If a student were to walk into room 1203, Ms. Moran’s chemistry class, it would look like every other science classroom at Lambert with rows of black tables with goggles ready to be worn by students eager to learn about the scientific world around them. However, if the student were to walk further into her room to the back closet, they would find something not so common – a file cabinet housing healing baby squirrels lying on a heating pad.
This strange sighting is part of Ms. Moran’s everyday life as a Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Certified Wildlife Rehabilator. Moran’s passion for helping animals has been a huge part of her life; her degrees are in science and biology, and she has worked as a veterinary technician, as well as at Zoo Atlanta. While Moran has been working with animals for more than 25 years, she received her DNR certification around eight years ago, which allows her to help rehabilitate hurt wild animals such as deers and squirrels to eventually release back into nature. She earned her certification through a comprehensive multiple-choice assessment and a DNR officer test on the validity of her facility.
“So each [cage] has a different group of animals, and then they shuffle around depending on their needs,” Moran said. “The tiny ones that are still on formula come with me in a little duffle bag, and then they stay in my file cabinet thanks to Ms. Thrower who has been very generous.”
Moran works tirelessly to make sure all the animals can successfully be released in the wild, however the hardest part can be to ensure the babies make it to a stable state.
“Like any mammal, if they don’t get their mother’s colostrum for the first 48 hours after birth, they don’t have a natural immune system,” Moran explained.
In Forsyth County and surrounding areas, there has been an increase of deforestation due to construction, which has disrupted deers’ and squirrels’ habitats greatly. As someone who works with these animals so closely, this change is crucial to Moran’s job.
“These trees are their homes: the way the topography is, the way the land is, for burrows and stuff like that, that’s home,” Moran emphasized. “When it’s destroyed and manipulated by man, they no longer have a home, so they have to find another place or they often have to cross highways or go into areas where there are humans who are not always kind to them.”
As someone with a deep passion for animals, Moran is willing to do whatever it takes if she is able to save a life. However, for those who share that passion, it’s important to note it’s not a job for everyone.
“You need to be financially sound and pay for things,” Moran noted. “You have got to grow a tough skin, because again nothing will hurt you more than to lose a baby you’ve worked with for weeks and have it die in your arms.”
Moran’s work to save the natural community is a tiring job, and her commitment to her animals is inspiring to all Longhorns. Her exemplary work as a wildlife rehabilitator is making an impactful difference, and Lambert is so thankful to have her.
