make sure the animal you found receives the absolute best care from people who are educated to care for that species; you will call your most local (reputable) wildlife rescue. *

In South Carolina there are no state or federal agencies that do what we do.  All wildlife rescues are independent organizations that do not receive state or federal funding.  Most of us are nonprofits, but you do not have to be a nonprofit to be a good rescue.  Nonprofit status does not benefit the organization so much as it does the donors to the organization.  Nonprofit status does not legitimize an organization either.

Our rescue is a nonprofit organization.  We are also an all-volunteer organization.  This means no one receives a salary so all donations received go directly to the care of the animals at the rescue.  This also means that we pay out of pocket for any expenses not covered by donations.  And there are plenty of expenses.  Nonprofits do not receive anything for free.  We pay for vet care, feed, supplies, and transportation. Sometimes we might get a discount. Most of the time we do not.

Most of our volunteers also have jobs in their real life.  We have to…this is how we pay for all of those expenses when donations are low. 

We’re not telling those of you who follow us anything you haven’t heard before…Let us get to the point of this blog post, which is about 50% rant and 50% preaching to the choir.

Last week we had two different callers who drove more than 2 hours from opposite sides of the state to bring us orphaned wildlife they found because they did not have a local rescue in their area.  Both callers were mad because to help the wildlife they found they had to drive to us. Both were angry that we could not just hop in our cars and drive to them. They wanted to help the animals they found, but they were also disappointed that wildlife rescues here aren’t like the ones they see on TV shows?!?!?!?!  One caller actually told us we need to do better.

For wildlife rescues to be successful and sustainable we need community support.  Two years ago our rescue had to limit the species we accept.  Not because we do not have the time or volunteers, but because we do not have the funding to keep supplies on hand for multiple species of wildlife.

Wildlife rescues face a lot of hardships with our biggest one being that we do not have a revenue generating resource.  Our main goal is to keep wildlife wild and be sure it’s capable of survival when rehabilitation is complete.  We cannot have adoption events or charge admission to visitors. Heck, we can’t even have visitors.  We cannot take the wild animals we are rehabbing to events and show them off.  We cannot allow the WILD animals in our care to be human imprinted or habituated. Sadly when the public does not get to have a first hand experience with the animals they tend to NOT donate to us and instead donate to the shelters, sanctuaries, and petting zoos they can visit.

Our second biggest hardship is that folks believe we receive funding from state agencies to do the work we do so people believe there is no need to donate.  Or that their tax money pays us.  We wish!

We help the humans who reach out to us just as much as we help the wildlife brought to us. Our purpose is not only to rehabilitate and keep wildlife wild.  Our purpose is also to help the people who FIND the animals know what to do when they encounter wildlife. 

The moral of the story here is that wildlife rescues are becoming a rarity and the biggest culprit is (as always) funding.  If you have a wildlife rescue in your community, please support them. If you take an animal to a rescue, leave a donation.  Tell other people about how your local wildlife rescue helped you.  Share social media posts, newsletters, websites, and blogs from your local wildlife rescue.  Do something because before long rescues like ours will only be able to do nothing.

*Some species and some situations fall outside of what a wildlife rescue can lawfully handle and require a response from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) or the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC).

It’s For The Birds

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Did you know baby birds do not know how to fly the first time they leave the nest? Fledgling birds leave the nest and will live on the ground a few days. The parents will watch and continue to care for the fledglings, encouraging them to take short test flights while following the parents. Once the fledglings fly, the parents continue to care for them until they are ready to be on their own.
It can be difficult to know when to leave Mother Nature alone. Especially when you see a tiny bird hopping around. The span of time when the fledgling leaves the nest until it flies is when parents teach the baby survival skills. Allowing the baby to stay with the parents is crucial to the birds survival.
No one can teach a fledgling how to be a bird better than its parents.
Baby birds should ONLY be rescued if they are sick or injured, or if you are absolutely positive BOTH parents are gone. If you are worried about cats or dogs in the area the right thing to do is to NOT disturb or disrupt the birds. Instead, move or restrict the cats or dogs. It will only be a few days before the birds have moved on.
FYI, this information applies to both songbirds and birds of prey.

The ONLY federally permitted songbird rescue in the Midlands is Carolina Wildlife Center, located at 5551 Bush River Road, Columbia, SC 803-772-3994.

The More You Know

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Did you know wildlife Rescues are micro businesses? A lot of people believe that being a nonprofit means we have no operating expenses and that we receive free services related to our mission (vet care, meds, feed, utilities, administrative fees, etc).

Nonprofits do not get anything for free. We still have to set a budget for the year and figure out HOW we will raise the funds to meet our budget. Because we are a designated nonprofit AND a registered charity we can fundraise and collect donations to help with expenses. And because we are a nonprofit our donors can receive a tax deduction. But we still pay for everything we need to properly operate as a rescue.

To be honest, fundraising sucks. Organizations like ours are all volunteer. No one receives a salary. We donate our time (and often our own money) to provide services for free to our community. We volunteer 7 days a week and we also have real jobs we have to go to everyday. AND on top of that we have to market, advertise, make public appearances and somehow fundraise and reach out to donors to make it all happen.

Nonprofits like ours do not exist because we get perks or freebies. We rarely get grants and we ARE NOT funded by the taxes you pay.

Nonprofits like ours DO exist because we love what we do. We are good at what we do. We care about the wildlife and exotic species in our state and we care about the people in our community who need our help.

Nonprofits like ours depend on our community for support just as much as our community depends on us when they need help.

If you support what we do and you want to help us continue our mission, donations can be sent via

PAYPAL

Or

PTH Wildlife, PO Box 1523, Camden, SC 29021

A Win for Wildlife in SC

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New Laws Protect Native Turtle/Reptile Species

October 21, 2020 was a great day for wildlife conservation in our state.  Governor Henry McMaster signed into law a bill to protect native reptiles and amphibians from exploitation.  This new law also set regulations for unlawful release of nonnative reptiles which has been an issue for a long time in South Carolina.
Over the last decade South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) has seen an increase in the reptile and amphibian trade. Recent high-profile investigations began in SC and brought a lot of attention to the exploitation of native reptiles and amphibians.
According the SCDNR website many of our native species are in high demand in the pet trade and are sold in excess of $1,000 per animal, especially in Asia. South Carolina was one of the only southeastern states with no regulations therefore more collectors harvested from our state.  Acknowledgement of our need for laws to protect wildlife led to the writing and passing into law of ACT 177.

SCDNR has been going above and beyond to educate the public about the new laws.  They recently released a FAQ document to help us understand the changes. Here are the basics you need to know.

What does this new law change for native reptiles and amphibians?
Act 177 protects native turtles, establishes possession limits, and allows those that exceed possession limits to register their collection for a temporary exemption. It also allows SCDNR to manage native reptiles and amphibians through regulation, as well as making it illegal to release or let escape nonnative wildlife and provides increased penalties for violations. This bill also gives SCDNR the authority to regulate potentially damaging or invasive species.

What is the current regulation when it comes to the sale, transfer and possession of native reptiles and amphibians?
Previously there was little protection or regulation of sale and transfer of native reptiles and amphibians, which led to many wild South Carolina species being targeted for collection, potentially contributing to population declines. Before, all native species could be bought, sold, and possessed in unlimited quantity, except species listed as endangered or threatened in South Carolina.
With the passage of the new law and associated regulations, most native species are protected from wild collection and sale. However, important species in the pet trade, like corn snakes reproduced in captivity, can continue to be traded. Regulations identify species that may be bought and sold without harm to wild populations. Species that are not state listed, or otherwise regulated may continue to be possessed.

Does this change anything for nonnative species?
Before this bill, there was no restriction or penalty for the release or escape of most nonnative wildlife in South Carolina. This bill makes that illegal and establishes a penalty for violations.

What is that penalty?
This is a misdemeanor offense and upon conviction is subject to a fine of up to $2,500 and/or imprisonment of up to a year.

What are some of the more common nonnative species people encounter in the pet trade?
Red-Eared Sliders are your typical pet sore or flea market turtle for sale. Except for a few species, almost any species of snake, turtle, tortoise or amphibians sold in pet stores are considered nonnative.  As a good rule, never release any animal that was kept captive.  It most likely lacks the foraging and survival skills needed to survive, it will not be acclimated to the climate, and it could expose wild populations to parasites and disease. You can visit DNR.SC.GOV for a list of what is still allowed.

What are the possession limits now to native turtles?
The following personal possession limits, subject to an aggregate limit of ten, are established:
Florida cooter (Pseudemys floridana): 5
River cooter (Pseudemys concinna): 5
Chicken turtle (Deirochelys reticularia): 5
Eastern painted turtle (Chrysemys picta): 5
Spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera): 5
Florida softshell turtle (Apalone ferox): 5
Eastern mud turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum): 5
Striped mud turtle (Kinosternon baurii): 5
Common musk turtle (Sternotherus odoratus): 5
Yellow-bellied slider (Trachemys scripta): 5
Common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina): 5
Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina): 2
Diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin): 2

A total limit of 10 turtles. The law allows those who exceed these limits to register their animals for a temporary exemption. Prior to the bill, there were no limits on possession of native reptiles and amphibians except species listed as threatened or endangered. Possession of threatened and endangered species still require a permit.

Who needs to register their turtle collection?
Anyone who owns more than the limits listed above.

What if I find a turtle/snake and just want to keep it as a pet?
The way the current laws read, if the species in question is not protected, threatened nor endangered, there is no penalty for keeping a wild caught pet.  We do greatly discourage anyone from taking wildlife and keeping it as a pet.  It is impossible to provide a proper environment and diet for native wildlife in captivity.

What if I find a sick or injured turtle?
If you find a turtle that you believe to be sick or injured you can transport the turtle to a wildlife rescue that is permitted under the new laws.

What rescues are permitted to rehabilitate reptiles and amphibians?
Currently the closest wildlife rescue is Carolina Wildlife Center in Columbia, SC.  Our rescue will need to update our enclosures and intake areas to accommodate the new laws.  We planned to do this last year, but our funding has suffered due to COVID-19.  Our current focus is species for which we are already permitted.  This year we will be one of the only wildlife rescues in operation still permitted for fawns.  Our focus, until more funding can be secured, will be exotic species, small mammals, and fawns.

SCDNR List of Permitted Reptile Rescues

Sources:
Jay Butfiloski, Certified Wildlife Biologist and Furbearer & Alligator Program Coordinator, SCDNR
Andrew Grosse, Herpetologist, SCDNR
Website: DNR.SC.GOV

Questions? Contact Andrew Grosse at herps@dnr.sc.gov

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