Squirrel Rescue!

I am again reminded of how "learning experiences" will find us at any given time, we just have to be on the lookout. While our family enjoyed a walk along the river near our house this morning, we discovered a baby squirrel. The squirrel had fallen from the nest, was near death and was covered in ants and other bugs that were moving in for a meal. My children were horrified and immediately began pleading for the baby. "Isn't there something we can do?" My husband and I felt sure that death was close, but wanting to make sure the children had no hard feelings, agreed to take the squirrel. We cleaned off the insects and took him home in a sock (the only warm thing we could think of). Once at home, we treated the wounds with peroxide, made a warm box (plastic bags of hot water with soft cloth on top), and called Carolina Wildlife. A short trip later, the little squirrel, now called "Sam", was the latest patient at the wildlife clinic. At Carolina Wildlife, we discovered that Sam was actually Samantha. She is now given a 50/50 chance of survival. She was under the hot lamp when we left. She has other baby squirrel brothers and sisters to adopt her, and when the time is right, if all goes well...she will be released into the wild with her adopted family. My children were ecstatic. Their rescue was a success. They even pointed out that whether Samantha makes it or not, they will have done the right thing and have made her last days comfortable (and not left her to the ants). Though this wildlife escapade interrupted my plans for the day, I am proud. I am proud of my children and their empathy for all of God's creatures. What a great way to kick off another year of homeschooling.