H.A.W.K.E - Wildlife Rehabilitation Center

Meet Ellen and Oprah!

President Melanie Cain-Stage has been a licensed wildlife rehabilitator since 1979 and HAWKE has never been closed in all of that time. HAWKE receives no funding though the federal or state Government, but depends mainly on donations and fund-raisers to care for injured wildlife.

They desperately need your help to feed a variety of wildlife from eagles to latest patient a 4 week old orphaned baby river otter. Melanie Stage is one of the leading river otter experts and is internationally known for her expertise and successful care of these difficult animals. She is a published author and has given wildlife lectures on their care, HAWKE has huge facilities for river otters and adult non-releasable otters that act as parent figures to the youngster teaching how to swim, hunt and play.

It takes over a year to raise and care for a baby otter and thousands of dollars in food. They have to stay inside in a incubator and kept warm and given a special otter formula milk when they are this small.

This baby was found in on a mans lawn weak and confused. He called HAWKE and Melanie had him take the baby directly to St Johns Vet Clinic for an emergency care and she she picked it up and started her every 2 to 3 hours round the clock feedings.

HAWKE's next newsletter will give more information on little ELLEN named after Ellen Degeneres because the otter looks like she's trying to dance and is funny just like the talk show host! And, Oprah, Ellen's new sidekick is winning hearts all over "HAWKEVILLE"!

Melanie always names the otters after comedians because the otters have a true sense of humor and are so funny and playful, Ellen is an animal lover and she helps inspire me to keep the dream alive by helping wildlife against all odds.

A kind lady called Melanie on the March 31st and said an otter was dead of the side of Stokes Rd and its baby was on its dead body crying. She stopped her car but the baby got scared and ran into the ditch. Since animal control was near, Melanie had the lady call them. Animal control was able to get the baby otter, and Melanie came and picked her up. This otter had a narrow face and very dark and sable . She was very traumatized from her mothers death and cried constantly. She was scared of the bottle at first but hungry so she eventually drank milk from the baby bottle.

At first, she had to be kept away from Ellen until she cleaned her quarantine for health. After been de- fleaed and wormed and doing well, she was eventually put in with Ellen. Oprah was so happy when Ellen was put in her cage that she jumped all over and ran around her- overwhelming Ellen! But after awhile they settled down and are the best of friends. They are now eating some solids and will need vast amounts of fish, eggs, puppy food and special formula until they are big enough to be moved outside . After a year of training and learning how to survive in the wild they will be released in a special wildlife preserve safe from cars and people.

Stay tuned for more updates on these two comic otters!

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