Some of you may remember last summer’s Firefly Night held at the historic Woodland Cemetery’s grounds. Following this fun tradition, The Woodlands is kicking off a series of free events this week that would help bring local residents closer to nature and enjoy each other’s company. Nature Nights will take place on June 26, July 24, and August 21, from 6 to 9 p.m.. Each summer month, you’ll have an opportunity to learn more about the urban ecosystem and the creatures that are part of it: fireflies, moths, and bats.

The Firefly Night kicks off the series this Thursday and here’s what you should expect:

• Pack a picnic and bring your flashlights

• Spend the evening inside The Woodlands after dark searching for fireflies

• Educators from The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University will be on site to tell you more about the way animals, including fireflies, communicate and attract mates

• Sweet treats from Lil’ Pop Shop will be available for sale throughout the evening.

For more details and other upcoming events at The Woodlands, check out this page.

It’s not rare in our neck of the woods to come across wild animals. Many of you have probably seen raccoons, opossums, and groundhogs near your house, not  to mention squirrels. A wild turkey was roaming some West Philly neighborhoods last spring, which was well documented thanks to neighbor reports and photos. I came face to face with a young opossum on my porch last fall that I first confused with my cat. This post, though, is about what you should do if you encounter a wild animal that needs help, if it is sick, injured or if you found a baby animal with no mother in sight.

An opossum gets some TLC at the Schuylkill Center. (Photo from schuylkillcenter.org).

West Philly Local reader Kameliya Atanasova and her neighbors had a very close encounter with three seemingly lost baby raccoons off of 49th and Florence Streets on Monday. When they contacted the ACCT (Animal Care and Control Team) they were referred to the Schuylkill Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic, which is part of The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education. The clinic cares for injured, sick and orphaned wildlife native to Southeastern Pennsylvania. It is located in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia (304 Port Royal Avenue) and is open to accept animals during the following hours (April to September): 10:00 am – 6:00 pm seven days/week, according to information on their website.

However, before calling the clinic please read this page: “What Do I Do If …“.

For some reason, the clinic wasn’t open on Monday and Tuesday, Kameliya writes. Luckily, two of the three baby raccoons successfully found their momma on their own. It is not known what happened to the third one as it appeared rather scared by curious passersby. The Schuylkill Center’s page on what to do in these cases warns people to not interfere unless the animal is injured or the mother is dead.

“My neighbors and I all made the mistake of being in close proximity to the raccoons which scared them and only challenged/delayed their reunion with their mother. If more of us knew about the Schuylkill Center as a resource and their recommendations about how to handle such situations, we could all react in a more informed manner during close encounters with wildlife. I personally didn’t even know of its existence until I spoke with the ACCT,” writes Kameliya.

A hawk grabs some sun high above the sidewalk near 45th and Spruce. (Photo by Mike Lyons/West Philly Local.)