IN THE PIPELINE:

They don’t have names, they seem to cuddle together for warmth and they emit a faint “clicking” sound, evidently as a means of trying to locate their mother. They’re each about five inches long, skinnier than you might imagine and their little black eyes have just opened. For now, they spend most of their time in a buttery-soft green blanket that simulates their mother’s pouch.

They are the now nearly famous five baby opossums, brought here several days ago after being rescued. As you may have heard on the news last week, an Anaheim man and his 12-year-old son could face charges related to animal cruelty after an incident that left a mother opossum and four of her babies dead. (Witnesses reported that Lorenzo Oliver and his son struck the mother opossum with a shovel.) The man was arrested and released on bail while the 12-year-old was detained and released to his mother.

The mother possum was euthanized due to her severe injuries, which is why the five 1-month-old babies that were in the mother’s pouch are being cared for at the Wetlands Wildlife Care Center in Huntington Beach. The case has generated a ton of attention and in the middle of it all are the dedicated, tireless workers at the center. I wrote about them after a sick wave had affected dozens of pelicans almost a year ago, and since then I’m sure they’ve dealt with hundreds of similar crises. That is, after all, what they do — and they do it better than anyone, calmly, professionally and dutifully.

Back at the center on Pacific Coast Highway, the babies are revealed in their container, five furry, squirming, impossibly cute little creatures struggling to survive. They should only know what good hands they’re in. Debbie McGuire and Lisa Birkle describe how many calls of concern they’ve gotten in the wake of all the media coverage, mainly from other animal centers offering to help. But they’ve got things under control, feeding the critters, keeping them warm, safe and snug until they’re old enough to be released back into the world (hopefully, in about six weeks).

McGuire tells me about 5% of the cases brought in are the result of animal cruelty — and I’ll spare you some of the more gruesome examples given as to what people will do to animals for “fun.” Whatever legal result resolves in this case, both women have some clear, direct advice as it pertains to opossums: Leave them alone. They’re nomadic, passive and do not look for trouble. If you’re nervous about them being rabies carriers, relax. The chance of rabies in an opossum is extremely rare. Keep the dogs away from them, especially at night (opossums are nocturnal). And if you see any acts of animal cruelty, report them to Animal Control.

After the babies were returned to the warmth of their container, I spoke with the women about another seasonal concern we’re on the heels of: “Baby season,” that time of year when the huge number of animal births results in many creatures, especially ducks, being separated from their mothers (and ultimately brought into the center). Debbie and Lisa both offer the same advice: Leave ducks alone. Don’t help them cross streets. Discourage them from nesting in your yard, but beyond that, just stay out of their way. Nature has provided them with the tools they need to find water and keep their young together, and interfering can only bring harm.

Meantime, I encourage you to visit wwccoc.org to see more about what the Wetlands Wildlife Care Center is up to, and how you can help support them. These folks comprise an incredibly valuable part of this community, volunteering untold numbers of hours to care for many in need — like five baby opossums left orphaned on an Anaheim driveway.

CHRIS EPTING may be reached at chris@chrisepting.com.