2019
COMPLETED PROJECTS
Caracal Cage Renovation |
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Simba was
housed with two other exotic cats, but he didn’t always get along with them.
We worried that if we moved him to his own enclosure, he would miss his
roommates. He is housed across from
them so he can readily see them. Ever
since his move, he has thrived. He has
developed his own personality. |
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Heron Creek Remodeled |
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Heron Creek
and Web-Foot Wash were first built in 2008.
Over the past years we have had to clear all the rock along the creek
bed to replace the pond liner because ground squirrels had chewed holes in
it. This is a tremendous amount of
work. We have had to go through this process at least twice. I don’t think there is a single volunteer
at Critter Creek who hasn’t had to “pitch rock.” This last time we decided to try a more
permanent solution--concrete. With the
help of Rich Beatie and his Fresno Fence crew and the expertise of Shawn Conigliaro of MudDucks Concrete
and his friend with a concrete pumper truck, we were able to get the job done
pretty economically. Once the concrete
was poured, it had to be etched, neutralized, and sealed. After those jobs were done, all the rock
had to be put back in place. A big
thank you to a volunteer work crew from Provost and Pritchard. These generous souls spent several hours
covering the sides and bottom of the creek with river rock. We were able to restore the plants, none
the worse for wear after we had set them aside when we first began the
project. In the end the enclosure looks great. The heron, ducks, and geese are back in
their home just in time for the hot summer days. |
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Osprey Renovation |
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Since
Ozzy, the Osprey has become a permanent resident, he required a larger
enclosure. By remodeling one of our
older set of mews into one large mew, he is able to have the room he
needs. He is now currently on display
in our compound area. Because of his
shoulder injuries, he seldom wants to perch more than two feet off the
ground. His five foot wing span makes
it necessary for him to have lots of room. |
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Red Fox Enclosure |
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If you
have ever visited Critter Creek for an Open House, you know that our red fox
enclosure looks unoccupied. Unlike our
gray fox that like to “nest” in trees and can be seen, red fox prefer to den underground.
Even though our chain link walls go down two-three feet into the
ground, we were apprehensive about them digging out. This labor-intensive project involved
digging down two feet, laying horse fence panels in the ground, and back
filling the dirt. The enclosure has an
area with large boulders where fence panels had to be cut to fit around the
boulders and then cemented into place.
To replace their underground dens, each has an all-weather igloo. All of our current red fox residents were
in temporary enclosures until the work was completed. Once the enclosure was ready to be
occupied, they were introduced to their renovated enclosure. |
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Calif.
Dept. of Fish and Wildlife does not allow the release of young red fox since
they are a non-native species and represent a threat to the native gray
fox. Fortunately, the enclosure is
large enough to house the six red fox we have. |
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Wild Pig Shelter |
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Last
winter, Hamlet, our wild pig, often had a wet, cold bedroom because of a
leaky roof. With the help of donated
old well pipe, we were able to make a roof structure that provides shade for
the summer. This fall, we will attach
roofing panels which will provide shelter from the rain. |
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