winter 2015
Wild winter survival Rescued and returned to the cold. Thanks to you! Great Lakes freeze displaces water birds Wow, you were busy in 2014! Livin’ lodge with your help Building a healthy community for people and wildlife torontowildlifecentre.com
Message from the Executive Director On chilly winter days, most people don’t think about wildlife who are also struggling with issues related to the extreme cold. But you do — thank you! Like last year, water birds and bats are being admitted in unprecedented numbers. Both are challenging patients to care for and very picky eaters (only live insects for the bats, and live fish for many of the water birds). There are pools all over the place — even in one of our storage rooms! Many birds of prey are getting into trouble too, since the dense snow cover is keeping their prey (primarily small rodents) out of sight. We’re also seeing a lot of frostbitten ears and tails, a serious and painful problem. Thanks to your support, help has been available for these animals every day this winter. Your donations are providing emergency medical care, nutritious food, and a warm, safe place to recover. Many of you are also calling our hotline to see how else you can help the wildlife in your neighbourhoods. Thanks again for your caring and concern for our wild friends. It really makes a difference to them when they need it most. Stay warm,
Nathalie Karvonen
Photo: lArrY noonAn
Wild Winter Survival Strategies Which crazy animals stick out the cold weather with us? One in particular might be a surprise. The American robin. Given that the robins’ return is considered a sign of spring, it may surprise you to learn that some have never left — at least not in the traditional way. Instead of following a standard winter migration route, robins flock together in groups of up to 100 birds and search for food. When they find a resource rich area, they stay, regardless of how far south it is. With insects scarce in the winter, robins switch to eating mostly fruit like crab apples, juniper berries and rose hips. Opossums have slowly been moving north to Ontario from the southern states for decades. However, opossums
are not well-suited for freezing temperatures; their paper-thin pink ears and tail get frost-bitten easily. They don’t hibernate, but during cold snaps they can stay tucked away in protected spots for weeks, living off their fat stores. Pigeons and other birds manage the cold by alternating feet, tucking one leg up under their belly at time so they don’t freeze to the ground. Remember our wild neighbours this winter. With unseasonably cold temperatures, wild animals who find themselves in need of help are also at risk of developing hypothermia and frostbite. The sooner they are found and brought to Toronto Wildlife Centre, the better their chance of survival.
Rescued and returned to the cold. Thanks to you!
Pre-release conditioning: A crucial step This red fox had patchy fur when he was admitted for mange in December. After undergoing treatment his thick fur has regrown, and he is almost ready for release. But first he’s moving outside. This is a key part of successful wildlife rehabilitation. Before patients can be released, they are moved into outdoor enclosures to acclimatize them to the outside world — even in the winter!
1. This isn’t a post-release picture of the red fox in the wild. He’s actually in a large outdoor enclosure at TWC. The enclosure is filled with donated x-mas trees, and branches to give the fox lots of places to explore, and to hide from his human caregivers. 2. So far so good: the fox is hiding behind a tree in his enclosure. This makes catching him for a final checkup more difficult, but the staff
and volunteers don’t mind. His behaviour means that their efforts to maintain his wild integrity (a natural and healthy fear of humans) has worked! 3. The fox is wary. He evades his captors until they are finally able to corral him. 4. One last treatment, and he will soon be ready to go. The rescue team will monitor the forecast to find a few days with warmer weather
to make his release and transition back to the wild as easy as possible. 5. RELEASED! Despite the snow, the weather is mild and thanks to outdoor conditioning, he is used winter temperatures. The fox is released near the area he was rescued, and doesn’t hesitate. He runs straight for the ravine beyond the treeline; he must know he’s home!
Red foxes are active all year and have thick fur between their foot pads and on their ears — an effective barrier against frostbite. Their coats also get thicker in the winter, providing extra warmth.
Wow! You were busy in 2014!
4190 You found
You provided care for 4190 sick, injured and orphaned wild animals that desperately needed help.
83
165
orphaned goslings new parents in the wild.
You made sure 165 orphaned red and eastern grey squirrels had a good start by releasing them in nesting boxes via The Lend a Tree program.
47
1233 55
You gave 1233 vulnerable orphaned wild babies safe shelter and care.
You made it possible for the rescue team to relocated 47 Canada goose and mallard families (a total of 453 ducklings, and goslings) who had built their nests on rooftop balconies and enclosed courtyards. You were there for an entire colony of bats displaced from their winter hideaway (55 in total)
thousands
You gave hope to of people that called our wildlife hotline, desperate to help the sick, injured or orphaned wild animal they’ve stumbled upon. You supported the care of at-risk species like Blanding’s and snapping turtles, milk snakes and the eastern small-footed bat (just classified as endangered), whose populations need all the help they can get.
Thank you!
And we know you’ll be there for your wild neighbours again in 2015!
Rescue team member Sarrah releases a horned grebe into Lake Ontario. An option we might not have this year. photo: ann brokelman
Great Lakes freeze displaces water birds
Last year, you responded generously to an unexpected winter emergency. 80 percent of the Great Lakes froze displacing the water birds that need open water to survive the winter. Desperate for food and a place to rest, they flew south towards Lake Ontario, which remained open. We admitted over 130 of these birds; a lot more than in previous years. Some had crash landed on icy asphalt they mistook for water, others picked a body of water too small to sustain them — all were starving, hypothermic and badly needed care.
Two red-necked grebes swim in a pool at Toronto Wildlife Centre. Because they don’t function well on land, they cannot simply stand or lay on the ground while in care. This will lead to pressurerelated injuries. Instead, they are kept in pools that include a floating mesh raft so they can get out of the water if they are cold or tired.
It’s happening again! But this time, Lake Ontario is not a safe harbour. A good portion has also frozen over, more than last year, and we may not be able to release rehabilitated birds from its shores. Instead, we may need to get the birds to open water elsewhere, possibly as far away as the Atlantic Ocean— a challenging endeavour.
Diving birds like grebes and loons need to run along the surface of the water for up to a ¼ mile to gain the speed needed for lift off. If the body of water is too small, they won’t make it into the air. And they can’t just walk to the next lake. With legs closer to their back end, these birds are front heavy and have difficulty supporting their unbalanced bodies out of the water.
This young beaver was admitted in January with injuries to his eye and tail. He will be cared for until he reaches the age he would leave his family in the wild. photo: Scott WIGht
Livin’ lodge with your help Right now, beavers are staying inside, warm and safe with their families. Beavers live in lodges — large piles of mud, branches and sticks of varying sizes, tall enough to rise above the water. The structures are wellinsulated from winter temperatures by a thick coating of mud, apart from a small hole on top for ventilation.
Beavers enter their lodges through underwater tunnels that lead up into a waterproof living area. They rely on a food cache they stock with wood for the winter, so if the water freezes they still have access to food.
WINTER WISHLIST • Extra large kennel cabs • UV bulbs ( ZOO MED™ REPTISUN™ 5.0 UVB Tropical Compact Fluorescent Bulb) • Laundry baskets, 44L: To house small songbirds during the migration season.
You can bring these items to TWC from 9am–6pm, 7 days a week. Sorry, pickup service is not available. Questions about other items? emaIl: donations@torontowildlifecentre.com VISIt: torontowildlifecentre.com/wishlist
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This flying squirrel was found in someone’s Muskoka kitchen. He’s uninjured, but without knowing where his winter den is, he can’t be released. He’ll stay at TWC until the weather improves and we can get him back home.
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