SPRING 2014 It’s baby time! Where the wild things live Shot down: Red-tailed hawk will soar again Dangerous desserts
Building a healthy community for people and wildlife torontowildlifecentre.com
This baby great horned owl was just one of many wild babies helped by TWC’s rescue team this spring.
Message from the
Executive Director Hurray for spring! What a relief to have the brutal winter end. It was so hard on both people and on wildlife; the toughest winter we’ve ever had at TWC. Happily, we have just released all of our over-wintering grey and red squirrels (late babies from last fall). Bats will be released soon. More than 90 bats (half from the colony rescued in Newmarket) are still in care, including two young babies born in captivity to a mother who has been doing a great job caring for them in such a strange setting. As quickly as we can release overwintered patients, new patients arrive to take their place. Many orphaned or injured babies are now in our care, with more arriving every day. Last year we admitted over 1200 wild babies.
Currently, our most challenging wild patient is a porcupine. It can be prickly business giving him his daily treatment! To help as many animals as possible, we have been busy training animal care volunteers, foster parents, and full-time interns. Daily help from volunteers means your donation dollars work even harder. At this very busy time of the year, I am so very grateful to you for your support. Every day I see animals admitted in such urgent need of treatment and care, and you allow us to be there for them! I also see the looks on the faces of the people who bring them in, worried and relieved that they have found someone to help. Thank you.
Nathalie Karvonen
New Centre Update The Site Plan Application and Zoning Bylaw Amendment Application have now been submitted to the City of Toronto and the review process is underway. The team of volunteer consultants and TWC staff is now starting work on the detailed design plan for the new building, and strategy for the capital campaign.
On the cover
A northern flicker is released after being found lying at the base of a building in downtown Toronto. The bird was treated at TWC for minor head trauma likely sustained from hitting a window. During spring and fall migration, TWC admits hundreds of injured birds that have flown into windows. These migratory birds are disoriented by the city lights and reflective windows in urban centres along their migratory route. Photo: Gail Paquette
It’s baby time! Rabbits don’t develop a strong scent until they are adults, so babies can avoid predators by staying hidden in their nest under a blanket of grass and fur. Their mother only visits the nest to nurse, which minimises the risk of leading predators straight to her helpless litter.
Over the busy spring and summer months, an amazing team of trained wildlife care volunteers ensure that hundreds of orphaned baby squirrels are handfed up to five times a day. *** Every year, wild babies are taken away from their parents by well-meaning people who think they need help. If you find a wild baby you believe to be sick, injured or orphaned, please call your local wildlife rehabilitator before taking action (unless they are in immediate danger). Never give food or water to any wild animal in your care unless advised to do so by a wildlife rehabilitator.
An orphaned eastern cottontail rabbit snacks on nutritious dandelion greens in the nursery at TWC.
Two baby raccoons peek out of their den.
Where the wild things live Tree hollows provide a safe place for mother raccoons to have their babies. But so do attics, crawl spaces and sheds. Check for raccoon and squirrel nests before renovating or boarding holes on your property. Before you cover a hole, stuff it with newspaper. Wait 48 hours. If the newspaper has been removed, please visit torontowildlifecentre.com/help/ conflict/menu. If it has not been moved, there is likely no animal nesting there. If you do see an adult frantically trying to get into an area you have recently sealed off, open it immediately. In most cases, the mother will move her young if she feels threatened. Never trap and relocate! Trapping and relocating an adult animal can result in
Photo: Scott Dillon
orphaned babies. Also, adults who are moved out of their home territory have a low chance of survival. It’s a common misconception that a wild animal can survive anywhere— even places that seem more natural. But wild animals have specific home ranges where they are adapted to living. Many city animals spend their whole lives living in areas smaller than one square kilometre, and within that range they learn where to find food, water, shelter, and how to stay safe. Being moved to an unfamiliar location—even one that looks nice to us—is stressful and bewildering for wild animals. Without the necessary knowledge of their surroundings, many are unable to survive.
A special thank you to long-time supporters Norman Wallace and Mary Smith for their generous bequest. Countless sick, injured and orphaned wild animals will benefit from their kindness.
Shot down: Red-tailed hawk will soar again
What happens to the badly injured red-tailed hawk trapped in the backyard of a suburban home, struggling desperately to fly? Because of supporters like you, the hawk and the person who finds him have somewhere to turn for help. This scenario actually happened to a Toronto resident at the end of April. She was able to safely contain the weak bird and rushed him to Toronto Wildlife Centre for emergency medical care. The red-tailed
Teaching the next generation of wildlife vets: TWC’s Dr. Reid works with a veterinary intern to remove the bullet from the injured hawk.
Wild Facts Equal rights Nesting red-tailed hawks share construction duties, starting fresh or repairing an old nest. The nest is made of sticks and lined with a soft bed of fresh and dry leaves for their babies.
hawk had been shot. The bullet had broken his right wing and x-rays showed it was still embedded above the bone. He would need surgery to remove the bullet. The surgery was a success and his broken wing was wrapped and is healing. The medical team prescribed a course of antibiotics to prevent infection, and he is getting stronger every day. Thank you for supporting the emergency care of wild animals like this red-tailed hawk.
Check branches for nests before you cut down trees. Don’t forget to look in tree hollows for nests built by woodpeckers, some species of owls, or other wild animals.
Spring Cleaning Keeping wildlife safe
Check for rabbit nests before mowing the lawn. Rabbits build their nests in small indentations on the ground and cover their babies with greenery. Cottontail rabbit nests can be hard to spot, but look for small mounds of grass mixed with fur and twigs.
Many baby birds spend time on the ground under the watchful eyes of their parents before they can fly and they don’t need help. Visit helpbabybirds.ca to learn when you should and should not intervene.
Slow down to safely avoid hitting turtles that are crossing the road to get to nesting sites. If it is safe, help the turtle across the road in the direction they are going.
Snakes are super, not scary. Snakes are great to have around the garden (they eat things gardeners don’t want, like slugs).
A days-old mink, dumped in a pet store, is hand fed electrolyte solution on arrival at the centre.
With your support, Toronto Wildlife Centre has already helped hundreds of baby wild animals, like this mink, since April 1st. Thank you! Photo: Ann Brokelman
Domestic cat attacks are one of the most common reasons for admission to TWC, and one of the most preventable. An Environment Canada study showed that outdoor cats kill more than 200 million birds each year in Canada alone. But we also love cats, and allowing them to roam outdoors puts them at risk of disease, injury or early death. Please keep your pet cats indoors, supervised when outdoors, or in protected outdoor enclosures. Visit keepanimalssafe.ca for more information.
Photo: Alison Cooper
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Not following us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram? Here’s what you’re missing…
1 This American woodcock was
admitted to TWC with minor head and eye trauma after hitting a window. After a week of tube-feeding, eye drops, and antibiotics, he was strong and ready to return to the wild! Instagram, May 6th Photo credit: Charm Anderson
she’s treating like her own! Although she’s wounded and emaciated, she continues to be the ever-protective and doting parent. She will remain in care with her goslings until her wounds are healed and she gains a healthy amount of weight. Facebook, May 13th
2 A porcupine receives treatment
4 A Canada Goose gets a bath after
3 The rescued goose mother and
5 These orphaned baby squirrel siblings
for an abscess under anesthetic in our surgery room. Twitter, May 8th
her 7 goslings are all settled into their outdoor enclosure. We’ve also added one orphaned gosling to her brood, which
being oiled earlier this week. Twitter, May 17th
were found on the same corner by different people at different times, and reunited at TWC! Twitter, May 19th
Be the first to learn about new patients, see release pictures and videos, and get up-to-the-minute info about what is happening at Toronto Wildlife Centre.
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Dangerous Desserts Only a small portion of the scar is visible in this picture, but it extends all the way around his neck and under his chest.
The things we throw away without a second thought can seriously injure wildlife. This striped skunk was badly injured by a plastic domed dessert lid. Likely tempted by the sweet smelling residue in the container, the skunk pushed his head and upper body through the opening in the lid, wedging it tightly against his body. A Toronto Wildlife Centre rescue volunteer contained the skunk and brought him to the centre
where the plastic lid was carefully removed by medical staff. It had left a long deep wound along his chest and neck. Happily, after four months of care, the skunk was released at the end of April. Other animals aren’t so lucky. TWC’s medical staff sees many injuries caused by garbage. Always remove and cut up plastic dessert lids, and rinse out food containers, like cans and plastic bottles, before throwing away or recycling them.
2014 to date: More than 100 species admitted to TWC for care. silver-haired bat beaver least bittern indigo bunting northern cardinal grey catbird eastern chipmunk double-crested cormorant eastern cottontail coyote brown creeper American crow mourning dove long-tailed duck peregrine falcon house finch northern flicker red fox leopard frog gadwall common goldeneye American goldfinch common grackle horned grebe red-necked grebe rose-breasted grosbeak
groundhog herring gull ring-billed gull Cooper’s hawk red-tailed hawk great blue heron ruby-throated hummingbird dark-eyed junco American kestrel eastern kingbird golden-crowned kinglet common loon mallard red-breasted merganser mink northern mockingbird muskrat common nighthawk white-breasted nuthatch Virginia opossum Baltimore oriole ovenbird barred owl eastern screech owl great horned owl long-eared owl
snowy owl northern parula eastern peewee porcupine raccoon American robin yellow-bellied sapsucker greater scaup lesser scaup white-winged scoter striped skunk brown snake garter snake American tree sparrow chipping sparrow house sparrow Lincoln’s sparrow white-throated sparrow eastern grey squirrel red squirrel European starling mute swan trumpeter swan chimney swift gray-cheeked thrush hermit thrush
Visit torontowildlifecentre.com/species for a complete list.
Swainson’s thrush wood thrush eastern towhee painted turtle snapping turtle blue-headed vireo red-eyed vireo meadow vole turkey vulture bay-breasted warbler black-and-white warbler blackburnian warbler black-throated blue warbler Canada warbler chestnut-sided warbler magnolia warbler Nashville warbler Tennessee warbler Wilson’s warbler northern waterthrush weasel whip-poor-will American woodcock downy woodpecker hairy woodpecker common yellowthroat
Spring Wishlist
torontowildlifecentre.com/wishlist
• Evergreen and deciduous branches and twigs • Unsalted sunflower and pumpkin seeds
• Gloves: Small- and medium-sized regular surgical gloves & sizes 6 1/2 and 7 sterile surgical gloves
• Walnuts, almonds and pecans with or without the shell. No peanuts please!
• 9 volt, AA and AAA batteries for the scales used to weigh the babies and ensure they are growing
• Ensure (regular, vanilla, strawberry flavours)
• Bags of unfertilized soil • Grocery store gift cards
Please bring these items to TWC between 9am-6pm, 7 days a week. Other items, please call (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.
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A little boy can’t take his eyes off the bat he can see through a one-way viewing window in Toronto Wildlife Centre’s education area.
Photo: Gail Paquette
TWC’s one-way viewing windows allow people the unique opportunity to see wildlife up close without causing the animal unnecessary stress. TWC’s education area is open to the public seven days a week between 9am and 6pm.
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