MAMMAL PHOTOS
ALFAFA EINSTEIN QUILLIAM III, N. American porcupine
Alfalfa is a male porcupine that came from a wildlife facility in Wisconsin. Contrary to popular myth, porcupines cannot ‘shoot’ their quills. The second largest rodent in the US, porcupines have few natural predators. Humans propose the largest threat, as these animals frequently fall victim to road traffic. Alfalfa serves as a reminder of the need to understand our wildlife and the effect that we have on it. Alfalfa is one of the few non-predators housed here, but he has over 30,000 reasons why no one questions him!
Born: 6/2/2009, Arrived: 9/2/2009
PRICKLES, N. American porcupine
Prickles is a female North American Porcupine that came from a wildlife facility in Wisconsin to become a companion for Alfalfa. Her inquisitive personality and mischievous antics make her a favorite at our education programs where she represents the second largest rodent in North America.
Born: 3/17/12 Arrived: 4/22/12
MISU, N. American river otter
Misu, a female River Otter was caught in a leg hold trap causing severe damage. She was brought to the veterinary hospital at the University of Iowa where she underwent five surgeries to remove her leg and half of her teeth. We provided her a permanent home. Misu’s incredibly positive, playful attitude became clear right away, despite her disabilities. We all have a disability of one sort or another and Misu is an inspiration to all of us on how to shine through adversity.
Born: 6/1/1997, Arrived: 4/13/1998
FOSSIL, opossum
Fossil was found in the pouch of her mother, who was killed by a car accident, in Ohio. Because she was the only baby that survived and she needed to be tube-fed every 2-4 hours, Fossil unfortunately became imprinted on humans. She plays an important role as an educational ambassador, as her species is the only marsupial in North America.
Born: 4/1/2007, Arrived: 7/27/2007
FLINT, striped skunk
This male Striped Skunk was captive bred and sent to Hawk Creek to join our education team. Due to their smelly defense tactics, and their intelligence helping them get into mischief, skunks are often very misunderstood neighbors! Flint teaches people about the importance of skunks and how we can live in harmony with them.
Born: 5/5/2010 Arrived: 6/28/2010
AQUILA, trakehner
Aquila was acquired as a companion for a retired show horse. Raising Aquila has made us rethink the myth that horses are not intelligent. He plans, preys upon, and plays with everything and everyone. Since it is illegal to allow the public to interact with most wildlife, the horses allow visitors to have a hands-on encounter with an animal. Aquila is a Trakehner warmblood whose bloodlines can be traced back to East Prussia in 1732.
Born: 4/30/1994, Arrived: 4/30/1994
KNIGHT HAWKE, presian
Baron von Knight Hawke was only two years old when he joined us from Ohio in September of 2005. He is a Priesian warmblood—a cross between a Percheron and a Friesian. Since these breeds were highly sought after by nobility in the Middle Ages because of their power, endurance and temperament, he is an excellent addition to our annual Wild Renn Fest. He is extremely calm, playful, intelligent, graceful and curious.
Born: 5/1/2006, Arrived: 10/21/2008
TACOMA, swift fox
Tacoma is a captive-born male Swift Fox. He came to Hawk Creek from Jarod Miller of Animal Exploration on ABC. Due to indiscriminate wolf and coyote trapping and poisoning, these small foxes were inadvertently killed by the thousands in the early 1900’s and were listed as endangered in 1975. Today they are no longer considered endangered but are still rare. With his love of being in front of an audience, Tacoma has become an excellent educational ambassador whose exuberant personality enables him to connect with, and send a powerful message to the public.
Born: 4/1/2009, Arrived: 9/9/2009
DAKOTA, gray fox
Dakota is a captive-born male gray fox that arrived from another wildlife educational facility in Illinois. Slightly smaller than the red fox, gray foxes are exceptional climbers that will frequently climb into a tree to escape an approaching predator. Foxes have traditionally been labeled a pest animal, and were considered a threat to livestock. However, studies have shown that the threat of fox predation on livestock is low, with the gray foxes’ diet consisting mostly of cottontails and small rodents.
Born: 4/18/2009, Arrived: 9/2/2009
