CARING FOR CRITTERS

Documents a calendar year in the life of Critter Care—a wildlife rehabilitation center in southern British Columbia that specializes in mammals.

At first glance a journal-style overview and a tribute to founder Gail Martin, this work is in fact much more. Readers will get the expected tales both tragic and amusing, as dedicated workers—including international interns—do everything from hourly overnight nursing of infant moles to teaching otter pups how to swim to releasing charges back into the wild. All these stories—told with accessible language and wry humor—are interspersed with fascinating facts about the habits and behaviors of beavers, skunks, raccoons, and more. From the beginning, the text is also clear about the tension between Critter Care and the philosophy and practice of British Columbia’s Conservation Officer Service, which often resorts to shooting rather than relocating animals. The text emphasizes the ever increasing number of orphaned bear cubs, often caused by officers legally killing mother bears foraging in human settlements. Other serious issues woven into the text are euthanasia, habitat loss, unintentional killing of wildlife, and leghold traps. Nor does the text gloss over the fighting and death that are an inherent part of nature, including a note that rabbits are such popular prey they are sometimes called “nature’s granola.” Nevertheless, a tone of optimism prevails. Abundant, eye- and-heart-arresting color photographs and excellent layout complement the text’s call to action.

Inspiring.