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As part of our ongoing series on people making a difference, we're profiling April Hoffman, a Lone Jack, Missouri, woman who's been making a difference in Blue Springs and the surrounding area through her nonprofit, Wild Souls Wildlife Rescue and Rehab.
It's a mission that's provided healing for both the animals she cares for and herself.
Of course, this time of year is busy, as spring brings a baby boom for Mother Nature, along with spring storms that can sometimes knock young animals out of their nests.
That includes some days-old baby squirrels she was feeding while we were there.
"This one is getting fed every two hours, and that will happen for another three weeks," Hoffman said while carefully administering a special blend of squirrel formula to the tiny animal.
When around-the-clock care and feedings are required, she often steps up to take those midnight shifts. That alone should tell you she truly sees the service she provides as a calling.
"About 10 years ago, I found two squirrels and realized there was a lack of resources for wildlife in need," Hoffman said. "I just wanted to get them help, and I did learn that it is illegal to take in wildlife without a permit."
Hoffman spent the next two years traveling the country to attend seminars and workshops to earn both state and federal permits.
"It started off as a passion, a mission of providing services because I knew what it felt [like] to have an injured animal and nowhere to go," she said.
She and her husband began caring for animals in their basement before eventually moving to a location in Blue Springs, where they've been taking in all types of animals and birds.
"That can be anything — from window strikes, hit by car, got by cat, orphans, or trees are getting cut down — that we take in, we rehabilitate them and get them back to healthy status, into the wild," Hoffman said.
Erin Woodiel, with the Missouri Department of Conservation, told me the department has partnered with Hoffman on a variety of projects.
"We think April does great rehabilitation work," Woodiel said. "We’ve partnered with her on a lot of different projects, and even like the live cam in Blue Springs on the bald eagle nest. April, as well as one of our biologists, were partners in that project. So, we really appreciate everything she does."
It's a needed service considering the Missouri Department of Conservation typically doesn't accept or treat injured wildlife, letting nature take its course.
Hoffman fills that gap, estimating her rescue serves close to 1,000 wild animals a year.
"Another bald eagle that we released last year with lead poisoning came in as a juvenile, but we had to. When we were able to get back to the parents' nest, they took him back in," she said. "So, when he was flying over the water back to the nest, it was wonderful."
Speaking of eagles, with lead poisoning a sad but fairly common occurrence in the area, her husband Doug decided to start building an eagle enclosure on their property in Lone Jack.
Meanwhile, Wild Souls' team of volunteers continued to grow, something that became crucial when Hoffman's health took a turn.
"I had four mini strokes and heart surgery going on 3 1/2 years," she said. "But that just shows the measure of the volunteers and that team Wildlife Souls has because they pushed through and kept everything running."
However, that sadly wasn't her greatest challenge.
Just within the past year, her husband suffered a medical episode and passed away unexpectedly.
Although Hoffman was devastated, walking away from the wildlife rescue wasn't an option.
"I know if we don’t do this, there’s no one for [the animals] to go," she said.
In the midst of her grief, Hoffman's community decided to give back to her just as she and Doug have given back to nature's creatures.
"Right now, we’re completing an eagle enclosure [Doug] started to build, and his best buddies have come out and done it. And that was very emotional seeing that getting completed to carry on," she said.
With friends, naturalists, and Boy Scouts donating their time and talents to finishing the enclosure, Hoffman and Wild Souls are officially moving onto her property in Lone Jack, where she can continue her work, all while honoring the journey she and Doug started together.
"Once that’s completed and we are rehabilitating bald eagles in there, I know he’ll be smiling down, very proud of that," Hoffman said.
In addition to taking care of wild animals, Hoffman also visits classrooms to teach future generations about the importance of protecting wildlife.
Wild Souls also shared some tips on how you can coexist with your wild neighbors:
- Secure your garbage cans — Wild animals are attracted to trash.
- Remove outdoor pet food.
- Secure your window wells — Covering with clear plastic shields prevents small animals or poor climbers from falling in.
- Trim trees and pick up leaves — Roof damage from trees leads to holes animals can exploit. Also, trim in the winter before the spring to avoid cutting down branches that house birds or baby animals.
- Be a good neighbor — Know that animals are likely to be attracted to your garden and/or water features.
- Assume there are babies — Always assume an uninvited guest has young before evicting to avoid separating them and exacerbating the problem.
- Keep cats indoors — Cats and wildlife are not a good mix, especially baby birds and rabbits.
- Keep wildlife out — Button up your house, i.e., hatches, chimneys, uncovered vents, etc.
- Scrap the trap — Trapping does NOT solve wildlife conflicts. Find a better way to address problems with wildlife by going to wildneighbors.org.
- Create a humane backyard — Provide native plants, trees, and bushes for foraging and nesting needs. Learn how at humanebackyard.org.
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