Ways to help wild animals

• Rescue turtles from roads. During the spring and summer, frequently after rainy weather, box turtles migrate and will cross roads, usually unsuccessfully. Cars hit them. Stop, watch out for traffic and move the turtle off the road, in the same direction that the turtle was heading, otherwise the turtle may turn around and recross the street. The Eastern box turtle is a threatened species, and needs your help to survive!
• Support zoos and wildlife conservation projects
• Do not buy exotic animals as pets (dogs, cats, fish, etc. are pets, not tigers and bears)
• Spay and neuter your dogs and cats, don't let them run loose to terrorize wildlife. Feral (wild-roaming) dogs and cats are responsible for killing many wildlife specimens, including birds, squirrels, raccoons, possums, deer, etc.
• Do not let balloons go outside; They can float into a stream or field where they may get eaten by an animal. This can seriously injure or kill the animal by blocking their intestines.
• Do not feed wild animals (raccoons, possums, skunks, etc.) because they will depend on this and not look for food on their own. Also, they might accidentally hurt you if you get in their way. If you feed wild birds, continue to do so thru out the winter when their food sources are scarce.
• Clean up camp sites and do not litter on hike/bike trails ("take only memories, leave only footprints").
• Leave nests, dens, cocoons, etc. alone, as well as baby animals, in the wild (their mother is probably around the corner!).
• Volunteer at a local nature center, museum, or zoo (kangaroos, elephants, and flamingos are cool, but there are a lot of cool animals that live right around you!).
• LEARN! LEARN! LEARN! about animals behaviors, habitats, and conservation efforts, so you can teach your family and friends to be animal-friendly.