By Marianne Love, Correspondent
Just below the Angeles National Forest on Yarnell Street in Sylmar sits the Wildlife Learning Center where about 100 animals have been rescued, and now live, because they were deemed unfit to return to the wild.
There’s Zeus, a blind owl with white stars in his eyes, who is fed mealworms by hand because he can’t find food on his own. He was discovered on a doorstep and appeared to be suffering from a traumatic injury. He possibly flew into a window and consequently lost his sight.
Not too far from Zeus in the acre of lush, vibrant gardens is Juneau, a female red fox that authorities confiscated during a sting in the San Fernando Valley after she was offered for sale on Craigslist. It was later learned that Juneau, who arrived at the center timid and scared, had been kept in a small, filthy birdcage. It didn’t take her long to warm up to her new caregivers.
Coco, Marcelo and Perdido are three of the rescued marmoset monkeys. The center’s personnel have harrowing and not-so-pretty stories to tell about their survival while living among the human population. Together, these tiny creatures about eight inches long romp around and thrive comfortably in a safe, lively habitat — all patched up from broken bones and other ailments.
Coco, most likely someone’s pet, was found wandering the streets of Culver City with a broken arm. Through a microchip found embedded under her skin, authorities tracked down the owner who was subsequently prosecuted for possession of a monkey, illegal in California.
Marcelo was confiscated during a drug bust at a house in Los Angeles and found to be badly abused. He had multiple bone fractures, including a broken leg and fingers.
Perdido was found in a garage. His name, perhaps appropriately, means lost in Spanish.
Wildlife Learning Center is a nonprofit operated by 16 paid staff members plus volunteers. Other animals surviving there include eagles, hawks, a bobcat that was hit by an automobile, and a sloth which seems to be the most popular animal at the center.
“Sloths are really unusual,” said David Riherd, the center’s director. “And they are cute.”
The center has been at the Sylmar location for 17 years. The site was once an olive tree grove, but now it’s an inviting display of many trees and plants, each planted by Riherd, that provide shade and sometimes food for the animals in a peaceful, safe environment.
One can find animal-related clothing and paraphernalia in the retail store located in the front building. Other amenities include tours, birthday parties, onsite educational animal experiences and a chance just to mosey around and check out the animals.
The Lopez family of nearby Little Rock visited the center on Friday, Aug. 18, and 11-year-old Isabel said the python was her favorite animal there.
“I always wanted a snake,” she said.
Her brother Joseph, 4, favored Fluffy, an alligator who was kept in someone’s bathtub until the novelty wore off.
“I really like the crocodile (alligator) because it can swim and the whole thing is long,” said Joseph, extending his arms outward so we were sure to understand how large the animal was.
Eight-year-old Matthew, their brother, preferred the bald eagle.
“It’s bald and it doesn’t get hot and it’s huge,” he shared.
Source: Orange County Register
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