Mary Cummins Wildlife Rehabilitation Animal Advocates News Los Angeles California: rehabilitator

Showing posts with label rehabilitator. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 24, 2025

RIP Mikayla Raines. Bullying of Animal Rescuers Must Stop by Mary Cummins, Animal Advocates

Wildlife rehabilitator Mikayla Raines of Save a Fox committed suicide June 20, 2025 at the age of 29. Mikayla leaves behind a loving husband, daughter and an animal rescue organization. Her husband stated in a video that other rescuers had been stalking, harassing and attacking her viciously which caused Mikayla to kill herself. Such a sad preventable situation.

Bullying is a common theme in the animal rescue world. I've been stalked by a certain bully and her crew since 2010. I got a restraining order which they violated over 150 times within two weeks. My bully even emailed me telling me I should kill myself saying she was my mother. My bully likes to call me fat, old, ugly, wrinkly, warty piggy nose, bald, toothless...and much, much worse. They like to falsely accuse me of disgusting crimes against children and animals. They post photos of nude morbidly obese women or a roach with my face photoshopped on top. They accuse me of having STDs, AIDs... They even like to turn it around and pretend they are the victim. I can only imagine what Mikayla was going through. I'm sure it was the same evil.

I spoke with the Los Angeles County expert on stalkers at the time. The woman wrote a book on stalking. They told me my stalker was jealous and mentally ill. They told me to get a civil restraining order which didn't help at all. My stalker relished the attention.

Part of the Minimum Standards for Wildlife Rehabilitation talks about this issue specifically. Warden Joe Baima of the California Department of Fish & Wildlife used to start off each District 5 meeting by reading this section of the code of ethics.

Minimum Standards for Wildlife Rehabilitation, 4th edition, 2012, NWRA & IWRC, Code of Ethics, pg V, Item 6. "A wildlife rehabilitator should respect other rehabilitators and persons in related fields,

sharing skills and knowledge in the spirit of cooperation for the welfare of the animals."

Joe Baima would then tell the rehabbers that he doesn't want to see or hear any complaints against other rehabbers. I was told it all came out of jealousy and envy. Some are jealous another rehabber got in a rarer boutique species. Some are jealous that someone's rescue video is going viral. Some are jealous that another groups gets lots of donations. Some are just jealous over looks, age and weight. There are also some rehabbers who want to be the gate keeper of certain species. One lady wants to be in charge of all bobcats. Another wants to be in charge of all bats. It doesn't make any sense as there are many more animals than all the rehabbers can possibly handle. Killing off a rehabber only makes your workload larger.

Other times one rehabber is upset that they can't rehab skunks in their condo. They decide to try to make it impossible for anyone to rehab skunks by filing bizarre and false reports about skunk rehabbers. All the while they are illegally rehabbing skunks in their condo while their neighbors object.

There need to be better laws and regulations to deal with bullies. Restraining orders don't help. Lawsuits are complex and expensive. People are allowed to harass, defame, file false reports against people as much as they want no matter the laws. Based on what happened to Mikayla it's clearly legal to bully someone to death. While the husband could legally file a lawsuit it'd be pointless. Mikayla is never coming back. Justice is also rarely possible unless you have a lot of money and contacts.

Obituary

https://jmmcbeathfuneralhome.com/news/mikayla-raines

Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game and the USDA. Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.

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Mary Cummins of Cummins Real Estate Services has been in real estate since 1983, over 35 years. She is licensed by the Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers. Mary Cummins was an agent and broker licensed with the California Department of Real Estate selling residential income, commercial buildings, raw land and homes for Merrill Lynch Realty in Beverly Hills and Westside Properties in Los Angeles before concentrating on appraisals. Mary Cummins currently provides real estate appraisals, expert witness testimony, historical research, legal real estate research for mortgage brokers, banks, lawyers, factors, insurance companies, financial consultants and private individuals. Mary Cummins was born and raised in Southern California. Cummins attended Beverly Hills Good Shepherd Catholic School and Beverly Hills High School. Besides being on the Dean's list, Mary Cummins was a top ten national swimmer and competed on the men's water polo team. Mary Cummins began college at the age of 15 attending the University of Southern California on scholarship, majoring in Psychology/Sociology. http://www.animaladvocates.us http://www.facebook.com/AnimalAdvocatesUSA

Sunday, May 25, 2025

Mary Cummins Animal Advocates Resume Curriculum Vitae

Curriculum Vitae

Cummins is a bilingual Latina who grew up in a wildlife area of Los Angeles, California rescuing baby bunnies, squirrels and even a fawn by the age of six. She continued to rescue all types of animals on her own, with other organizations and for local animal shelters.

Cummins founded Animal Advocates an IRS recognized 501 3c non-profit organization in 2002. Animal Advocates is a registered California Corporation and legal charity with the California Attorney General. Cummins is a licensed wildlife rehabilitator specializing in small mammals including but not limited to coyotes, bobcats, foxes, skunks, raccoons, opossums, squirrels and bats.

Animal Advocates is the only wildlife rehabilitation facility in the city of Los Angeles which is home to over 5,000,000 people spread over 500 square miles. To date (2021) we have rescued and rehabilitated 8,368 wild animals and 1,254 domestic for a grand total of 9,622 animals. We provide wildlife education in English and Spanish in the community and through our work with the local, state and federal government. 2022 was our 20 year anniversary.

Education

• 1982 Beverly Hills High School, Dean's list, Swim team, Water Polo

• 1984 University of Southern California, Dean's list, Swim Team, Marks International Hall, Scholarship

Professional Education

• 1982 Emergency Medical Technician I

• 2001 Wildlife Paramedic I Basic training for wildlife emergency response

• 2003 IWRC Basic rehabilitation skills seminar, two day course, 13 hours

• 2004 Opossum Society, Opossum rehabilitation

• 2004 HSUS Animal Care two day seminar in Reno, Nevada

• 2005 Rio Hondo Police Academy PAC 43.76 PC 832 Arrest - Modules 1 & III

• 2005 Rio Hondo Police Academy PAC 43.77 PC 832 Firearms - Module II

• 2005 Animal Law Enforcement Academy, San Diego Humane Society and SPCA. 80 hours of approved credit by CVMA, sponsored by the State Humane Association of California to become a Humane Officer

• 2005 American Humane Association, Euthanasia by Injection Certificate, Pasadena Shelter

• 2005 American Humane Association - TV & Film, “No animals were harmed” one week training program. Employed in 2005.

• 2006 Pasadena Police Department Certificate of training Tazer X26

• 2005 LA Animal Services, Mitigating animal related injuries in the shelter environment

• 2005 LA Animal Services, Reptile care and handling

• 2005 LA Animal Services, Horse care and handling

• 2005 LA Animal Services, Wildlife care and handling

• 2010 Desert Studies Center, Southwestern bats, research techniques, Dr. Patricia Brown-Berry, 42 years of experience with bats

• 2011 Humane Society University, Animal First Aid for Disaster Responders, 8 hours live

• 2017 Animal Legal Defense Fund's Animal Law Summer School - Ag-Gag, Professor Alan Chen, University of Denver Sturm College of Law

• 2017 Animal Legal Defense Fund's Animal Law Summer School - Captive Wildlife, Matthew Liebman, Director of Litigation for the Animal Legal Defense Fund

• 2018 Big Cats in the City: Ecology, Behavior and Conservation of Mountain Lions around Los Angeles. Seth Riley.

• 2018 Animal Legal Defense Fund’s Animal Law School “Case Study: Elephants at the LA Zoo" presented by lawyer David Casselman.

• 2018 Wild Futures “Living with Mountain Lions in the Bay Area & Greater California.”

• 2019 Animal Legal Defense Fund’s “The Link between Violence against Humans and Animals.”

• 2020 IWRC, Coffee & Tea discussion on Cultivating anti-racism in wildlife rehabilitation

• 2021 New York City AAZK, Compassion Fatigue, Burnout, and the Zoological Field

• 2021 Beneath the Surface: Examining Triggers of Harmful Algal Blooms, Marine Mammal Care

• 2021 Prairie Dogs in Peril Zoom, James Trever of Prairie Dog Pals

• 2022 Groundbreaking of Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing

• 2022 Post Human Infrastructure, Lauren Bon, Metabolic Studios

• 2022 Wildlife 2 Watts Educational Event

• 2022 Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing Open House

• 2023 Latino Conservation Week programs

• 2023 Celebration of Life Event P22

• 2023 Natural History Museum P22 Museum Educational Visit

• 2023 IWRC Pinniped Control-Meeting Community Needs in a Time of Crisis

• 2023 Cougar Conservancy National Wildlife Federation Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing Tour

• 2024 IWRC Wildlife Rehabilitation & Conservation in Rwanda

• 2024 IWRC Connections U Networking in Latin America, Spanish/English

• 2024 Animal Tracks Wildlife Sanctuary Educational Visit

• 2024 Recognizing and Understanding Bias for the Animal Welfare Professional

• 2024 IWRC International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council Coffee & Tea: A big problem with little animals: how insect declines may affect wildlife

Professional licenses, permits past and present

• 2001 Los Angeles City Gun Permit

• 2003 Los Angeles City Wildlife Permit

• 2003 USDA Class C Exhibitor Permit for Sanctuary animals

• 2004 CA Department of Fish and Wildlife trapping permit

• 2004 CA Department of Fish and Wildlife, Wildlife Rehabilitation permit, Educational Animals and later exhibit permit

Awards and acknowledgments

• 2003 EARS, Certificate of appreciation for assisting in the wildfires

• 2003 City of Los Angeles, Certificate of appreciation

• 2009 LA Animal Services, Certificate of appreciation

• 2010 Classy, Nonprofit Award

• 2013 Great Nonprofits, Top-Rated Nonprofit Award 3

• 2013 Los Angeles Business Journal, Corporate Citizen and Nonprofit

Selected media, publications, articles

• 2002 "What to do when you find a baby squirrel"

• 2002 "What to do when you find an injured squirrel"

• 2003 "How to reunite squirrels babies with their mothers"

• 2003 "How to trim trees with wildlife in mind"

• 2003 "How to properly care for un-releasable squirrels"

• 2003 "How to build proper caging for wildlife"

• 2003 Cat Fancy Magazine, "Mama Mia"

• 2003 "How to humanely deal with coyotes"

• 2004 "Rehabilitation of tree squirrels" manual.

• 2004 "Rehabilitation of ground squirrels" manual.

• 2004 "Rehabilitation of skunks" manual.

• 2004 "Treatment of Malocclusion in Squirrels," Co-author Dr. Bill Ridgeway

• 2004 "How to trim rodent teeth"

• 2004 "How to make pet squirrels wild again"

• 2004 "How to set up a wildlife referral system in animal shelters"

• 2005 IWRC, "Journal of Wildlife Rehabilitation," "Raising baby tree squirrels from weaning to release"

• 2000-2024 Over 500 wildlife, animal articles written for blogs, newspapers, online media and others Selected media

• 2003 Animal Planet "Beverly Hills Vet, Squirrel Rehabilitation"

• 2003 CADFG "Scrawl of the Wild"

• 2003 LA Times "Rodent poisoning project angers animal activists"

• 2004 Cable television show "Wildlife Rescue," six episodes, Doggy TV

• 2004 Gardena Valley News "Helping furry friends survive urban jungle"

• 2004 KROQ radio interview with Scott Mason

• 2005 Discovery Channel "The Undetectables, Squirrel Care"

• 2005 LA Weekly "A Billionaire's Bark"

• 2005 KROQ radio interview with Scott Mason

• 2005 Thousand Oaks Acorn “Public outcry over slain tiger loud—but not universal”

• 2005 LA Times "Urban remedies: Dealing with new arrivals"

• 2005 Thousand Oaks Acorn "Public outcry over slain tiger loud-but not universal"

• 2005 LA City Beat "Welcome to the jungle"

• 2006 Daily News "Stuckey stays on as $50,000 City consultant"

• 2006 Book "Squirrels: The Animal Answer Guide"

• 2006 Daily News "County relaxes restrictions on llamas, animal rehab"

• 2006 Daily News "Council hears Stuckey critics"

• 2006 LA Times "Fired City Official's appeal in limbo"

• 2007 LA Times "Opossums: your garden's evening clean-up crew"

• 2009 LA Times "Your morning adorable, baby skunks and the handstand dance"

• 2010 Martha Stewart "A gopher named Charlie"

• 2010 Martha Stewart "A second chance for Charlie"

• 2010 LA Times "Your morning adorable: rescued rabbit enjoys a meal"

• 2010 LA Times "Your morning adorable: rub a dub dub, raccoons in a tub"

• 2010 Top YouTube pets video channel in March

• 2011 Ventura County Star “City says bats remain at Moorpark home”

• 2011 CBS Los Angeles “Moorpark Says Homeowners Not Doing Enough To Fight Bats”

• 2011 NBC “WeHo one step closer to fur ban”

• 2012 Santa Monica Patch “Wild Animal in Town? Call on Us, Vet Says”

• 2012 Santa Monica Daily Press “Groups want policy change after mountain lion death”

• 2012 ABC “IDA Rally held in Santa Monica in protest of fatal shooting of mountain lion”

• 2012 NBC “Animal-Rights Group Protests Santa Monica Mountain Lion Shooting”

• 2012 Member of Santa Monica City after incident report in regard to mountain lion shooting

Social Media

• Over 78,000 Facebook fans

• Over 8,000 YouTube subscribers

• Over 12,000,000 YouTube video views

• Over 99,000 YouTube watch hours

• Approved Member Facebook/Meta Nonprofit Growth Program

Experience

• 2001- Present Wildlife rehabilitation. Rescued over 8,000 wild animals with a release rate over 90%

• 2001- Present Wildlife education, presentations to Oasis, Crossroads school, LA Animal Services, Best Friends super adoption, Temple Beth El private school and many others

• 2001- 2006 LA Animal Services, animal shelter volunteer

• 2003 Dept of Fish & Wildlife cleanup of Tiger Rescue, Chuck Traisi, volunteer

• 2003 City of Buena Ventura no-feed plan for wildlife

• 2004 New wildlife policy approved in Los Angeles City

• 2005 American Humane Association - TV & Film, “No animals were harmed” team

• 2006 Amendment to LA County zoning which allows wildlife rehabilitation

• 2006 Redid the LA Animal Services website, added "Adopt a Pet" feature

• 2006 Birth control program for squirrels in Santa Monica

• 2006 Assistant to Director of Found Animals Foundation

• 2010 HSUS NDART team cockfight raid Nipomo, CA

• 2011 HSUS NDART team 150 dog rescue Lucerne Valley, CA

• 2012 City of Santa Monica Mountain Lion Task Force with IDA

• 2013 Expert Opossum Witness for PETA for opossum lawsuit

• 2013 Expert Animal Cruelty Presentation for Animal Defense League Animal Law School

• 2013 Presentation for California Attorney General “We Love Wildlife!” Campaign

• 2020 A Critical Evaluation of Legal and Illegal Killing of Native Predators, Dr. Adrian Treves

• 2024 Bat Roost Count Natural History Museum of Los Angeles

• 2024 International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council IWRC Connections and Networking in Latin America and the Caribbean

• 2024 72nd Annual Wildlife Disease Association conference by WDA Australia

• 2025 Howliday Clinic for Pets Experiencing Homelessness with K9 Connection, Pets Laneding, Street Dog Coalition

• 2025 Rescued and Sheltered Animals Displaced by Los Angeles Fires

• 2025 Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve

• 2025 Blessing of the Animals Los Angeles

Committees/Task forces

• 2004 LA Animal Services Spanish language Committee, Spay and Neuter Committee, Wildlife Committee, Adopt-a-thon Committee, New Hope Partner

• 2005 LA City, Councilman Zine Coyote Task Force

• 2005 Approved by Mayor to be a commissioner for LA Animal Services

• 2006 LA City Proposition F Committee

• 2008 Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) National Disaster Animal Response Team (NDART)
• 2012 Santa Monica Police, Animal Control, Fish & Wildlife After Mountain Lion Killing Incident Task Force

Professional memberships

• California Council for Wildlife Rehabilitators

• National Wildlife Rehabilitation Association

• International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AnimalAdvocatesUSA

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/animal-advocates

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@MaryCummins

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/animaladvocatesusa/

Blog https://animaladvocatesmarycummins.blogspot.com/

#marycummins #animaladvocates #curriculumvitae #resume #wildliferehabilitation #wildliferehabilitator #wildliferescue #squirrels #skunks #opossums #raccoons #bats #bobcats #coyotes #gophers #chipmunks #losangeles #california #animaladvocatesus

Mary Cummins

Tuesday, May 28, 2024

International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council IWRC Connections and Networking in Latin America and the Caribbean - Mary Cummins, Animal Advocates

We just attended the The International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council IWRC "Connections and Networking in Latin America and the Caribbean" seminar. Dr. Sallaberry-Pincheira was the host of the IWRC’s Coffee & Tea event. It was a unique opportunity to deepen our connections and expand our network within wildlife conservation across Latin America & the Caribbean. Learned a lot about the status of wildlife rehabilitation in Mexico, Chili, Peru and Brazil. They have to deal with wildlife trafficking, wildfires, drought and climate change. They also have to deal with a lack of wildlife rehabilitation facilities, insufficient wildlife care regulations, lack of sufficient funding, lack of coordination and organization. IWRC is working on a Spanish version of the wildlife rehabilitation manual. Looking forward to seeing it.

Host was Dr. Sallaberry-Pincheira. Nicole Sallaberry-Pincheira DVM, MS is a Chilean veterinarian who has been a faculty member at the School of Veterinary Medicine at Andres Bello University, Santiago, Chile for the past 10 years, directing the Wildlife Rehabilitation Unit (UFAS). At the same time, Nicole is pursuing a Clinical Zoological Medicine PhD at the University of Georgia with plans to return to Chile upon completion to continue her work in Wildlife Rehabilitation.

Meeting was in English and Spanish.

#wildliferehabilitation #IWRC #AnimalAdvocates #wildliferehabilitator #wildliferescue #marycummins #mexico #UnitedStates

Mary Cummins

Monday, October 16, 2023

Animal Advocates Celebrates Urban Wildlife Week Every Day by Mary Cummins, Animal Advocates

Urban Wildlife Week, Animal Advocates, Los Angeles, California, Mary Cummins, www.animaladvocates.us, www.marycummins.com, wildlife rehabilitation, wildlife, rescue, wildlife rehabilitator, city, county, how to help wildlife, @mary_cummins, @animaladvocatesusa,

Some organizations are celebrating Urban Wildlife Week this week. Every Week is "Urban Wildlife Week" for Animal Advocates because we care for ill, injured and orphaned native wildlife in the city of Los Angeles. We also educate the public about wildlife and offer help for people with nuisance wildlife.

People are sometimes surprised to see wildlife right in the middle of the city of Los Angeles. Not only does wildlife live in our city but they thrive here. Coyotes, deer, hawks, skunks, opossums, squirrels and more have adapted to live right alongside us in the city. They live in our backyards, in local parks and in adjacent open space. They eat fruit from our trees, live under our homes and even eat our trash.

Here are ten things you can do to help and coexist with urban wildlife.

1. Watch and enjoy wildlife from afar but don't touch them or interfere. That means no selfies with deer or petting squirrels and skunks.
2. Plant native plants for the bees, birds and native wildlife to eat. Don't trim trees during wildlife baby season. Leave bird nests where you find them even if empty. No need to rake up all the leaves as insects nest in them.
3. Don't use pesticides, herbicides which can harm native wildlife.
4. Pick up trash so wildlife doesn't eat it and die from stomach blockage. Don't release balloons which sea animals, farm animals and birds can eat and die or become entangled.
5. Make sure your cat can't kill wildlife by keeping them in the house, a catio or walk them on a lead. Walk dogs on a leash for the same reasons. It also protects your pets from wildlife.
6. Don't feed wildlife. Fed wildlife can end up dead wildlife if they become a nuisance to others. This is especially true with bears, deer, raccoons, skunks and squirrels. Not everyone loves wildlife like we do.
7. Don't poison, trap or kill nuisance wildlife. Reduce nuisance wildlife by excluding and deterring them from your property. Don't give them access to food, water or shelter. Pick up dropped fruit, don't leave out pet food and lock your trash cans. Exclude wildlife from your home by securing your crawl space, under your deck and attic access.
8. If you find ill, injured or orphaned wildlife, contact a local wildlife rehabilitator. Here's a list. http://www.mary.cc/How%20To%20Locate%20a%20Wildlife%20Rehabilitator.html
9. Volunteer with or donate to local wildlife and environment organizations. If you want to know what volunteering for a wildlife rehabilitator would be like, here our some of our free manuals. http://mary.cc/squirrels/rehabbers.html
10. Educate your friends about helping wildlife by sharing this article.

Mary Cummins

Animal Advocates

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Mary Cummins

Sunday, June 16, 2019

Happy Father's Day! The top ten dads in the animal kingdom - Animal Advocates

The mother in the animal world is generally the one who raises the children, provides for them and protects them. In some cases the father goes to great lengths to parent and protect his young. Here are the top ten dedicated dads in the animal world.

10. LION
The lion father heads a large family or pride that consists of lionesses and their cubs. The lion father protects his large family from predators.

9. ANTECHINUS

This marsupial mouse from Australia makes the list in the baby making department. This mouse can spend 12 hours having sex. He gets so involved that he forgets to eat, drink or sleep and soon dies.

8. GOLDEN JACKAL

The Golden Jackal of India mates for life. He also feeds his young regurgitated food.

7. GIANT WATERBUG

The giant waterbug of Japan is unique. His mate cements her eggs to his back. He carries them around for a week until they hatch, all 150 of them.

6. RHEA

This flightless bird from South America look similar to emus and ostriches. They are a polygamous species with the male having a harm of two to 12 females. The females leave their eggs with the father. The father can incubate up to 60 eggs for over two months with only two weeks of food to sustain him. He also raises the chicks for up to two years. On top of all of this he is a great protector of his children.

5. STICKLEBACK

This little fish produces something called “stickleback glue.” He uses this “glue” to build a nest. The female is attracted to the glue in the nest and mates with the fish. After she lays her eggs in the nest the father kicks the mother out and cares for the eggs. He does this by fanning them at 400 best per minute to keep the eggs oxygen-rich and waste-free.

4. JACANA

This bird is also known as the “little trotter” because he can walk on water by balancing on lily pads. The father builds the nest. After the mother lays her eggs she leaves and the father tends to the eggs.

3. DARWIN FROG

The father swallows the mother’s eggs. He keeps them safe in his vocal sacs for six weeks where they hatch into tadpoles. When they metamorph into frogs he spits out his children.

2. EMPEROR PENGUIN

This penguin breeds in Antarctica where it can be 72 degrees below Fahrenheit. After mom lays her egg the father incubates the egg by balancing it on his feet for two months. When the egg hatches the father provides its first meal which is a milky-type substance to sustain the chick until mom comes back with a belly full of fish.

1. SEAHORSE

Seahorses are monogamous. The female lays up to 1,000 eggs in the male which he fertilizes and carries to term.

All images came from Wikipedia.

Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game and the USDA. Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.

Mary Cummins

Saturday, April 22, 2017

Happy Earth Day from Animal Advocates in Los Angeles, California - Mary Cummins

Happy Earth Day from Animal Advocates in Los Angeles, California, Mary Cummins

Today April 22 is Earth Day. 20 million people celebrated the first Earth Day in 1970 to increase public awareness abut the damage humans were doing to the environment. The purpose of Earth Day is to educate people about the relationship we have with our natural resources. California was one of the first states to enact statutes to protect our flora and fauna. Today Earth Day is celebrated by more than a billion people in 192 nations.

You don’t have to be a professional wildlife conservationist to protect our wildlife, ecosystems and earth. Here are a few things you can do to help save our environment.

Pick up litter. Wildlife sometimes mistake it for food, eat it and end up dying. Birds can also become entangled in fishing line and die.
Don’t use rat poison. Let rodent’s natural predators, i.e. coyotes, foxes, bobcats, raptors and snakes, control their populations.
Replace your lawn with native drought tolerant plans to conserve water and native pollinators.
Conserve water. This is especially important here in California. Use as little water as possible to prevent shortages and assure sufficient amounts of water for crops and the ecosystem.
Reduce, reuse, recycle. Most cities by now have recycling programs.
Use your car less often. Walk, bike, carpool, use public transportation or use a hybrid vehicle.
Never dump anything into a storm drain or gutter as they lead to the ocean.
Educate your children about local plants and animals so they will grow up with a positive conservation attitude.
Volunteer at nature centers, wildlife preserves or wildlife rehabilitation facilities.
Keep your dog on a leash in wild places. Don’t let your dog chase birds. Birds need undisturbed time to nest, forage, rest and clean themselves.
Keep cats indoors. Cats kill millions of birds and small animals every year. Many of the animals we receive were cat or dog caught.
Go solar. Most utilities now offer rebates.
Conserve electricity and gas. The less you use, the less pollution. Plate trees to offer shade. Line dry clothing.

There are many Earth Day events planned throughout California. Here are a few from the California Department of Fish & Game.

Earth Day Festival at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, April 22, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., 3842 Warner Ave., Huntington Beach (92647). The free event will include educational activity booths and guided tours of the reserve. Exhibitors include CDFW, Bolsa Chica State Beach, Wetland and Wildlife Care Center, Native People of SoCal, Orange County Coastkeeper, Shipley Nature Center, Air Quality Management District, Wyland Foundation, Shed Your Skin, and co-host Amigos de Bolsa Chica. Enjoy the Windows to Our Wetlands bus, interactive booths, native plant stations, a craft booth, food for sale, and more. The event is handicap accessible, held in the north parking lot. For more information, call (714) 846-1114.

CDFW will be at the U.S. Forest Service’s Kern River Valley Bioregions Festival at Circle Park in Kernville April 22, to explain the Kern River Hatchery renovation project and the new Kern River Rainbow program with the Friends of the Kern River Hatchery. The CDFW Natural Resource Volunteer Program will provide a booth with information on volunteer opportunities.
CDFW will host booths at three Sacramento area events: the Roseville Celebrate the Earth Festival and Sacramento Zoo Earth Day on April 22, and the ECOS Sacramento Earth Day on April 23. Ask staff about California wildlife, Watchable Wildlife locations in the greater Sacramento area and Nimbus Fish Hatchery, which is open to visitors year-round. Enjoy a variety of hands-on activities, including the Salmon Survival Wheel, where players learn about the obstacles that salmon must overcome in order to spawn.

Volunteer Work Day at Friant Interactive Nature Site, April 21 and 22, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 17443 N. Friant Rd, Friant (93626). Spend a fun day outdoors, doing trail maintenance (pulling weeds, raking, pruning) in a lovely setting for outdoors education. For more information, please call (559) 696-8092.

Gray Lodge Clean-up and Field Day and Public Meeting, April 22, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., 3207 Rutherford Road, Gridley (95948). The event is in partnership with California Waterfowl Association (CWA), and will include habitat and maintenance projects, followed by a lunch sponsored by CWA. The day will be informative and will help improve the quality of wildlife habitat. At 1:30 p.m., CDFW will hold an annual public outreach meeting regarding the Gray Lodge and Upper Butte Basin Wildlife Areas at the Gray Lodge Wildlife Area’s main office building. For more information, please call (530) 846-7500 or email GLWLA@wildlife.ca.gov.
Los Banos Wildlife Area will have a hands-on activity booth at the Modesto Earth Day Festival in Graceda Park.

Animal Advocates
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Mary Cummins

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Deadly Fungus Invades Texas and is Found on a New Bat Species - BCI - Mary Cummins, Animal Advocates

BCI, Bat Conservation International, WNS, White Nose Syndrome, Pseudogymnoascus destructans, Animal Advocates, Mary Cummins, Los Angeles, California

Deadly Fungus Invades Texas and is Found on a New Bat Species

The fungus known to cause White-nose Syndrome (WNS), a disease that has decimated hibernating bat populations in the United States and Canada, has been discovered for the first time in Texas.

The fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) was detected on three species of hibernating bats in northern Texas: the cave myotis (pictured), Townsend’s big-eared bat, and the tri-colored bat. This is the first discovery of Pd on the cave myotis and the first detection of the fungus on western populations of Townsend's big-eared bats - two bat species with distributions extending further into the west.

"This is devastating news for Texas, and a serious blow for our western bat species," says Mike Daulton, Executive Director for Bat Conservation International (BCI).

Katie Gillies, Director of Imperiled Species for BCI added, "We have been surveying hibernating bats and monitoring for the arrival of Pd for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) since 2011. At this early stage of detection, we have not observed any visible signs of the disease on any bats in the state, such as white fungal growth on the nose and wings. Detecting the fungus when it first arrives gives us a chance to take action and try to minimize the impacts from White-nose Syndrome on our Texas bats."

The fungus was detected in six Texas counties from samples collected in January and February by BCI and Texas A&M University (TAMU) biologists as part of a larger national surveillance study led by University of California, Santa Cruz. The cave and bat samples were collected in Childress, Collingsworth, Cottle, Hardeman, King, and Scurry counties.

"The arrival of the fungus in Texas is not surprising. I’ve been looking for it for years, hoping I would never find it. And now that it’s here, I’m devastated because I know what WNS does to bats. After years of surveys, I feel a special responsibility to these bats. I know them – I see them every winter. And now, I fear that I might not see them for much longer. We must act now," explains Gillies.

"We need to expand our targeted surveillance to get a better understanding of the distribution of the fungus. We will also be reaching out to landowners and the community to help protect bat roosts and emphasize decontamination to reduce the likelihood of an accidental spread of the fungus to a new location."

White-nose Syndrome has been rapidly expanding westward since its discovery in New York in 2007. Millions of bats have been killed by the disease, with population declines greater than 90% in some states.

Texas, with 32 bat species, has the greatest diversity of bat fauna in the country. The state is also home to the famous roosts of Mexican free-tailed bats at the Ann. W. Richards Congress Ave Bridge in Austin and Bracken Cave, one of the largest bat colonies in the world, near San Antonio. However, Mexican free-tailed bats do not hibernate all winter and may not be highly susceptible to the disease.

"While we are cautiously optimistic that Mexican free-tailed bats will not be heavily impacted by the disease, we do have serious concerns for hibernating species, such as the cave myotis, that often share their roosts," says Winifred Frick, BCI Senior Director of Conservation Science.

Texas is the most eastern edge of the distribution for the cave myotis, with the species being found throughout southwestern USA and into Mexico. The discovery of the fungus in Texas is significant on a national scale as biologists are concerned that the spread of Pd into western states will be exacerbated as this and other western species are exposed.

"The detection of Pd in Texas comes on the heels of last week’s announcement of White-nose Syndrome being confirmed in Nebraska. This emphasizes the need for us to not only increase our surveillance but also our research efforts to identify and develop tools to improve survival for bats exposed to the fungus. Although there is no known treatment for White-nose Syndrome, we are actively working on research that may prove effective," Frick explained.

Mary Cummins

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Cute raccoons enjoying enrichment at Animal Advocates - Mary Cummins

Raccoons enjoying enrichment at Animal Advocates.

Mary Cummins

Monday, July 20, 2015

Mary Cummins, Animal Advocates rescues coyotes in Los Angeles, California

Animal Advocates, Mary Cummins is licensed, permitted to rescue coyotes in Los Angeles, California

Mary Cummins 17 Jan 2010 23:49 GMT

Animal Advocates has been rescuing ill, injured and orphaned coyotes in the Los Angeles area of California. We also provide humane coyote control and speak to groups about dealing with coyote issues. We recently received our permit to permanently rehabilitate coyotes at our own facility.
Coyotes in Los Angeles, California weighs 20-35 pounds and stand 23 to 26 inches at the shoulder. The coyote looks similar to a smaller tan colored shepherd-type dog with long pointed muzzle, large ears, long legs and a bushy tail.

  Coyotes, whose natural habitat is the Los Angeles basin, have adjusted to their shrinking habitat by living closer to humans, sometimes in residential areas, parks and on the landscaped areas of the freeway system.

Because coyotes are now habituating closer to humans, they suffer the effects of our existence. They are hit by cars or are poisoned from eating poisoned ground squirrels and rats. They also succumb to sarcoptic mange from mites.

If you find ill, injured or orphaned wildlife, contact us or visit our website so we can help you or refer you to someone who can.

Animal Advocates is a non-profit corporation recognized by the IRS. We operate on donations from the public. We are licensed by the California Department of Fish & Game to rescue ill, injured and orphaned wildlife for release back to the wild. We rescue coyotes, bobcats, raccoons, foxes, opossums, skunks, squirrels, moles, voles, gophers, bats and more.

Mary Cummins
Animal Advocates
www.AnimalAdvocates.us
Mary@AnimalAdvocates.us
www.FaceBook.com/AnimalAdvocatesUSA

Mary Cummins Animal Advocates can legally rehabilitate rescue coyotes permit license

Mary Cummins

Friday, July 3, 2015

Baby ground squirrel being rehabber in Los Angeles, California by Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates

This very tiny baby who just barely has his teeth tried to make a break for it. He is now in the Fort Knox of enclosures which is all metal. He's an extremely small runt of the litter who can't even sit up. I separated him because his siblings were too rough with him. I've since put him back in with his siblings and am watching them carefully.

Animal Advocates, Mary Cummins, baby ground squirrel, Los Angeles, California


	Animal Advocates, Mary Cummins, baby ground squirrel, Los Angeles, California

Mary Cummins

Monday, March 2, 2015

Donate to Baby Warm for an incubator for Animal Advocates - Mary Cummins, Los Angeles

Baby Warm, incubator, Mary Cummins, Animal Advocates, donate, Los Angeles, California

Like so many rehabbers, Mary started helping animals when she couldn't find anybody to help some orphaned babies. She now cares for everything from squirrels, raccoons, opossums, voles, moles, gophers, birds to larger animals like bobcats, coyotes and the occasional fox. Her incubator will be used for tiny orphaned babies - skunks, raccoons, opossums and bats. In between caring for animals, Mary also answers wildlife questions from around the world and does all she can to share her passion for wildlife with animal lovers everywhere.

Donate here!

Mary Cummins

Mary Cummins Animal Advocates Los Angeles California Wildlife Rehabilitation Real Estate

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