Toronto Wildlife Centre
A Tran-quill Release and an Adorable Surprise! Who am I? Wild Baby Identification Lemon-aid for Wildlife You helped save a baby mute Swan
SUMMER 2016
Message from the executive director Dear Friends, You may have heard about the very upsetting situation recently where Toronto police shot and injured a sick male coyote, allegedly out of concern for the safety of the public. We had learned that he was a single father of at least three pups, their mother having been killed on the road not long ago. After many frustrating phone calls to the police, I got nowhere in getting them to agree to not shoot him again once we established he was still alive; with a visible gunshot injury to his hind end – and with many hungry babies to feed. It seems the police also urgently need information and education about living with wildlife, and about the realistic dangers they pose. In the case of the coyote, he was showing no aggressive behaviour and certainly no signs of Rabies (almost non-existent in coyotes in Ontario), which was cited as another concern. Aggression towards people from coyotes is virtually unheard of in these shy, timid animals, and most admitted to TWC weigh in at about 30 lbs. It is my dream that one day not only will individual people living with wildlife in their communities know more about their wild neighbours, but also those agencies people call when they are scared or confused will respond armed with information, not guns. Coyotes deserve to be able to live out their lives in peace. And, like most wild animals, they are a critical part of delicate ecosystems important to keep our planet healthy and balanced. In a world where increasingly we talk about global warming and the need to consider the environment, where kids plant trees and people take re-usable bags to the grocery store, it’s important to remember that wild animals are part of healthy environments. And the father coyote and his pups? We are doing everything we can to locate, capture and assist them, and already have most of the pups at the centre for care. They have been through a lot, and definitely need a helping hand. At Toronto Wildlife Centre, we are committed to helping wild animals return to their intended places in the wild, even if the wild is our local ravine or our own backyards. Your support allows this help to take place, and allows us to provide education about our native wildlife so that people will know how to live with them in peace. Thank you! Nathalie Karvonen
A Tran-quill Release This porcupine gave us an adorable surprise while she was in care.
After more than 23 years, having helped over 83,000 sick, injured and orphaned wild animals representing over 270 different species, you’d think we’d seen it all. But, every now and then we’re still surprised and a new challenge presents itself. On April 15th, we admitted a porcupine who had been hit by a car. She was missing a large number of quills on her back and had several serious wounds, but was able to run well.
Next came the big surprise. After a successful surgery to address her wounds, several weeks of pain management and medication to prevent infection, the porcupine was moved to an outdoor enclosure where she would have little exposure to people to keep her stress level to a minimum. Here, she could recover and regrow her quills, crucial for protection in the wild. One morning Toronto Wildlife Centre staff member Victoria quietly entered the enclosure to bring the porcupine fresh food and water, and was surprised to discover a second very small porcupine - the recovering patient had given birth to a healthy baby!
Porcupine mothers stick close to their babies for the first six weeks. During the day, mother sleeps in the trees, while her baby stays hidden on the ground. Mom returns to feed the baby at night. Once the baby is weaned she will follow the mother as she forages for food learning how to survive in the wild. The best place for mom and baby is the wild, so the natural education process can happen. Without guidance from mom, the baby porcupine might not survive. But the stress of captivity can cause wild animals to behave unexpectedly. Wildlife care staff were concerned that mom might bolt on release leaving her helpless baby behind.
Wildlife staff build a release enclosure.
After conferring with other wildlife rehabilitators, they decided to do a soft release once the baby was a bit older. They located a tree with a hole (providing a natural den site) and piled branches and sticks around the tree to make the porcupines feel more secure. They then surrounded the area with wire fencing to keep mom and baby close together while still having room to explore and forage for food. A volunteer checked on the pair twice a day and provided supplemental food and water. After 3 days of mom and baby displaying normal behaviour and staying together, staff removed the fencing giving them full access to their wild home!
Volunteer Jennifer reports: “I learned a lot watching this pair. It’s a wonderful relationship between a mother and baby. The day after the enclosure came down, I did my check and didn’t see mom. With Mom away I assumed the baby hunkered down in the den even more to be safer. I think the baby thought mom was back when she heard me rustling in the leaves, because to my surprise she came waddling out. I took the opportunity to grab some last farewell shots of the baby eating and sampling everything. It was the last time I saw her. As I snuck away from her she kept eating away and playing on the log. Just being a baby. What a beautiful little baby porcupine she is. I wish them well in their new life together. Not everything gets a second chance at life before it is even born. WOW. You guys are awesome.”
Happy stories like this could not happen without your support. Thank you!
Mom and baby stuck close together up in the trees. Photos (including cover) thanks to Jennifer Howard Photography
Who Am I?
When wild animals are babies, it can be a challenge to figure out what species they are. Can you guess who these babies will be when they grow up?
mallards
wood duck coyote red fox
orphaned babies every year! Your donations help a thousand rock pigeon
turkey vulture
Eastern
il
cottonta
raccoons
American mink
Excitement is building for what promises to be an extraordinary night of celebration of the community coming together to help save wild lives. The money raised from TWC’s signature fundraising gala will give many animals a second chance at a healthy life in the wild. Hosted by the elegant Palais Royale Ballroom overlooking Lake Ontario in Toronto, there will be a special guest performance by 5-time Juno award winning guitarist Liona Boyd.
“I am excited to be performing at the Wild Ball in support of Toronto Wildlife Centre that does such amazing work with injured and orphaned wild animals. I have always been passionate about saving animals.” says Liona Boyd. In addition, guests will be treated to an acrobatic display from Zero Gravity Circus and a captivating dance piece choreographed specifically for Wild Ball. Our auction promises something for everyone including trips, spa packages, golf getaways, statement jewelry, wildlife art and more. Wild Ball will be the most entertaining way you can support wildlife this year so get your tickets now before they sell out! Tickets are on sale now! Visit www.thewildball.com or call 416-631-0662 x 3207 For questions about sponsorships or auction donations contact Patti: patti@thewildball.com or (416) 631-0662 x 3234 photo credit: Thomas Tracy
You helped save a baby mute swan One of seven baby mute swans from Douglas Kennedy Park was seen with fishing line tied around his wing and face.
Our rescue team rushed to the scene to rescue the baby swan and bring him back to the centre for emergency treatment. The medical team found that the baby also had a fish hook embedded in his skin. After the hook was removed, the cygnet recovered for a few days at the centre and completed a course of antibiotics to prevent an infection before he was reunited with his family. Visit www.torontowildlifecentre.com/reunion to watch a video of the rescue and release. top photo thanks to David Mews
Lemon-aid for wildlife Toronto friends Ben and Elias raise funds to help sick, injured and orphaned wildlife. They started selling lemonade for a dollar with free cookies, and once the lemonade ran out performed magic tricks for donations. “Ben is a bighearted kid who loves animals,” his father told us. They looked for a wildlife charity to donate to and Toronto Wildlife Centre’s work stood out. “I absolutely adore animals and will never stop doing what I can to help the animals who are sick and/or injured out there. If anyone wants to do what I did, I say go for it and do not back down when people say “no”. It is always good to help animals,” says Ben. A big thank you from all of us at Toronto Wildlife Centre. Ben and Elias, keep up the good work!
Summer Wishlist 1. Walnuts, almonds, pecans or sunflower seeds (unsalted, raw, in the shell) 2. Eggs 3. Fresh or frozen berries - any kind 4. Apples and pears (not fully ripe) 5. Carrots 6. Eggs 7. Frozen lake smelt (with heads) 8. Baby food – cream corn and chicken with broth 9. Unflavoured Pedialyte 10. Gift Cards to Staples, Lowes, Home Depot, Canadian Tire, supermarkets, or gas stations
You can bring items to TWC from 9am-6pm, 7 days a week.
Questions about items?
Email donations@torontowildlifecentre.com or visit www.torontowildlifecentre.com/wishlist
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●● Visit us online at torontowildlifecentre.com/donate ●● Call us directly at (416) 631-0662 x 3207 ●● Send a cheque made out to Toronto Wildlife Centre, or complete the information below: ( Please find our address on the reverse of this detachable form.)
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A raccoon plays with fruit frozen in an ice cube. This is just one of the ways staff and volunteers keep wild patients cool in the summer when they are in outdoor enclosures. They also mist animals with water, provide shade and bring them back inside if it is really hot.
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