PALM HARBOR, Fla. — In July, Owl’s Nest Sanctuary for Wildlife took in an orphaned baby fox squirrel.
"Her mom had gotten hit by a car and she was the lone survivor," said Julia Troncoso, an Owl’s Nest volunteer.
Owl’s Nest Sanctuary for Wildlife is one of the biggest wildlife rescues in the state. Troncoso is one of their 200 volunteers and she helped nurse the squirrel, which was once a threatened species, back to health.
"They are super rare, we don’t get a ton of fox squirrels. Habitat loss is probably the main reason their numbers are diminishing," said Troncoso.
But at the Innisbrook Golf Resort and Spa in Palm Harbor, the native Florida creature that is black and brown and about twice the size of a normal squirrel is thriving.
"The fox squirrels are very very prevalent. They’ve become very attached to our golfers as they come by," said Mike Williams, managing director.
On Monday, the orphaned fox squirrel was released on 900 acres of the Innisbrook greens and forest. Getting a new chance at life thanks to the volunteers.
"It's always a little bittersweet for me but she’s going to love it and she’s got a paradise here so we’re very excited for her," said Troncoso.
For more information on Owl’s Nest Sanctuary for Wildlife, click here.
