Sleeping Bear Wildlife Fund

05/27/2026

We had the pleasure of talking to Ethan Foreman about our recent bobcat release for WPBN/WGTU. Check out the full segment here.

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Mich.,(WPBN/WGTU) -- Populations of bobcats have declined in recent years. There are still around 10,000 here in Michigan.One particular bobcat

05/23/2026

Recent warmer weather in Northern Michigan means that turtles are becoming more active after a long winter of brumation. Brumation is when an animal slows down their metabolism during cold weather so they don’t need to consume energy to stay alive. Now that air and soil temperature is increasing, you are more likely to see turtles basking on logs, moving through the grass, and unfortunately on the roads. Turtles have a strong internal sense of where to go, and that can cost them their lives if they cross a road and get hit by a car.

What you can do:

- Slow down while driving near wetlands, ponds, lakes, or streams and keep your eyes on the road.

- Look out and slow down for “Turtle Crossing” signs, where neighbors may have noticed frequent turtles crossing in that spot.

- If you see a turtle on the road, and it is safe for you to do so, you can move the turtle in the direction it is heading.

If the turtle appears injured, give us a call.

If you want to learn more about local turtles, visit the Elberta Turtle Festival going on today from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm in downtown Elberta. There will be sign painting, activities, food and more! Learn more at [https://tinyurl.com/3ywmsapz]

05/21/2026

Recently, we hosted a bluebird box building workshop with COGNiTiON , where families learned how to construct and properly maintain specialized nest boxes for Eastern bluebirds. Participants also explored the ecological importance of these iconic songbirds and how seasonal care can improve nesting success and fledgling survival.

These nest boxes don’t just benefit bluebirds — they also provide critical nesting opportunities for other native cavity-nesting species like swallows and chickadees.

Learn more about our work to protect and restore bluebird nesting habitat and other songbirds by visiting www.sleepingbearwildlife.org/songbird-conservation

05/19/2026

While we aren't able to take in as many species as we'd like, we always attempt to offer education and advice to help coexist with wildlife. We're glad that Back Roots Farm knew just who to call!

05/18/2026

Last week, we released a young bobcat back into the wild eight months after recovering him from a marina on West Bay near Traverse City with two broken legs.

After rescue, the kitten received extensive treatment with the help of West Michigan Wildlife Center and rehabilitation before eventually being raised alongside three other young bobcats at A.R.K. / Association to Rescue Kritters.

Throughout the winter, rehabilitation teams carefully limited human interaction to ensure the animals retained the instincts they would need to survive in the wild. Over time, the kittens grew stronger, more defensive, and increasingly wild — exactly what everyone hoped for.

Last week, they were finally ready to go home.

Deep in the forest, the crates were placed beside thick brush and dense cover. One by one, the doors opened. Each bobcat burst into the darkness, sprinting toward the trees without ever looking back. Within seconds, they disappeared into the undergrowth where they belonged.

The bobcat is one of Northern Michigan’s most elusive and important predators, helping keep ecosystems healthy and balanced. Helping even one return to the wild is special. Watching four disappear back into the forest together was something we will never forget.

Thank you to everyone who played a role in giving these animals a second chance at life in the wild.

Learn more about our release in our newest blog [https://www.sleepingbearwildlife.org/news/bobcat-release]

05/16/2026

We are so grateful for the partnerships and collaboration that make stories like this possible. Thank you again to all involved - and good luck out there, kiddos!

05/15/2026

Today is . Most of the animals we admit aren’t endangered but are the familiar neighbors in our backyards and parks. But every squirrel, rabbit, opossum, or porcupine we work with plays an important role in protecting the species that are at risk. How, you ask?

Healthy common species keep ecosystems stable. They disperse seeds, control pests, build soil, feed predators, and maintain the balance that threatened species depend on to survive. When we rehabilitate the wildlife that forms the backbone of an ecosystem, we’re strengthening the entire web.

Every successful release is a tiny act of conservation and every patient is part of a bigger story outside of our control. So, today we are celebrating the endangered species as well as the more common wildlife whose resilience helps make the recovery of rarer species possible.

05/13/2026

This week, we’re featuring the Virginia opossum.

The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is Michigan’s only native marsupial, which means opossums have more in common with kangaroos and koalas than rodents! Marsupial reproduction is more ancient than placental mammals. Gestation only lasts about two weeks, and then tiny underdeveloped joeys find their way into momma’s pouch. Once they swallow one of her 13 ni***es, the babies remain safely attached for nearly two months. When they are better developed - a bit bigger than a mouse - they detach from a nip and get more of a chance to explore. They stick around mom for a while before wandering off on their own once they are about 7” from snoot to tail. If you come across them in the late summer, you may have the opportunity to see a mom carrying her babies on her back after they grow too big to stay in her pouch.

Their body temperature is lower than many mammals, which means they are naturally resistant to diseases such as rabies, which can’t survive at such temperatures. There is also a protein in their blood that makes them resistant to some snake venoms - which is used in research for developing improved antivenoms. These are unique developmental traits that they have evolved with over thousands of years.

Opossums also have more teeth than any other North American land mammal, with a total of 50 teeth. This helps them look scary when they are alarmed, and also helps them to eat a wide variety of foods. They are omnivores and opportunistic feeders and will eat just about anything from insects to carrion in addition to vegetation. Their prehensile tails provide balance and support for climbing - which they love to do - and also can be used to gather leaves and debris to make a cozy nest!.

We are at the northern end of the opossum’s range, which stretches all the way south into Central America, but not past the Mackinac Bridge. In fact, there was a news article about the opossum rescued from the bridge in 2025!

Opossums are an essential Northern Michigan species, and we hope you look at these unique creatures with new insight and appreciation. What is your favorite opossum fun fact? Let us know in the comments if you want to learn more about opossum evolution, anatomy, or behavior!

05/07/2026

It’s National Amphibian Week, and we’re excited to spotlight these incredible animals and the role they play across Northern Michigan ecosystems.

This year, we’ve launched a frog and toad population survey through FrogWatch USA and the The Association of Zoos and Aquariums to better understand which species are present, where they occur, and when they begin calling each spring. Tracking these calls over time helps us monitor population trends and detect changes in the health of our wetlands.

We’re also searching for some of the region’s rarer species like the Fowler’s toad, Blanchard’s cricket frog, and pickerel frog to better understand their distribution and conservation needs.

Amphibians are especially important because they are highly sensitive to environmental change. They breathe and absorb water directly through their skin, which also makes them vulnerable to pollutants. When amphibians are thriving, it’s often a sign that a wetland or vernal pool is healthy and supporting a wide range of life, from insects to birds and beyond. When those habitats fall quiet, it can be an early warning that something is out of balance.

So far this season, we’re hearing the unmistakable calls of the American toad and the spring peeper—two iconic sounds of spring.

Have you heard them around your area? Or recorded other species? Send us a message, we’d love to hear your frog calls.

Learn more about our work with amphibians at www.sleepingbearwildlife.org/frogconservation

05/06/2026

Reflecting on the joys of April as we move into May! What a busy and meaningful month April was. We’re so grateful to our community and your continued support, which makes our wildlife conservation work possible. Last month we hosted an incredible Wildlife Baby Shower Fundraiser at Five Shores Brewing, raising over $2,000 to directly support local wildlife care, ran a Family Book Club at the Interlochen Public Library, launched our very first field trip program, hosted Tot Time at the library, and officially kicked off our Frog and Toad Conservation Research Program in partnership with FrogWatch USA. Every event and milestone brings us closer to our mission of protecting and restoring wildlife, and we couldn’t do it without you.