Help needed with trail maintenance
With the arrival of cooler temperatures we will be getting back to regular trail maintenance throughout the Refuge, and we could use your help. Trail maintenance can be light (using loppers to clear overgrowth, painting blazes, etc.), or more entailed (assisting with the removal/relocation of larger fallen trees and debris, installing signs, etc.). Groups and individuals are welcome, and we can work around your schedule and preferred intensity level.

If you would like to assist with trail maintenance, while enjoying the fresh air and beauty of the Refuge, please call 856-697-3541 or email manager@unexpectedwildliferefuge.org to let us know how you can help.

Call for 2021 hunting 'season' patrol volunteers
We once again are requesting the help of volunteers to patrol the Refuge to keep wildlife safe during the annual hunting 'season'. We will be patrolling through at least the end of January 2022, with a particular focus on 'Six-day Firearm Season' (December 6-11, 2021).

Trail maps and orange safety vests will be provided, and refreshments will be available. Call 856-697-3541 or email manager@unexpectedwildliferefuge.org to let us know which days and times you can patrol and we will add you to the calendar.

You can commit to an hour or, preferably, more:

• If you have never volunteered for patrol duty and want to start, please let us know.
• If you are already on our list of patrol volunteers, but have not yet had the opportunity to contact us to be added to the schedule, now is your chance.
• If you are already scheduled for a shift or shifts, thank you for your willingness!

Here are some recent news media articles concerning beavers. You can see our entire list, a tribute to this wonderful keystone species, on 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.

Tay Beavers: Treesforlife wins court battle over NatureScot culling policy, by Jody Harrison.

Licensed beaver killings have been ordered to halt and previous culls authorised by a Scottish Government agency have been deemed unlawful following a court ruling.

TreesforLife sought a judicial review claiming NatureScot is breaking the law by failing to make the killing of beavers a last resort when land management is required.

Ancient beaver the size of a black bear may become Minnesota’s state fossil, by Erin Blakemore.

Millions of years ago, giant beavers roamed what is now called Minnesota. More than twice as heavy as modern beavers, the 200-pound mammals had long teeth and powerful jaws. The megafauna were about the size of a modern black bear.

Now, Castorioides ohioensis is expected to become Minnesota’s state fossil.

Metamorphosed northern cricket frog tadpole transition nearly complete
While canoeing on the main pond we spotted this northern cricket frog tadpole basking on a lily pad. This tadpole is in the final stage of metamorphosis, having developed all four limbs. Next the tail will be gradually absorbed into the body, after which he or she will be considered an adult frog. Northern cricket frogs have a distinctive dark triangular mark on the top of their head, and the tadpoles have a black-tipped tail, unlike other tadpoles. They can be found basking on sunny banks of shallow marshes, ponds, and slow-moving streams. They can jump more than three feet, and, they jump in a series of zigzag motions to escape predators.

Rafter of wild turkeys spotted in field
While patrolling the boundary trail in late summer, we spotted a group of wild turkeys making their way through a nearby field. We spotted at least three adults and eleven juveniles, though the grasses were high and the rafter (or flock) was moving quickly enough to prevent an all-inclusive photo. The two youngsters pictured here were hurriedly moving along to keep up with the rest. Wild turkeys are surprisingly fast, clocking 18 miles per hour on foot and up to 50 miles per hour in flight. When they need to, turkeys can swim by tucking their wings in close, spreading their tails, and kicking.

Visit with a male blue dasher dragonfly
While assessing bridge repairs this summer, Trustee Dave Sauder and our manager Jen were visited by this male blue dasher dragonfly near the main pond. Blue dashers are one of the most abundant dragonfly species in the US and can be found near slow-moving water sources, marshes, and ponds. When perched they help to control their internal temperatures by changing their positions relative to the sun. Blue dashers eat nearly any flying insect, including mosquitoes, and can consume up to 10 percent of their body weight in food per day. After flying back and forth nearby, this individual landed on Dave's hand and remained there for some time, allowing Dave to take this beautiful, up-close photo.

Bald eagle activity on the main pond
While quietly sitting at the main pond, enjoying the peaceful beauty, we watched as this bald eagle briefly passed through. It was just enough time to snap a few pictures before he or she was out of sight. We are not sure, but this may be one member of the mated pair who we often see perched in the trees around the pond or fishing in the shallow water. Found only in North America, bald eagles are considered "fish eagles," as their main source of food is fish. As such, bald eagles tend to live in forested areas that are near rivers, lakes, reservoirs, marshes, and coasts.

Eastern box turtle safely moved from road
In late August, while returning from offsite errands, our manager encountered this eastern box turtle on the dirt road. Now that we're well into the fall season, this individual will soon, if not already, be burrowed underground. Usually starting in October or November box turtles burrow into loose soil, mud, or abandoned mammal burrows. As the soil temperatures drop through winter, the turtles will burrow deeper. They will emerge again sometime in April or early May. Although not considered endangered on a national level, some states list box turtles as a species of special concern. Populations can be locally abundant in many areas, though their numbers have declined in others as a result of habitat loss and fragmentation, and removal from the wild for the pet trade.

Final update on our resident black vultures for the season
If you've been following the updates on our resident black vulture family, you might recall that the two young vultures fledged the nest in early September. Over the next several weeks we enjoyed watching flight practice and feedings, and hearing noises from their activities on the Headquarters roof. These photos were taken at feeding time, the first showing a fledgling animatedly awaiting his or her meal. Although we continue to see them here and there, nesting season is over, and the family is no longer returning to the cabin barn attic on a daily basis. We hope the mated pair will once again return to this location next year.

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. We continue to add to our growing list of photographs, including those of newly identified plants as well for those already in our records, but for which we did not have images. 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.

Former patrol volunteer donates items to Refuge
Recently we were contacted by longtime supporter and former patrol volunteer, Diane Harrell regarding some old Refuge items she had come across in her mother's home. Diane kindly offered to donate the items to the Refuge and paid a visit to drop them off. Among those items were books inscribed by Hope, copies of news articles featuring UWR, and a handmade gavel made by Cavit from repurposed, beaver-gnawed wood. Diane shared stories of visiting Hope many years ago, along with her mother and brother, Janis and Bruce Barry. Diane recalled when her mother would take them out of school during hunting 'season' to assist with patrols at the Refuge. We are grateful to Diane for donating the items to us and for her help over the years.

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.

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, thank you!

Here are a few of the current issues where animals, 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.

Petition to free Bella the beluga
Bella the beluga whale has been locked behind glass walls for at least seven years, since she was captured along with two other beluga whales and forced to become the aquatic entertainment at Seoul's Lotte World Aquarium.

Two years ago, a conglomerate promised to free Bella from the aquarium in South Korea. Local animal lovers fought hard for this victory -- but then the conglomerate did nothing after making their announcement. She's still in an enclosure, the aquarium attraction remains open, and experts say Bella is showing signs of significant psychological distress.

Belugas, like other whales, evolved to live in the huge expanses of the ocean, swimming hundreds of miles and interacting with all sorts of creatures in the wild. Locking them in sterile glass prisons the size of a human home with only a couple other belugas for company -- if any at all -- is cruelty, plain and simple.

Tell the CEO of Lotte Corporation, Shin Dong-bin, that Bella must be freed!

Sign and share the petition: Demand the release of Bella the beluga to a reputable sanctuary immediately!

Support ending all horse-drawn carriage rides now!
Just recently, New York suffered its latest carriage horse tragedy: a blood-soaked collision between car-based traffic and an animal at work, forced to labor with a human carriage strapped to his body.

The animal, a brand-new carriage horse named Chief, was lugging passengers around in the chaotic, high-paced area of Midtown when the many busy noises, sights, and smells around him caused him to startle. Then, he rammed at full speed right into the back of a car.

This is exactly the kind of suffering animal rights activists are trying to prevent by urging authorities to ban horse-drawn carriage rides in New York City. Stand with the horses by signing the petition now!

Sign and share the petition: Tell Mayor Bill de Blasio to ensure horses' safety by signing legislation to end all horse-drawn carriage rides now!

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