VENICE — When a pack of coyote pups made it to the Wildlife Center of Southwest Florida, volunteers knew they had to do their best to get the pups back on their paws.
Coyotes are just one of 198 different species the center sees yearly. Each species requires different diets, habitats and medical care, according to a news release.
Three two-week-old coyote pups came from the Center for Rehabilitation of Wildlife, while the fourth pup came from Sarasota County Animal Services in poor bodily condition.
“The first thing our team does is to give a full head-to-toe examination and then determine a treatment plan,” the news release said. “This includes providing the appropriate formula, based on their nutritional needs evolving into a solid diet at the weaning stage.”
Rehabilitators minimize their interactions with the pups and any other species that comes into the center in order to keep the wildlife wild and not accustomed to humans.
“Once weaned, they were moved to an outdoor enclosure,” the news release said. “The enclosures are located the furthest away from human activity at the rear of our campus.”