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.
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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.