The tiny orphans are still too young to open their eyes. Photo provided by HWCC Director Monte Merrick.

The Humboldt Wildlife Care Center rescued its first wild babies of spring on Friday.

A litter of baby opossums was saved when the center’s emergency response team responded to the scene of a oppssum entangled in an Old Town Eureka fence.

HWCC Director Monte Merrick was able to rescue the joeys, but said the mother opossum had nearly amputated her leg trying to escape.

“She was caught in a fence all night and clearly struggled to get out of it,” Merrick said. “She had a very badly broken hind leg. Our only option was to put her out of her misery.”

Three tiny joeys, weighing about 30 grams each, were taken back to the care center and are reported to be in good health.

“We usually don’t start getting wild babies until mid April,” Merrick said. “They’re young. Their eyes aren’t even open yet.”

One of the joeys being nursed back to health.