Latest news with #OhioDivisionofWildlife
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
‘Leave fawns alone': Ohio Division of Wildlife issues another alert
**Related Video Above: Ohio troopers rescue baby deer from side of busy highway (Credit: Ohio State Highway Patrol) CLEVELAND (WJW) — The Ohio Division of Wildlife is continuing to ask people to go against their instinct and leave baby deer in place should they come upon any that appear abandoned. 'You took this from a 4-year-old': Parma grandfather's plea after flamingo stolen 'Please leave fawns alone,' the Division of Wildlife wrote in a Facebook post Monday, along with a photo similar to the one below: 'This is completely normal behavior for a deer fawn, and human intervention is unnecessary,' the division said in the post. This was a reiteration of a post from earlier this spring urging Ohioans to leave the little deer in peace. Rescue photos: Deer gets stuck on rocks behind Rock Hall Mother deer reportedly do not spend a lot of time with their nearly scentless offspring in order to keep fawns safe from predators. Often in cities, that means fawns appear to be left behind near people's homes and gardens, but their mothers will visit multiple times a day. If you believe a fawn has actually been abandoned or is in danger, reach out to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator in your area. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Uncovering the mystery behind white squirrel sightings in central Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — White squirrels are once again catching the eyes and imaginations of people in central Ohio. A recent traveler to Columbus sent NBC4 pictures of his encounter with the striking rodent in the Victorian Village area. 'I was visiting relatives at Harrison on 5th by Senior Star for about ten days and took our dog on several long walks a day through the beautiful neighborhood,' wrote Slawomir Siejka in an email to NBC4. 'It's a great area for walking, but the highlight was definitely seeing this beautiful white squirrel at about Fifth and Michigan. I had never seen one and kind of couldn't believe my eyes at first.' List: 2025 last day of school dates around Columbus and central Ohio According to the Ohio Division of Wildlife, most white squirrels in these sightings are, in reality, eastern gray squirrels. Ohio's other species of squirrels, including the American red squirrel, fox squirrel, and the southern flying squirrel, can also be white or even black. Wildlife Management Supervisor Gary Comer explained that when it comes to 'squirrels that exhibit unique colors,' there are three genetic possibilities. The first is albinism, which results in the absence of pigment in the skin, fur, and eyes, leading to a white appearance with pink or blue eyes. Estimates suggest a female gray squirrel has a 1 in 100,000 chance of giving birth to an albino offspring. The second is leucism, which causes a partial loss of pigment, resulting in a paler or whiter coat, but the eyes are usually dark. The third is melanism, where an increased amount of black or nearly black pigmentation in an organism results in a darker appearance. Many white squirrel images NBC4 has received over the years, like Siejka's, were taken around Victorian Village and Goodale Park. Comer revealed that there can be established 'colonies' of white squirrels, either albino or leucistic, where these variations are more common. The traits of albinism or leucism are often found in pockets and many individuals can share a common ancestry. 'To some people, white squirrels are also known as mythological creatures that symbolize the coming of change and the need to prepare for it,' said Comer. 'Or, they could be a symbol of good luck, mainly because you don't see them very often.' Ohioans get green light to collect signatures to get property tax issue on ballot These legends or folklore might seem prophetic to Siejka. 'I've just recently moved to the U.S. from Poland and sent the photos to my extended family in Gdynia — also very amazed!' Siejka told NBC4. One other detail Comer shared was that white squirrels can be more vulnerable to predators due to their increased visibility. Exhibiting a stark contrast with their environment and potential vision deficiencies puts them at risk. However uncommon white squirrels might be in the Buckeye State, finding out what squirrel is most prevalent might be even more surprising. 'The most common squirrel in Ohio, believe it or not, is the flying squirrel,' Comer said. 'Most people are completely unaware of flying squirrels as they are nocturnal and almost all of their activity is at night.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Officials warn residents not to intervene after animal is found in tricky situation: 'Needs to be done with extreme care'
A deer in Ohio has suffered an unfortunate predicament involving plastic waste, according to Fox 8. A deer in Summit County, Ohio, lodged its head in a plastic container. To make matters worse, because the bucket was translucent, the deer was able to see people trying to approach it to remove it or shoot it with a tranquilizer dart. Wildlife officials warned residents not to approach the deer. "Every attempt to track and remove it puts stress on these delicate animals and needs to be done with extreme care and knowledge of deer behavior and anatomy," said Ohio Division of Wildlife spokesperson Monika Bowman, per Fox 8. "These animals can and do die from excess stress." Larger pieces of plastic waste can be physical barriers for animals, leading to struggles like this one. Oft-repeated scenarios include birds with plastic can holders stuck around their necks, and turtles with plastic straws stuck in their noses. Ghost netting at sea is a massive issue on this front. Proper disposal can help alleviate these kinds of situations, but assuming plastic recycling is ineffective, even plastic in landfills can cause harm to animals. Over time, plastic degrades into smaller fragments, which end up in waterways. These microplastics end up in the fish we eat, and eventually into humans, which is linked to endocrine disruptions, immune system problems, and infertility. The most surefire way to prevent plastics from becoming large physical obstructions to animals and a smaller insidious threat in waterways is to prevent plastic use in the first place. After that, it's important to make sure plastic trash doesn't end up as litter. "Crisis like these can be avoided. Proper disposal of trash and washing out containers that may have food particles in them are an easy way to help avoid these unfortunate situations," said Bowman, per Fox 8. "Buckets, especially ones with handles or smaller openings than bases, like pumpkins around Halloween, easily trap onto animals' heads as they forage and can't be removed by the animals." Do you think America has a plastic waste problem? Definitely Only in some areas Not really I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Boy Brought Lizards from Italian Vacation and Now Ohio Has a Growing Invasive Reptile Issue
Thousands of common wall lizards, known as Lazarus lizards, are roaming around the Cincinnati streets — and now they're getting bigger in size! Although the common wall lizards are 'permanent residents' — declared by the Ohio Division of Wildlife — in the city, they aren't native to the U.S. They're an invasive species native to Italy. In 1951, a then-10-year-old George Rau Jr. and his stepfather, Fred Lazarus Jr. (founder of the Lazarus retail store, later rebranded to Macy's), smuggled 10 Italian lizards from a family trip to Lake Garda. Once back in Ohio, he set the lizards loose in his backyard. In 1989, Rau Jr. confirmed the truth of the local story to the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History and The Cincinnati Enquirer. Related: Man Attempts to Smuggle Tortoises Disguised as 'Chocolate' Into German Airport The National Geographic reported in March that Ohio's entire lizard population is believed to have come from three of the 10 original lizards. Cincinnati has the "perfect lizard habitat," due to its weather and hilly geography. "Cincinnati is extremely hilly, and a lot of the old neighborhoods have stacked-rock retaining walls," Jeffrey Davis, a herpetologist who has been monitoring them since the early 2000s, told National Geographic. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Related: California Man Accused of Smuggling 1,700 Reptiles into the U.S. In the 1980s, researcher S.E. Hedeen discovered that the city's climate is "remarkably similar" to Milan, about 70 miles west of Lake Garda. However, with decades in Cincinnati, it is believed that the Lazarus lizards may be evolving to navigate the more urban environment, Eric Gangloff, a biology professor at Ohio Wesleyan University, told National Geographic. Gangloff and his teams of student researchers have discovered that the lizards are "getting larger and developing longer limbs,' which could be a result of helping them better escape urban predators or house cats. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Ohio Division of Wildlife looking for volunteers to help look for sandhill cranes
The sandhill crane population in Ohio appears to be increasing. Last year, 412 sandhill cranes were counted in Ohio, up from 357 the previous year. This year's crane count will take place this weekend, and the Ohio Division of Wildlife is looking for volunteers. "The Division of Wildlife along with partners and volunteers will count the numbers of sandhill cranes seen or heard in specific counties in Ohio," the department said in a prepared statement. "This year's crane count takes place in 33 counties. These locations have habitats where sandhill cranes typically nest such as wet meadows, shallow marshes, bogs and other wetlands." Sandhill cranes are one of the oldest living bird species, dating back as far as 2.5 million years. They have long legs, necks and bills, and they typically range from 34 to 38 inches in height and 6 to 7 feet in wingspan. "The plumage of the adult sandhill crane is gray with a bald red skin patch on its forehead," according to the Ohio Department of Resources. "Their eyes are yellow and their bill, legs and feet are blackish. Immature sandhill cranes have a gray body with a brownish head and they lack the red skin patch." Sandhill cranes are listed as a "threatened" species in Ohio. The count will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. April 12. Those interested in participating can contact a county coordinator. Those wanting to support the growth of the sandhill crane population in Ohio can purchase an Ohio Wildlife Legacy Stamp, as the proceeds go directly to wildlife conservation. "This fund supports habitat restoration, wildlife and habitat research projects, creation of free wildlife educational materials, as well as efforts to restore and conserve endangered and threatened species," according to a news release. The stamp can be purchased online or at locations that sell hunting and fishing licenses. Here's a look at the Ohio sandhill crane count in the past few years: 2024: 412 (32 counties surveyed) 2023: 357 (30 counties surveyed) 2022: 311 (26 counties surveyed) 2021: 160 (five counties surveyed) Here's how many sandhill cranes were spotted in the different counties last year: Ashland: 7 Ashtabula: 1 Columbiana: 0 Delaware: 3 Erie: 4 Franklin: 5 Fulton: 0 Geauga: 48 Hardin: 5 Holmes: 28 Knox: 17 Lake: 0 Licking: 0 Logan: 2 Lorain: 1 Lucas: 56 Mahoning: 6 Marion: 3 Medina: 14 Morrow: 0 Ottawa: 17 Pickaway: 6 Portage: 10 Richland: 27 Sandusky: 9 Stark: 0 Summit: 5 Trumbull: 10 Tuscarawas: 3 Wayne: 106 Williams: 13 Wyandot: 6 This article originally appeared on The Repository: Sandhill crane count for 2025 is April 12 in Ohio, volunteers sought
