Survival Training for Baby Raccoons at a Mississippi Rescue Center
A wildlife center in Mississippi is putting orphaned baby raccoons through special survival training before releasing them into the wild.
Woodside Wildlife Rescue, located in Pass Christian, Mississippi, is running a special rehabilitation program for orphaned baby raccoons that have lost their mothers.
Special Training for Baby Raccoons
The Woodside Wildlife Rescue center in Mississippi implements an intensive rehabilitation program so that orphaned baby raccoons can survive in the wild. Paula Woodside and Raquel Priest, who work at the center, personally demonstrate and pass on the skills that their mothers should teach them.
Practical Applications in Their Natural Habitat
Housed on a twenty-acre rural property, the kits roam freely in meadows and wooded areas throughout the day. Staff teach them to forage for food by hiding worms in the soil, find seeds by opening pine cones, and fish in shallow waters.
Defense Tactics Against Dangers
During the training process, the kits are given verbal warnings in times of danger to make them climb trees. Taking swimming lessons in shallow pools, the kits develop their survival skills in a region prone to hurricane risks.
Graduation Ceremony and Release into the Wild
After about six months of training, a traditional graduation ceremony is held for the kits. Following the ceremony, the raccoons are released into a different forested area of the center to regain their natural lives.