Have I mentioned I was an animal keeper?
Me & baby Gracie Bobcat
Back in another life during the 1980s when I was married we ended up living in Bakersfield, California. Now that’s a story in itself; I’ll save it for later. Anyway, I was bored in this hick oil field town—no offense to those of you who like that—yet thoroughly enjoyed taking drives and hikes up into the Greenhorn Mountains and Sequoia National Forest.
CALM’s later completed visitor center, classrooms, offices and labs
After driving past the California Living Museum—CALM—several times I decided to stop and check it out. This non-profit organization provides a home to native wildlife who’ve been injured or imprinted too heavily for rehab and release. Entrance was by donation, although they charge now. It’s really like a small zoo and used as an educational facility.
Rags Raccoon dragging a raw egg to break the shell
I wandered around and saw owls and birds of prey, mule deer and coyotes, snakes and reptiles, skunks and opossum, fox, porcupine and raccoons, cougars and bobcats. I was entranced by them all and saddened by their stories. Many road and hunting victims, birds who’d flown into high wires, and large mammals who some person tried to raise as a pet.
Ringtail Cat CALM archives
As I ambled towards the exit and past the small trailer used as administrative offices a woman ran out the door in a flurry of arms flailing and shouting about the awful conditions these animals lived in. I stopped and allowed her to leave with her outrage then immediately walked into the trailer and asked the first person I saw, “What can I do here to help?”
CALM staff 1989
I was given a form for volunteers and had the option to be an animal keeper. I started the next day and worked with an awesome group of other volunteers.
Dawn preparing breakfast
My job included preparing weighed food bowls for a variety of species, recording any uneaten food, scooping poop, and filling water troughs. Another volunteer and I would load up breakfast on the golf cart and make rounds to serve.
Spike Porcupine
First stop, Spike, who occasionally received an ear of corn on the cob, one of his favorite treats. You may not want to snuggle with a porcupine but their face hair is softer than fine velvet, and Spike liked his nose rubbed.
Melissa with Cataract Squirrel
At every stop along our way, Cataract would beg for the nuts from our pockets.
Shasta & Whitney Bald Eagles CALM archives
There was trout for the eagles and mice for the owls.
Wilbur Burrowing Owl
San Juaquin Kit Fox CALM archives
Dog food and rodents for the fox.
Chiquita & Frick Opossum
We never went into the mule deer enclosure alone as they are considered the most dangerous animals to keepers. Just turn your back on a docile looking bambi and they can rear and hit you hard with hooves that can kill.
Sierra Cougar CALM archives
For me, the most amazing creatures were the cats. Imagine walking into an enclosure with that.
.jpg)
Me & Sierra
Yet we became friends of the highest regard when Sierra and I bumped heads. Much like any of us, she really liked a little attention. Someone had tried to raise her as a pet and by the time she came to CALM she was sickly and undernourished.
Bald Eagles during mating flight
I helped with the building of a new rapture enclosure and donated a drawing. Then during a fundraiser, with the help of my fellow volunteers and some children, I actually handled the California King Snake and overcame a childhood phobia.
Lemondrop Albino Ferret was a keepers’ pet and couldn’t be displayed being non-indigenous to California
CALM’s later completed visitor center, classrooms, offices and labs
After driving past the California Living Museum—CALM—several times I decided to stop and check it out. This non-profit organization provides a home to native wildlife who’ve been injured or imprinted too heavily for rehab and release. Entrance was by donation, although they charge now. It’s really like a small zoo and used as an educational facility.
Rags Raccoon dragging a raw egg to break the shell
I wandered around and saw owls and birds of prey, mule deer and coyotes, snakes and reptiles, skunks and opossum, fox, porcupine and raccoons, cougars and bobcats. I was entranced by them all and saddened by their stories. Many road and hunting victims, birds who’d flown into high wires, and large mammals who some person tried to raise as a pet.
Ringtail Cat CALM archives
As I ambled towards the exit and past the small trailer used as administrative offices a woman ran out the door in a flurry of arms flailing and shouting about the awful conditions these animals lived in. I stopped and allowed her to leave with her outrage then immediately walked into the trailer and asked the first person I saw, “What can I do here to help?”
CALM staff 1989
I was given a form for volunteers and had the option to be an animal keeper. I started the next day and worked with an awesome group of other volunteers.
Dawn preparing breakfast
My job included preparing weighed food bowls for a variety of species, recording any uneaten food, scooping poop, and filling water troughs. Another volunteer and I would load up breakfast on the golf cart and make rounds to serve.
Spike Porcupine
First stop, Spike, who occasionally received an ear of corn on the cob, one of his favorite treats. You may not want to snuggle with a porcupine but their face hair is softer than fine velvet, and Spike liked his nose rubbed.
Melissa with Cataract Squirrel
At every stop along our way, Cataract would beg for the nuts from our pockets.
Shasta & Whitney Bald Eagles CALM archives
There was trout for the eagles and mice for the owls.
Wilbur Burrowing Owl
San Juaquin Kit Fox CALM archives
Dog food and rodents for the fox.
Chiquita & Frick Opossum
We never went into the mule deer enclosure alone as they are considered the most dangerous animals to keepers. Just turn your back on a docile looking bambi and they can rear and hit you hard with hooves that can kill.
Sierra Cougar CALM archives
For me, the most amazing creatures were the cats. Imagine walking into an enclosure with that.
.jpg)
Me & Sierra
Yet we became friends of the highest regard when Sierra and I bumped heads. Much like any of us, she really liked a little attention. Someone had tried to raise her as a pet and by the time she came to CALM she was sickly and undernourished.
Bald Eagles during mating flight
I helped with the building of a new rapture enclosure and donated a drawing. Then during a fundraiser, with the help of my fellow volunteers and some children, I actually handled the California King Snake and overcame a childhood phobia.
Lemondrop Albino Ferret was a keepers’ pet and couldn’t be displayed being non-indigenous to California
Yes, I loved to be so close to these animals while at the same time my heart ached for them having to be restrained for the rest of their lives. Truly an internal conflict. But we all worked hard to educate the visitors about the plight of these animals and hoped there would be less of them in the future. This was a most amazing nine month experience.
Wow, what a fascinating experience working with those animals, and you have great pictures too! I didn’t know that porcupines have soft hair on their faces. That ferret is cute. We had a couple of ferrets who were into everything, had to lock all the cupboards and fridge.
What a wondrous life you have led! I am quite envious.
What a wonderful experience! You’ll have to come visit the Living Desert Reserve in my town, Palm Desert, sometime!
A smart way of doing a difficult job.
Thanks for the post.
I really loved this post. All I can say is thank you for what you did and for being involved. Great story and photos.
What an important thing to do. We lived in Los Angeles County near a park, but surrounded by city. We still had lots of wildlife in our area: coyotes, road runners, possums, racoons, hawks, owls and lots of little critters. Now I live in the wilderness, but don’t see half as much wildlife. Probably because I live on the water at the base of a steep rock cliff. – Margy
sounds like a most amazing experience. It would be great to work with all those different animals. I grew up with MANY domestic animals, so I understand the responsibility of taking care of creatures, and I have always been amazed at how poorly some people treat the animals in their lives. And how people think that wild animals will make cute pets……
Wow!! Love these!! Bakerfield has to be the driest, dustiest place I was ever in. LOL!! I would always try to get through it as soon as possible. 🙂 I love ALL the pictures Gaelyn,especially the bobcat.
This was definitely a fascinating experience. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Incredible way to spend your life and so worthwhile
You are so awesome and lucky to be able to do the things you do!
It is sad that wild animals have ever to be caged, but if there is a health problem and their lives can be prolonged and be happy at the same time, then I am all for it. Always educational as well to see how these animals live at close quarters.
Another comment added to your most viewed post! Diane
That sounds like the most amazing time!! It was VERY different from living in Downers Grove, huh?
Gaelyn, what an amazing story! I only "met" you online as a blogger towards the end of 2009. So I've popped in two years later to comment. Well done on an honourable job at CALM. Is the centre still active? Jo
This sounds like a fascinating experience. I'd love to volunteer in a place like that.
Is it me, or do volunteers end up doing all the work?
An amazing post Gaelyn! I have heard that mule dear are dangerous. You would never guess it from all the Bambi movies and books! I'm surprised about the pocupine's soft face! Sounds like it was a great experience! Thanks for pointing us here!
Oh my word, there are so many adorable animals in this post! How lucky to be able to work with and learn about so many unusual varieties. I especially like the ringtail cat and the kit fox!
Wow, what a cool experience to work with all these animals. That cat looked scary to me. I am an animal lover and all the pictures are wonderful.
I see I'm not the only one eager to boost your stats! 😀 It's an interesting post, about you doing good as a keeper of wildlife, and you're showing wonderful critters, yet I'm still curious what drove the big number traffic here (beyond your loyal blogging fans). Could it be your keyword and link to CALM?
I missed this post a long time ago, too. I took my geology classes to the CALM zoo quite a few times when they still had a good fossil collection. We had spent the night at Ming Lake, and then searched for sharkteeth on the hills above the zoo. After finding a few teeth, it was neat to see some of the larger speciments. I liked visiting with the badger while my students looked at fossils!