Pink babies

Dear Editor:Isaac Acuna, age 6, loves watching nature. Earlier this year, he nurtured a worm through various stages, which led to the emergence of a butterfly. More recently - while looking for rocks to add to his collection - Isaac found under a tree two pink and hairless animals with eyes still closed. The little creatures looked almost like miniature dogs. Isaac and Mom (Velma Raza-Acuna) decided to take the babies home in a shoe box. Once home, Mom got online. At first comparing the babies to online photos, Mom thought the babies might be opossums. After submitting her own photos of the babies and discussing the details with two wildlife rehabilitators, Mom learned that the babies were squirrels in the "pinkie" stage of development. That evening, Isaac and his Mom drove to the South Bay area, a half-way meeting place, and turned the babies (two males) over to Marcia Rybak of Coast and Canyon Wildlife Organization. The following day another pinkie - a girl - was found. Isaac and his Mom made another trip to the South Bay area. Currently, the Downey pinkies are on a special feeding schedule, and if they do well, their feedings will be shown online. Downey residents, especially children, who enjoy watching wildlife may be interested in following the babies' progress at coastandcanyonwildlife.org or ustream.tv/coastcanyon. In time, the babies may be returned to their tree in Downey. -- Marion Russell, Downey Editor's note: Pictures of the baby squirrels are posted online at thedowneypatriot.com.

********** Published: August 04, 2011 - Volume 10 - Issue 16