SUMMER
2015
More babies! The Mimico Creek oil spill: You helped rescue 111 mallards. Saving a snapping turtle. Finally free.
Building a healthy community for people and wildlife torontowildlifecentre.com
Message from the executive director Dear Friends, The oil spill last month was the largest one we’ve ever had to deal with, made especially challenging because it also happened at the time of the year when we are already busy caring for so many other wild animals. It was truly amazing and touching to see how everyone pulled together! Staff and volunteers worked long, exhausting hours capturing oiled birds, stabilizing and caring for them, and washing and rinsing affected birds to get them healthy and back into the wild. Your donations made this oil spill recovery effort possible. There were so many challenges, like constantly running out of hot water, sore backs from long hours hunched over tubs, and people getting sick because they were so tired. Through it all, there were almost 400 other sick, injured and orphaned wild animals here who also needed care and attention. Wild animals don’t stop being hit by cars just because there’s an oil spill. Everyone did their part. In addition to those not working directly with the animals, hotline staff handled many additional phone calls related to the spill, and support staff and volunteers pitched in tackling the mountain of dirty laundry as well as lots more dirty cages and dishes. It’s hard for wildlife to live amongst us with the changes we make to the delicate ecosystems they need to survive. But it’s disasters like this one that really highlight two things for me: that our daily activities can have a terrible impact on innocent wild animals, and that when wild animals really need us there are so many people who care and who will do their best to help. Thank you,
Nathalie Karvonen
More babies! You may think it’s nuts that we are gearing up for our second round of orphaned grey and red squirrels. But squirrels often have a second litter after the first is weaned. We are already admitting babies. These hungry orphans will require feeding up to five times a day, keeping our staff and volunteers very busy. An orphaned red squirrel is hand fed formula by one of our volunteers. Their hard work helps your donation dollars work even harder!
Last year you helped provide care for 126 orphaned squirrels between August and midOctober!
HOME TIP: It is very important to be careful when closing up holes in roofs and sheds. Never trap and relocate an adult wild animal as you could be orphaning a litter of babies.
Lend a Tree program Research has found that young squirrels released with their den box are more likely to survive. The box is attached to a tree and provides a warm, dry home base for the young squirrels while they establish their own territory. We need more trees in Toronto. If you have a backyard with at least one large tree and want to lend it to a group of young squirrels, please email rescue@torontowildlifecentre.com.
Mimico Creek oil spill
On July 13th, a truck rolled over on the 401 and its cargo of transformers crashed onto the pavement, spilling thousands of litres of oil. By the next morning, oil had seeped through the soil into the nearby Mimico Creek — home to a large mallard population. The ducks were covered with oil and already experiencing the effects of exposure; some were already dead. Local resident Laurie noticed that something was wrong with the water and with the ducklings she had watched grow from hatchlings. Holding back tears, she rushed home and called every organization she thought could help the ducks. And help arrived! Toronto Wildlife Centre’s rescue team arrived on the scene for clean-up and rescue efforts. Toronto Fire Fighters, Toronto Animal Services, other City of Toronto services, Toronto Region Conservation Authority, Ministry of the Environment, and Environment Canada were also out on the frontlines.
Community support “I still get shivers up my arm when I think of all the kindness and community support. People out for walks or bikers would come back with drinks, food and coffee for the rescue team.” Ann Brokelman (pictured below catching a duck), is a Toronto Wildlife Centre rescue volunteer.
The oiled birds were scattered along a 10 kilometre stretch of the creek. Some were hiding in the grasses and in the forest along the bank. It was a slow process, but the team didn’t stop. Many birds were spotted by local residents, who sought out the rescue team with location details. Some voluntered as an extra pair of eyes, walking the banks for hours searching for oiled birds. Others used their bikes to carry supplies to rescuers stationed along the creek. As quickly as they were caught, the ducks were transported to the centre by a relay team of Toronto Wildlife Centre volunteers. When the ducks were safely in the care of the medical staff, the volunteers filled up their cars with supplies for the front lines and drove right back again. The rescue team spent two and a half days straight in the field rescuing ducks, then responded to individual sightings.
Your response was incredible! Your donations of over $30,000 helped provide medical and rehabilitative care for 111 oiled mallards and 2 spotted sandpipers.
Time is of the essence At Toronto Wildlife Centre, staff and volunteers worked long hours medically stabilizing and washing birds. On the second day, they worked until five in the morning to get the oil off as many birds as possible. On Friday (four days after the spill was discovered and after four days of oil spill washing), the first group of mallards are released. Though the oil has been contained, the rescue and rehabilitation teams decide to take the mallards to the nearby Humber River, just in case small pockets of oil remain. Most of the mallards were released by July 27th.
Photo credit: Ann Brokelman
Staff use a dental water pick to wash a tiny oil-covered gosling.
The Mimico Creek disaster is the largest oil spill in Toronto Wildlife Centre’s 22-year history. But the truth is that urban wildlife is affected by oil spills, big and small, all the time. From unsecured restaurant grease traps to oil-change trays left to fill with rainwater, Toronto Wildlife Centre has treated hundreds of oiled birds, and even some oiled beavers and muskrats.
Why is oil a problem for water birds? Oil disrupts waterproofing: Water birds stay warm, dry, and buoyant because their top feathers form a protective barrier over the rest. Feathers are precisely aligned to overlap, and have little hooks that cling together like Velcro. Birds preen to clean and reattach these hooks, conditioning each feather with oil they produce. Poisoning and digestive issues: Birds ingest oil during the preening process. It is not only the toxicity of oil that is dangerous; even vegetable oil can be a problem because it causes digestive and other serious medical issues.
Saving a snapping turtle.
Markham resident Asyha watched in horror as a large snapping turtle was run over by a car near Steeles and McCowan road. She called Toronto Wildlife Centre and the rescue team rushed to help. The turtle’s shell was fractured in multiple places.
At the centre the turtle was given antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and pain medication (turtle shells are like bone, so she would have been in agony). X-rays then revealed she was carrying fifty eggs! The snapper has required several surgeries to stabilize and repair her broken shell, and her fractures are healing well. Her enclosure includes a sandbox that she can use to lay and bury her eggs, as she would in the wild. When turtles lay eggs at Toronto Wildlife Centre, they are incubated in the hopes that they will hatch and be released (some have already hatched this year).
Seven out of eight Ontario turtle species are considered species at risk. This snapping turtle will be returned to the wild, thanks to your generous help. Many thanks to The Eric S. Margolis Family Foundation for sponsoring the Veterinary Program at Toronto Wildlife Centre. With their support we can provide expert veterinary care for patients, like this snapping turtle, and get them back to the wild where they belong.
Finally free. Releases: these happy endings aren’t possible without you!
All grown up: An orphaned Virginia opossum is released at night. This is when opossums are most active.
Squeaky clean: A mallard from the Mimico Creek disaster flies away, oil free.
Photo credits: Ann Brokelman
Delayed reaction: It only takes this young mink a moment to notice the door to his release cage is open, and he’s outta there.
See these release stories, videos and more on the Blog section of our website!
september 17, 2015 | 7-10:30pm a fundraising event to help care for injured and orphaned wildlife live music silent auction belly dancers canapÊs and cocktails and much more! hosted by sandra rinomato at toronto’s historic burroughes building
buy tickets at thewildball.com or 416-631-0662 x3207
Wish List
torontowildlifecentre.com/wishlist
• Desktop computer • Couch in good condition • 8’ and 12’ fiberglass ‘A’ frame ladder rated for 300 lbs • 5’ x 8’solid deck and open-walled trailer • Air compressor (minimum 2 HP) (Models: Makita MAC5200, Kobalt 02320541,DeWalt D55156)
• Pneumatic framing nailer, 3.5” (round/ full head, not clipped head)(Models: Makita AN902, Hitachi NV90AG) • Pneumatic crown stapler (16 gauge staples) (Models: Makita AT1150A, Hitachi N5008AC(2), DeWalt D51430)
You can bring items to TWC from 9am - 6pm, 7 days a week. Questions about items? Email: donations@torontowildlifecentre.com Phone: (416) 631 0662 x 3207
Donate
Online at torontowildlifecentre.com/donate OR BY: Cheque (made out to Toronto Wildlife Centre) OR: Call (416) 631-0662 x 3207
*For monthly donations via auto-withdrawal, please include a cheque marked void. Monthly donations are processed on the 15th of each month.
Credit Card: (Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, Discover)
Expiry
Cardholder Name: Signature:
Date: A one time gift of: $
A monthly gift of: $
Name: Address: Phone(s): Email: I would like to receive TWC e-news Please remove me from your mailing list NWSLTR15SU
One last rescue:
One last rescue: Rescue Team leader Andrew jokingly carries his tired colleague Stacey to shore after a long day in oily Mimico Creek.
Questions about wildlife? Call our
WILDLIFE HOTLINE: (416) 631-0662 General inquires (416) 631-0662 x 3205 or admin@torontowildlifecentre.com Donations (416) 631-0662 x 3207 or donations@torontowildlifecentre.com 4 - 60 Carl Hall Road Toronto ON M3K 2C1 Charitable registration number: 141146290 RR0001