Phoebe, a striped skunk, is on display during Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge’s third annual Wildlife Baby Shower at Medford United Methodist Church, Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022. Joe Warner | For NJ Advance Media

Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge held its third annual Wildlife Baby Shower at Medford United Methodist Church on Sunday.

Items such as paper towels, resealable plastic bags, trash bags, as well as dish soap and other cleaning items were among the donations received as the refuge prepares for the upcoming arrival of thousands of injured and orphaned wild animals at its Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital. Monetary donations were also accepted.

“We take in everything from baby field mice all the way up to whitetail deer, fawns, coyotes and foxes,” said Heather Evans, assistant director of wildlife rehabilitation and volunteer coordinator at Woodford Cedar Run. “You name it, we pretty much take it — if you can find it in New Jersey.”

“Over the next six months, we’re going to take in about 4,000 animals,” she said. “The bulk of those are going to be squirrels, rabbits, opossums and songbirds, and 90 to 95% of the numbers are going to be babies.”

Jahari Mitchell, volunteer, collects donations from guests during Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge’s third annual Wildlife Baby Shower at Medford United Methodist Church, Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022. Joe Warner | For NJ Advance Media

On hand to greet visitors were Wildlife Ambassadors Phoebe Muffay, a striped skunk, Nod, a 35-year-old Eastern box turtle, and Nazar, an Eastern screech owl.

Phoebe was born in May 2018 at a skunk breeding facility. Her scent glands were removed and she was living in a home before being surrendered to Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge. Nod was taken from the wild and kept in captivity. Due to an improper diet for the first part of her life, she now has a severe vitamin deficiency which is regulated with injections and diet. Nazar is almost completely blind, and will also live the rest of her life in the care of the refuge.

There were multiple tables set up for activities for children — such as coloring, playing games, animal-themed temporary tattoos, and “rehabilitating” injured stuffed animals — as well as an education station set up with the talons and wings from several different birds for visitors of all ages to see.

Morgan Barnett, volunteer, educates young visitors about box turtles like Nod during Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge’s third annual Wildlife Baby Shower at Medford United Methodist Church, Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022. Joe Warner | For NJ Advance Media

Gift baskets were also auctioned off to help raise money for the refuge. If you couldn’t make it to the baby shower but still want to help, there are several ways to donate, including “Adopt a Wild One” and a “Guardians of the Wild” annual sponsorship, or purchasing items on the Amazon wishlist. Items may also be brought directly to the wildlife hospital. The wildlife hospital admits more than 6,000 animals each year, and receives no local, state, or federal funding.

Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge has a Wildlife Housing Area to care for animals that are unable to be released back into the wild due to injury or other reasons. This area is open to the public.

Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge, located at 4 Sawmill Road in Medford, is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission fees are $10 for those 13 years old and older and $5 for children ages 4 to 12. Children 3 years old and younger are free.

For more photos, click on the Wildlife Baby Shower photo gallery below.

Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge’s third annual Wildlife Baby Shower, Feb. 27, 2022

Freelance photographer Joe Warner contributed to this report.

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Lori M. Nichols may be reached at lnichols@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Lori on Instagram at @photog_lori.

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