Refuge has a new manager
We are pleased to welcome Jen Collins as our new manager! Jen holds a masters degree in biology. Shown here with a kestrel in the process of rehabilitation, Jen is a passionate advocate for the respect and protection of all wildlife, natural habitats and the environment. Her experience working with raptor rehabilitation has given her a unique insight into conservation and public education. She is a vegetarian, actively working towards full veganism. You can contact her at manager@unexpectedwildliferefuge.org.

Update on progress of new Headquarters
We are pleased to report that there has been considerable progress on our new headquarters project. The old cabin has been removed, a new foundation laid and the first steps in the framing process have begun. Trustee Dave Sauder has been overseeing the construction and documenting each step through photographs. Most importantly, he has been ensuring that animals in the area are moved away from harm, making sure the workers follow the same protocol when he is not there.

Boy Scout volunteers at Refuge for his Eagle Scout project
In October, Boy Scout Ryan Cherfane of Troop 252, based in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and fellow Troop members, volunteered at the Refuge in order to complete an Eagle Scout project. As part of the Refuge's long-term plan to no longer use trees to mount signs or other devices, Ryan's project was two-fold. First, he and his colleagues removed old Refuge signs from trees along one of the main trails. Then they installed new signs on T-posts. The project also included clearing trails and marking some trees with non-toxic paint to guide visitors. Dave Sauder, the Refuge Trustee who supervised the work, said, "Although the work was exhausting, everyone appeared to have a good time being in nature and providing the Refuge with this important service." Thank you Ryan and company...and Dave!

Refuge visitor declares it to be "very unique"
In November, Richard Moody came to the Refuge so that he could hike along the trails and view the wildlife inhabitants. After several hours on the trails, he returned to relax on the shore of the main pond. He was 'rewarded' with a view of Canada geese and wood ducks. Although Richard was unable to get photos of the birds, we have made up for this with a couple of our file photos. He stated that his time here was a "very pleasant adventure" and that the Refuge was "very unique". Come visit us – we think you will agree.

Here are some recent news media articles concerning beavers. You can see our entire and growing list, a tribute to this wonderful keystone species, in our Beavers in the News page. If you come across a news item on beavers, please send us the link so that we can consider it for inclusion.

A Valuable Commodity: How the beaver contributed to Oregon becoming a state Jim Anderson discusses how beavers were an important part of Oregon in its early years – and into today, too.	A look at nature: Leave it to beaver Dave Hallock points out how beavers are vital to a thriving ecosystem.
Getting A-Log: More In Mass. Seek Coexistence With Beavers Miriam Wasser discusses the efforts of people like Mike Callahan (Beaver Solutions), a Refuge supporter, to resolve conflicts between beavers and people in ways that allow coexistence.	Abating beavers' impacts. Flooding near Aberdeen results in use of 'deceiver' device Kate Gienapp reports on the use of flow control devices to provide non-lethal resolution of conflicts between beavers and people. ...rather than eliminate beavers from the area altogether as has been tradition elsewhere in the valley, the Historical Society searched for an alternative solution.

Two years on and NJ bears continue to be betrayed by Gov Murphy
It is now two years since Phil Murphy was elected as Governor of NJ. During that time, hundreds of black bears have been slaughtered; a shocking 265 were killed during just one week in October! These wonderful and important animals, including mothers and their cubs, are not only being shot using 'modern' firearms; archaic weapons such as bow and arrows and muzzle-loading rifles are being used, often causing painful wounding rather than outright death. Despite his campaign promise to end bear hunting, Governor Murphy continues to betray these iconic and majestic animals, by failing to ban hunting on all NJ lands.

Governor Murphy has the power to stop this cruel and senseless slaughter. It is vital that we continue to contact Governor Murphy – even if you have already done so or you are not a NJ resident – politely urging him to honor his campaign promise and end bear hunting on all NJ lands:

E-mail: https://nj.gov/governor/contact/
Telephone: 609.292.6000
Tweet:
   @GovMurphy please stop bear hunting on all lands in New Jersey #savenjbears
   @GovMurphy promised to cancel the #bearhunt

Speak out for wildlife in New Jersey
During 2019, there were several reports of conflicts with wildlife in local communities in New Jersey. The reported incidents primarily involved deer in locations such as River Vale, Saddle River and Essex County Parks. Most recently, wild turkeys were accused of harassing residents in Toms River.

Wildlife conflicts occur almost always because of people encroaching on their habitat, resulting in reduced natural opportunities for food and shelter. Sadly, the routine response to such conflicts is to hunt and kill the animals, at the encouragement and behest of the New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife (DFW). Rather than being advocates for wildlife, New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife is a hunter-backed state agency and is not pro-actively encouraging or promoting non-lethal efforts of resolving conflict issues.

If you become aware of a wildlife conflict issue, please speak out and urge the implementation of non-lethal methods to provide a resolution. Depending on the specific circumstances, these may include modification of human behavior and practices (such as 'befriending' or feeding wildlife), sterilization and relocation, or simply learning to live with our wildlife neighbors. Not only are such methods humane, they are also more effective in the long run. You can play an important role by contacting your local governmental representative, attending council meetings, writing letters to your local newspapers and encouraging other members of your community to join you. The Refuge provides further information on non-lethal and humane methods that you will find useful:

• Beavers
• Deer

Together, let us stand up for wildlife!

Unimaginatively named frog
You might wonder why we referred to this frog who was seen near the main pond, as a "green frog". You might argue that anyone who is not colorblind would surely not need to be reminded of the color of this wonderful individual. What you might not know, however, is that this is the 'official' name of this species (Lithobates clamitans, for those of you interested in Latin). One of many species of frogs who live permanently at the Refuge, green frogs add to the multitude of frog voices we hear in the spring.

Canada geese explore main pond
The Canada geese who live at or visit the Refuge are most often seen in the main pond, which is the most accessible and largely open body of water. We sometimes see many dozens at a time. The geese seen in these photos, swimming along the stream that feeds and flows through the main pond, seemed a bit confused. Perhaps this was their first visit.

Young Fowler's toad 'hiding in plain sight'
We are privileged to have many hundreds of Fowler's toads living at the Refuge. In the spring, thousands of their eggs can be seen near the shore of various waterways. Soon after, we see tadpoles emerge from the eggs, exploring their new venue. Then it is the march of the metamorphosed ones out of the water and onto another new venue, land. By the end of summer, the survivors, like the one shown here in the photo by Trustee Janet Romano, have grown substantially. This one demonstrates how well their bodies are camouflaged amongst the leaves.

Buttercup oil beetles preparing to add to their numbers
Trustee Dave Sauder came across these two buttercup oil beetles mating. He took a photo and then moved quickly away to give them privacy. Oil beetles are generally classified as blister beetles because they secrete cantharidin, a substance that can cause considerable skin irritation. Just one more reason to observe and protect, but otherwise leave wildlife alone.

Cabin barn home to family of black vultures
This summer we saw more black vultures than usual in the area near headquarters and the main pond. Our old barn located nearby has an upper floor which we rarely enter. This may have been a good thing this summer as it appeared that a family of black vultures took up residence just inside the ventilation window. In August, we started seeing juveniles showing themselves, like this one perched on the peak of the barn. In the first photo, you can just make out a second one standing in the frame of the window (not sure if adult or juvenile). Although Refuge policy is to not provide artificial housing, we are not going to 'argue' with these wonderful birds if they decide to raise a family in the barn again next year.

Bumblebee working her magic on coastal sweetpepperbush flowers
Even though seeing bumblebees is an 'everyday occurrence', it is important that we recognize the critical role these large bees play in the ecosystem. We enjoyed watching this individual as she went about her quiet business of collecting food, knowing that her efforts are responsible for the pollination and health of many other species of plants and, by extension, animals, too. Sadly, these insects are diminishing in number worldwide, partly due to continued use of toxic chemicals (so called pesticides) by people. We do not allow any toxic chemicals at the Refuge, so this bee is safe while she is here.

White-tailed deer browsing at Miller Pond
It is, to our delight, not unusual to see white-tailed deer in and around the main pond. They even come up to the headquarters area and around our iconic Refuge sign, making it easy to view and photograph them. During one of our hikes out to Miller Pond, we were equally delighted to see this doe browsing along the shore of the stream that feeds the pond. Even though we were at a distance and had to use the telephoto feature of the camera, she quickly became aware of our presence and moved out of sight. Although she was not to know that we would never harm her, such alertness will serve her well if she goes off Refuge land and is prey to people who think killing these animals is 'fine sport'.

Great blue heron departing from top of tall pine tree
This great blue heron was perched on top of a tall pine tree on the other side of the main pond. As we watched, he slowly opened his wings, giving us a glimpse of their considerable breadth. He was soon in the air and circling the main pond. His tree venue was at the very limits of our camera's telephoto capability.

A potpourri of plant life at the Refuge Our diverse habitat provides for a great variety of plants. They range from those that live on the ground, thrive in swamps or in open water to those that make other plants their home. The photos here represent just a few examples of the diversity of species. You can see the full list of the hundreds of species seen at the Refuge in our Plants at the Refuge page on our Web site.

Maureen Koplow reflects on her early involvement at the Refuge
A long-time supporter of the Refuge and friend of Hope and Cavit, Maureen Koplow tells us of her early involvement and contributions. "Back in the day, I used to go to the Refuge's patrols on the first day of December. I'm not the most physical person, and trekking around the Refuge wasn't easy, so I usually made food for the other patrollers. I'd show up with some food that I'd prepared at home and other dishes that I assembled and cooked in the Refuge kitchen." Maureen is being humble, but we know that everyone appreciated her food, especially after spending hours in the cold out on the trails. You can click here for a few of the recipes of the vegan food she provided for Refuge volunteers.

As part of the vital and globally unique ecosystem that is the Pine Barrens, the Refuge is home to many endangered and threatened species. Please make a pledge to sponsor a Refuge habitat or choose to support one of the species of animals who call this protected land 'home'. You can easily do this through an automatic monthly PayPal donation (you do not need a PayPal account, just a credit card). Go to our Donate page to make your choice and subscribe. Your recurrent donations will be used, as with all our income, to continue protecting the Refuge from harm and allowing the inhabitants to live freely.

Here are your choices:

Wetland habitat: $30.00 Pine forest habitat: $25.00 Bald eagle: $20.00 Beaver kit: $15.00
River otter: $15.00 Eastern box turtle: $15.00 Red fox: $10.00 Your personal favorite: $20.00 All habitats and animals: $60.00

Simple ways to help the Refuge
Do you have a birthday coming up? Instead of buying presents for you, you could ask your friends to make a donation to the Refuge. Or, what about that stuff in your garage you have been meaning to get rid of through a yard sale? Why not pledge to give the proceeds to the Refuge, letting the public know that their purchase price will go to help wildlife and the environment.

Your unwanted vehicle, another way to help the Refuge
Do not forget that your used or unwanted vehicle can provide funds to us through the CARS vehicle donation program. CARS will accept any vehicle, operational or not, and they offer free towing throughout the United States. Once they have processed and sold the vehicle, CARS will donate a majority of the proceeds directly to the Refuge.

Call toll-free 855-500-RIDE (855.500.7433) or visit the Refuge CARS page at https://careasy.org/nonprofit/unexpected-wildlife-refuge to participate. Not only does this provide an easy way to be rid of an unwanted vehicle, you will also be helping wildlife at the same time.

Helping wildlife and the Refuge in the future
We remind you to please remember Unexpected Wildlife Refuge when planning your will and estate. It is an easy, effective and lasting way to help the Refuge... and wildlife. When talking with your estate planner, just provide them with our name, address and tax identification number (23-7025010). This is one of the most important gifts the Refuge can receive. If you have already included us in your future plans, please let us know...and thank you!

Here are a few of the current issues where wildlife, whether living freely or imprisoned in circuses, zoos or other venues, can benefit from your help. We urge you to take action and share with others.

Captive tigers in the US outnumber those in the wild: A recent article in National Geographic Magazine about the practice of keeping tigers in the US makes for disturbing reading (you will be shocked at the stupidity of the people involved). Many of these animals can be found in barren cages in private homes or in poor conditions at roadside zoos, often involving direct contact with the public. Aside from the extreme privation to which these wild animals are subjected, there have been several incidents where people have been seriously injured or died because the animals 'turned' on them, often resulting in the killing of the animals. Some states do not ban or regulate the private keeping of big cats, or other dangerous wild animals, including North Carolina, Alabama, Delaware, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

What you can do regardless of your residence: A bill, H.R.1380/S. 2561 - Big Cat Public Safety Act, introduced by Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5] on 26th February 2019, would address requirements governing the trade of big cats (cheetahs, cougars, jaguars, leopards, lions and tigers or any hybrid of these species). Specifically, it would revise restrictions on the 'possession' and exhibition of big cats, including to restrict direct contact by the public. Although we would rather the bill call for a complete ban on keeping these animals in captivity, it may be the best for what we can hope currently. Please contact your two US Senators and your US Representative, urging them to support the Big Cat Public Safety Act (H.R.1380/S. 2561). Click here for contact information for your legislators.

Threat to wild long-tailed macaques in Indonesia: Unexpected Wildlife Refuge is supporting Asia for Animals Coalition's appeal to Indonesian authorities urging them to deny any permit that would allow the capture and killing of wild macaques, and to adopt humane methods in its approach towards managing conflicts between people and wild macaques.

What you can do to help: Please send a polite message to Ambassador Mahendra Siregar, Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in the US, urging him to use his influence to secure humane methods of dealing with wild macaques. You can use his E-mail address at the consulate in San Francisco: consulate@indonesia-sanfrancisco.net.

We know that there are many non-lethal methods that are humane and highly effective in reducing conflicts with wild macaques. Refuge president Dr Nedim C Buyukmihci has already written to numerous Indonesian officials, presenting them with a detailed list of these including documentation of their effectiveness..

Unexpected Wildlife Refuge
Mailing address: P.O. Box 765, Newfield, New Jersey 08344-0765
Web site: http://unexpectedwildliferefuge.org/
E-mail: info@unexpectedwildliferefuge.org
Telephone: 856.697.3541