BABY MOUSE: Thought to be about a few hours old, this blind and nearly nude baby deer mouse was spotted lying in the middle of Manson Avenue by a pedestrian. It was half the size of a fully grown hummingbird and would have easily fitted onto a quarter. Omnivorous forest dwellers, these little members of the food chain eat snails, beetles, assorted insects, many varieties of fungus and seeds. At the same time, because they are prolific breeders, they are vital to the survival of many other omnivorous mammals, reptiles, amphibians, songbirds and raptors that inhabit our west coast forests and wetlands. Once this little female’s instincts had kicked in about caching and stashing, she was released from Powell River Orphaned Wildlife Society into a forested area to establish her own little place in the grand scheme of things. Her lifespan will be one to three years. Contributed photo
