|
This young alligator was rescued and reintroduced back into the wild by wildlife rehabbers and co-founders of The DFW Wildlife Coalition Hotline, Prudi Koeninger and Kathy Milacek. It was one of the first calls that came through on the Hotline.
Kathy and Prudi were called to a garage where the juvenile alligator was being kept in a stock tank. They transported the youngster to the Brazos State Park near Houston where they collaborated with and arranged to meet Texas Park & Wildlife officers to safely release the alligator into a known alligator habitat. The alligator’s name was Maltese and I painted the alligator from a photo taken by Kathy Milacek after it was released.
As an artist, volunteering for the Hotline has given me more insight into the habits and behaviors of the wildlife I love to paint. Through the educational programs the coalition conducts and the many field trips to sanctuaries and refuges, I’ve had the opportunity not only to photograph but to observe the wildlife up close. Volunteering has enhanced my wildlife viewing opportunities and my artistic endeavors.
Each hotline volunteer is trained to educate callers in ways of co-existing with wildlife thereby avoiding unnecessary trapping and euthanasia. We are trained to carefully advise callers in ways of reuniting baby bunnies, squirrels and birds with their mothers and that’s very rewarding. For orphaned and injured animals, we are able to put callers in touch with licensed rehabbers who care for them until they can be released back into the wild. If you’d like more information go to www.dfwwildlife.org
To save a wild life, call the Hotline: 972-234-9453 or 972-234 WILD
Watch this website for more images of wildlife saved through the help of the DFW Wildlife Coalition. A portion of the proceeds from art work sold from the web page will benefit the work of the DFW Wildlife Coalition.
|
