Our Little Band of Eight

November 2024

Dear Friends,

The long hot summer has come to an end. Leaves are changing, the air is crisp, and the sun sets early. The animals are carefully preparing for the colder weather ahead. Thanks to your support this season, thousands of animals gained a second chance at living free and wild. Some cases included 65 red-tailed hawks, 238 American Robins, 1,113 Cottontail Rabbits, 705 squirrels and 85 raccoons, just to name a few – in all, 4,841 animals to date in 2024! This is only possible because of people like you who care enough to give. Whether it’s your rescue efforts, your volunteer time or your hard-earned money, we are so appreciative of all your help.

In the middle of yet another heat wave in June, we received a frantic call about 8 baby skunks playing in a backyard in Harleysville. The caller was advised to keep a close look-out for the mother. While you will often see a mother skunk with all her babies toddling along after her, you will never see babies unattended by a parent.

The next day, the babies continued to roam the yard, no mother was spotted. By nightfall, some of the little ones were beginning to succumb to the heat, becoming lethargic and weak. The rescuer was instructed to put on gloves and carefully scoop the 8 into a container and bring them right over to the Aark.

They ranged from big and boisterous to small and frail. Later, the mother was found dead on a nearby road. Dehydrated and thin, these 8 little darlings seemed grateful to be safe, warm and fed. Each skunk was marked with a color so we could keep track of weight and overall progress. It quickly became evident that little “green” wasn’t thriving. He didn’t gain weight, didn’t compete well for food and seemed depressed. He was quickly separated into his own little bin with stuffed animals for company and caring hands to encourage eating. He also received fluids to keep him hydrated. It took time, but he began to thrive and grow. Eventually, when it was time to go outside, he was reunited with his litter mates and soon, as the colors wore off, we could not tell one from the other. After 69 days of continuous care, all 8 were released into the wild, free to rid the world of grubs and make their way in the world. It is tragic when babies are orphaned but uplifting to know that there are people like you who will stop and take the time to get them needed help.

We are so proud of our dedicated volunteers and staff that make it possible to save so many lives. Your donation keeps this work alive and saves thousands of animals just like our little band of 8. Let’s keep the Aark afloat! Your gift today makes a world of difference. Thank you for caring.

Sincerely,

Leah A. Stallings

Executive Director