The San Diego Humane Society’s Project Wildlife program announced an orphaned long-tailed weasel has successfully been rehabilitated and returned to the wild.
Officials said the weasel was found as a newborn in Riverside County on March 20 and was taken to the Humane Society’s Bahde Wildlife Center.
The weasel, the youngest ever admitted to the organization’s care, was in critical condition and required round-the-clock care.
“That included daily medication for ringworm, which was tricky as the caregivers worked hard to not habituate her to humans. After 10 days of intensive monitoring, she reached a major milestone when her eyes finally opened,” the Humane Society said in a news release.
The weasel was transferred to the Ramona Wildlife Center, where she was placed in a habitat to help her develop the required survival skills for her species.
The animal spent about 70 days at the center before being released back into the wild in the Ramona area.
“Caring for a mammal this young and this rare requires precision and expertise,” said Alexis Wohl, wildlife veterinary manager at San Diego Humane Society. “Because we so rarely see this species, every milestone — from the first time she successfully ate on her own to opening her eyes — is a major victory for our team and local biodiversity.”
