Wild Notch Refuge

08/05/2026

08/02/2026

Release day for our opossums and our hearts are so full. Tonight we carried these incredible animals into the Vermont wild and watched them take their first steps into their new lives and it was everything. Before their release we made sure they had a final feast of all their favorite treats, sending them off with full bellies and all the love we could fit into one evening. They were released at a healthy 2.5 pounds, right where they need to be to thrive on their own, on a perfect Vermont summer night with mild temperatures and good cover nearby. Virginia opossums are remarkably well equipped for wild life in ways most people never realize. Originally a southern species, the Virginia opossum has steadily expanded its range northward over the past century and has adapted remarkably well to colder climates like Vermont, seeking out den sites in brush piles, hollow logs and abandoned burrows to shelter through harsh winters. They are also largely immune to rabies due to their uniquely low body temperature, resistant to most snake venoms, and incredibly adaptable, thriving in wooded areas, farmland edges and anywhere they can find food, water and shelter, which describes our corner of Vermont perfectly. We are so proud of how far these animals have come and we wish them the happiest wildest life possible out there. Go be wild. You have earned it.

08/01/2026

“A beautiful sunny Saturday in Vermont and all five raccoons are out climbing, exploring and growing up right before our eyes. Every single day these five surprise us with something new and watching them gain confidence and skills in real time is one of the greatest gifts of this work. Here are a few raccoon facts we have not shared yet. Raccoons have a unique trait called hyperopia, meaning they are actually farsighted and see better at a distance than up close, which is why they rely so heavily on their front paws to examine and identify objects and food at close range rather than their eyes. Raccoons are also one of the few wild mammals that will regularly wash or wet their food before eating, a behavior so consistent it gave them their scientific name Procyon lotor, which literally translates to washing bear in Latin. Watching these five navigate branches, test their strength and figure out their world together on a gorgeous Vermont summer day is exactly what Saturday is for. ”

07/18/2026

All five raccoons out exploring at Wild Notch Refuge today and watching them navigate their outdoor world is one of our favorite things. Crash, Rascal, Mabel, Stripe and Solid are at such a fascinating stage of development right now and every single day we see them figuring out something new. In the wild this is the age where a mother raccoon would be actively teaching her kits to forage, leading them to food sources, demonstrating how to use their incredibly sensitive front paws to feel through leaf litter, mud and shallow water for insects, crayfish, grubs and berries. Raccoons don’t just find food by sight or smell alone, they use touch more than almost any other mammal, and that tactile foraging skill develops through practice and exploration exactly like what these five are doing every day in their enclosure. Climbing is equally important at this stage. In the wild juvenile raccoons learn to climb trees both to escape predators and to access food sources like bird eggs and tree cavities. Their sharp curved claws and remarkably flexible ankles, which can rotate nearly 180 degrees to allow them to descend trees headfirst, are skills that need to be practiced and strengthened before release. Every branch climbed, every piece of food foraged and every new texture explored out here is preparing these five for the wild independent lives that are waiting for them.

07/15/2026

When the weather apps all start looking like this you make decisions. The forecast was showing the worst storms of the summer heading our way and after staring at those radar screens for a while the decision was made. Everyone was coming inside for the night. In the wild these raccoons and opossums would be out weathering whatever came their way, but in the wild they would also have their mother right there with them, keeping them safe, warm and protected. They don’t have that. They have us. So inside everyone came. Was it extra work? Absolutely. Did I sleep like a baby knowing everyone was safe and accounted for rather than lying awake all night listening to thunder and worrying? One hundred percent yes. And of course, as Vermont weather loves to do, the storms mostly missed us. Of course they did. This morning everyone woke up to sunshine and blue skies and was back outside at Wild Notch Refuge loving life like nothing ever happened. No regrets. A good night sleep and a yard full of happy raccoons and opossums is the best possible outcome. Sometimes the right call is the one that lets you sleep at night, and we stand by it completely.