I want to take this time, as hurricane Ike makes its way through Texas, to let everyone know about two bird and wildlife rescue/rehabilitation/sanctuaries that I admire and support.
The International Bird Rescue Research Center, based in California, focuses its efforts on birds and other animals injured by the all-too-frequent oil spills in our seas around the world. This non-profit organization, established in 1971, also helps birds and animals injured by the detritus of the fishing industry. I have not found any reports of oil spills along the Texas Gulf Coast due to storm damage, and I hope that the drilling operations an rigs are not badly damaged.
Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation is a non-profit organization located in Texas, west of Austin and north of San Antonio - near the city of Kendalia. It was founded in 1977 by Lynn Cuny, and has grown from a backyard operation to a highly respected sanctuary of 187 acres. Their commitment to wildlife stresses the need to keep the “wild” in wildlife. I whole-heartedly agree!
I am comforted to know that both of these organizations are helping birds and wildlife every day. I am especially glad to know they are there during times like these, when nature’s fury leaves us all scrambling to recover. I have written checks, albeit for humble amounts, and mailed them to each of these organizations today. If you are feeling like you would like to help too, I encourage you to spread the word about these organizations. Of course, I am sure that they would appreciate cash as well. 
The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service has posted the following grant to help the vital wetlands habitat along the Texas Gulf Coast. As hurricane Ike continues to make its way up through Texas, the reports of damage to the coastal areas are coming in. In addition to the damage to homes and businesses, there will undoubtedly be damage and disruption to ecosystems and the wildlife that depend on them. This grant money will go toward supporting wetlands habitats…and couldn’t come at a better time. Kudos to Ducks Unlimited for procuring the grant!
| TEXAS | |
| Project: Wetlands Restoration and Enhancement of Private and Public Lands, Texas Gulf Coast VI. Location: 28 counties in the Texas Gulf Coast region. Congressional District: 2, 9, 14, 15, 18, 22, 25, and 27-29. Grantee: Ducks Unlimited, Inc. Contact: Scott W. Manley, smanley@ducks.org . Partners: Wetlands America Trust; private individuals; Texas Parks and Wildlife Department; Futch Foundation; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Approved: September 2008. Grant: $1,000,000. Matching Funds: $1,825,885. Nonmatching Funds: $100,000. Joint Venture Region: Gulf Coast. Flyway: Central. BCR: 37. |
This project represents a continuation of long-term efforts to protect, restore and enhance important wetland habitats in the Gulf Coast Prairies. Successful delivery of this project will help ensure that the Texas Gulf Coast continues to fulfill its historical role as one of the most important wintering and migration habitats in North America for continental populations of waterfowl, shorebirds and other wetland-dependent migratory birds. This project will provide breeding habitat for mottled ducks, black-bellied whistling ducks and fulvous whistling ducks, as well as wintering/migration habitat for northern pintails, mallards, gadwalls, American wigeon, green-winged teal, blue-winged teal, cackling Canada geese and other waterfowl, shorebirds, wading birds, and landbirds. |
September 23rd, 2008 at 5:12 am
Hey, Amber, I did a post about Ike and the Whooping Cranes it is still getting a lot of traffic. I have not heard anything about Aransas in the news. Do you know how it fared with the hurricane? The northern NWRs did have an oil spill, btw. http://wildbirdonthefly.blogspot.com/2008/09/hurricane-ikes-effect-on-wildlife.html
September 26th, 2008 at 9:46 am
Hi Bevson - People on the TEXBIRDS listserv had been raising money for whooping cranes’ habitat before the storm hit. I’ll be looking into the state of Aransas and other birding hotspots on the Texas Gulf coast in the next week, and will post and update.