Volunteers Protecting Wildlife

NEW BUILDING. THE CARE AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL ANIMALS IS AN IMPORTANT MISSION FOR MANY OF US IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA ON SANIBEL ISLAND, THE CLINIC FOR REHABILITATION OF WILDLIFE OR CROW RELIES ON VOLUNTEERS TO SPEARHEAD ITS CONSERVATION EFFORTS. WGCUS KATE CRONIN HAS MORE. >> IF IT'S RED, THE BLACK, IT'S A FRIEND OF JACK. ITS RED TO YELLOW CALOSOF. >> WHEN YOU STEP INTO CROW, SANIBEL IS TEACHING HOSPITAL AND EDUCATION CENTER. THE FIRST FACE YOU SEE IS TYPICALLY THAT OF A VOLUNTEER, WHETHER IT'S TAKING CARE OF AN INJURED ANIMAL MANNING, THE GIFT SHOP, WE'RE EDUCATING VISITORS ABOUT NATIVE WILDLIFE. THE 200 STRONG FORCE IS THE BACKBONE OF CROWD. ACCORDING TO VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR, PAM STOREY. KEY. >> I LOVE SEEING THEM EVERY DAY AND THE PASSION THAT THEY POUR INTO OUR ORGANIZATION AND THE COMMITMENT THAT THEY SHOW HERE IS REALLY HEARTWARMING. AND IT IT IS TRULY AMAZING TO SEE THE SUPPORT THAT THEY GIVE US. WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS THAT WORK IN ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT AREAS HERE, AS THEY SAY, IT TAKES A VILLAGE >> MARAIS MERRIFIELD HAS VOLUNTEERED TO CROW SINCE 2012. HER TASK GIVING SNAKES OUTDOOR ENRICHMENT TIME. SHE WORKS WITH RED FRED IN EASTERN INDIGO SNAKE OVER 6 AND A HALF FEET LONG. AND COBB AN APTLY NAMED CORN SNAKE WHO LOVES TO BE AROUND. I WANT PEOPLE TO COME AND SEE THE BEAUTY OF THEM. AND AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE COURTS TAKE. WE HAVE COBB. YEAH, HE'S IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. HIS FELLOW. >> WELL. PEOPLE DO APPRECIATE IT AND TAKE CARE OF MAN. WE REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE IN THE ECO SYSTEM HERE. THE ZONE AND LOVE WITH THIS MAN. >> MERRIFIELD FALL IN LOVE WORKING WITH STAKES WHEN SHE HELD VIOLET. A FORMER AMBASSADOR SNAKE AT CROWN. >> SHE WAS A BIG STAGE IS ACTUALLY BIGGER THAN FRED. IT IS. IT WAS SOMETHING ABOUT. HOLDING HER AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST SEEN HER BEAUTY AND PARTICULARLY THE WAY SHE MOVED IN EVERYTHING. >> I THOUGHT THIS IS SOMETHING I WANT TO DO. >> MERRIFIELD MAKES SURE THE SNAKES HAVE THE SENSORY STIMULATION OF BEING OUTSIDE IN A CHANCE TO EXERCISE. NEITHER STATE CAN BE RETURNED TO THE WILDERNESS BECAUSE THEY ARE BOTH BORN IN CAPTIVITY, IN LACK THE INSTINCT TO SURVIVE OUTSIDE OF CROW. AND SO THEY BECOME AMBASSADOR SNAKES. THEY HELP TEACH VISITORS ABOUT WHAT TO DO. IF YOU SEE A SNAKE IN YOUR YARD. BUT IF YOU'RE NOT TOO KEEN ON SNAKES, DON'T WORRY. VOLUNTEERS DO MUCH MORE CROW, ESPECIALLY IN THE BABY ROOM. YOU COULD GUESS THAT THE BABY ROOM IS WHERE A NEWBORN ANIMALS ARE NURTURED AS THEY CROWNED SCROLL CURRENTLY CARES FOR OVER 150 BABIES. JEANNIE COOK IS A VOLUNTEER WHO SPENDS HER TIME. HE'S LED TO LEAKS BY HAND. THIS DESPITE THE ADORABLE NATURE OF HER WORK, IT CAN BE DEMANDING WITH FEEDINGS EVERY HOUR IN SOME DIFFICULT PATIENTS. >> YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE PURPOSE, EVEN IF YOU'RE WASHING THE DISHES. THE NEVER ENDING FOOD BOWLS AND STICKS AND CLEANING THE CAGES. IT'S STILL MATTERS IS STILL WORTHWHILE BECAUSE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE MAKING A DIFFERENCE. IT HELPS YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE SOMETHING OF A TREND AND HAS SERVED 10. BRINGING BACK FROM AN INJURY. THIS MAN CALL LIST. >> TO DATE THIS YEAR, CROWE HAS OVER 2000 ANIMALS THAT INCLUDES THE 60 BABY POSSUMS THAT CAME INTO THEIR CARE AFTER BEING ORPHANED OR ABANDONED. THEY WILL BE RELEASED AFTER GAINING MORE STRENGTH. YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT YOU CAN VOLUNTEER FOR CROW FROM YOUR COUCH THESE BABY EASTERN SCREECH OWLS AND MOCKING BIRDS ARE IN NEED OF NAS THAT PROVIDE WARMTH AND COMFORT WHILE THEY HEAL. CROWE IS ASKING FOR DONATIONS OF KNITTED OR CROCHETED NESTS THAT ARE SOFT AND SUPPORTIVE. YOU CAN FIND A FREE PATTERN AND INSTRUCTIONS ON CROWS WEBSITE. >> BABY STEPS, EARNEST. WE NEED THE LITTLE SOFT TOWELS. WASH CLAUSE, HAND TOWELS. WE JUST PACK ONE OF THE LITTLE SCHOOL IN US WITH THAT. MAKE IT IN THERE IN A VERY HIGH AND. THAT'S HOME TO THEM. >> AND EVEN BIGGER THINGS ARE ON THE WAY WITH THE NEW HARKEY SEE TO A COMPLEX SCHEDULED TO OPEN SOON. THE ONLY ACCREDITED SEA TURTLE HOSPITAL FROM KEY WEST TO SARASOTA SHOULD BE ACCEPTING PATIENTS IN THE NEAR FUTURE. 4 DEPUTY GCU NEWS. I'M KATIE CRONIN.