Non-Releasable Due to Injury
What does it mean?
Animals may become injured when they are in the wild and then are taken to a rehabilitation center. Those that are not able to be re-released to the wild may be used in zoos or museums for education purposes.
Non-Releasable Due to Injury
Animals
Unfortunately, many animals are the victim to injuries and accidents every day. Some wild animals are able to be taken to a rehabilitation center were they are provided care and treatment based on their needs. While the goal is always to return an animal to the wild, this is not always possible. The animal may have lose it vision, no longer be able to fly, or have a disease that requires on-going medical treatment. The Mill Mountain Zoo has taken some of these animals so we can teach our community about the species, but also assure the animal remains safe and receives the care it needs.
Adult Bald Eagles are truly magnificent birds with their dark brown bodies and striking white feathers on their heads and tails. Their bright yellow beaks and feet make them stand out even more! One of the most impressive things about Bald Eagles is their flying ability. They can soar through the sky at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour (about 64 kilometers per hour) when gliding and can even reach speeds of 30 miles per hour (about 48 kilometers per hour) when flapping their wings. Bald Eagles are not just admired for their beauty and flying skills; they also hold a special place in American culture as the national bird and symbol of the United States. Their majestic presence represents strength, freedom, and resilience, making them an important symbol of the country's spirit. Immature Bald Eagles, which are mostly brown with some mottled white feathers, take about five years to develop their adult coloring, but even in their younger years, they are impressive birds that capture the awe of everyone who sees them!
Raccoons are adorable animals known for their distinctive appearance! They have black fur around their eyes, giving them a bandit-like look, and a thick gray coat that keeps them warm. Their tails are also quite unique, featuring alternating black and gray stripes that make them easy to recognize. One of the coolest things about raccoons is their front paws, which have five toes that are super flexible, almost like fingers! This allows them to grasp and manipulate food and other objects, such as doorknobs, jars, and latches, making them very clever. Their long, bushy tails are great for helping them balance while climbing trees or swimming, and they serve many other useful purposes in their daily adventures. Raccoons are truly fascinating creatures!
Eastern Box Turtles are small to medium-sized turtles with high, dome-shaped shells that are easy to recognize. Their top shell, called a carapace, is usually brown with bright yellow or orange patterns. Unlike most turtles, Eastern Box Turtles don't swim much. Their tall shells make it hard for them to move smoothly in the water like other turtles do, so they prefer to stay on land.
Adult Eastern Ratsnakes are all black on their back, but their bellies have a black and white checkerboard pattern. When they’re young, they look really different—they have dark spots on a gray body, but as they grow, the spots fade and they turn solid black when they’re about 2 feet long. People often mistake them for Northern Black Racer snakes. To tell them apart, Black Racers don’t have the checkerboard belly and their scales are smoother than the Eastern Ratsnake’s rougher ones.
The Northern Mockingbird is a medium-sized bird with mostly gray feathers, but it has a white stripe on its wings that you can easily spot when it flies. These birds are famous for their amazing ability to "copy" sounds they hear around them. They use this trick to stay safe, pretending to be bigger, tougher birds to scare others away. And because they live near people, some have even learned to copy sounds like car alarms! So, if you ever hear what sounds like a bird making funny noises, it might just be a Northern Mockingbird!