I just met the Sopranos.
My husband and I spent a weekend in the Adirondacks for some R&R. Over Friday night dinner at the lodge we were seated with Jean and Len, the Sopranos. We regularly meet people with fascinating lives and careers here, but the Sopranos are an exceptional couple, and I have to buzz about them.
Both Len and Jean are retired – she taught fifth grade for decades — but as longtime lovers of wildlife, they now devote their time and acreage in Pennellville, New York to caring for wild animals with special needs. They only get one weekend away from home every year, and they spend it in the Adirondacks. The rest of the year they care for and rehabilitate wild birds – eagles, ospreys, owls -and black bears who have been hurt or lost. Their nonprofit, Kindred Kingdoms, currently cares for 34 birds and three black bears who will be spending the winter hibernating with them, and Jean said they were expecting to pick up an osprey within a week. They have a team of volunteers, including veterinarians who provide medical care, and are funded by donations.
The Sopranos have been running Kindred Kingdoms since 1997 and they know a lot about the wildlife of the American northeast. Interesting fact: hibernating bears recycle their urine to preserve nitrogen levels in their bodies during the winters.
Jean said many wild birds, including those recovering at Kindred Kingdoms, suffer from the effects lead poisoning. This is a growing problem in New York State, where lead bullets are illegal but still abundant and in rampant use by hunters. Birds of prey eat carrion contaminated with lead bullets. The birds also eat fish that have absorbed lead from waterways that are contaminated by old lead sinks. The lead makes birds sick or unable to care for their young. Increasingly, the birds do not survive.
Len said lead poisoning is thought to be the cause of erratic, unexplained behavior among some loons. Loons are usually attentive and careful as parents, but lately some loon parents have abandoned their offspring with no explanation.
Len and Jean and Kindred Kingdoms are providing a safe place for wildlife to recover from injury so they can be released into the wild when they are ready. They are also teaching other people and kids in their area about wild animals and how people impact their environment – and what we can do to protect them.
Kindred Kingdoms is really making a difference. 100% of their donations go to medical care, supplies, habitats, and of course, food, food, food. Check out their newsletter and make a donation this winter to help shelter these animals through the cold winter months.