The busy season is in full swing at the BC SPCA’s Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre (Wild ARC) with the centre reaching over 100 patients in care just last week! Last year, Wild ARC saw a total of 2,043 sick, injured and orphaned wild animals, with most animals arriving between April – September. Breeding season, increased human activity in outdoor spaces, and warmer weather signaling changes in animal behaviour all contribute to higher rates of admission.
One notable case that arrived in late April was this Western painted turtle with a fishing lure lodged in her maxilla, a bone in her upper jaw. The expert team at Wild ARC recognized that her wound was necrotic and reached out to a specialist for assistance. With the lure removed, she is recovering well with antibiotics but still has a long road ahead to making a full recovery.
Western painted turtles are the only endangered and protected pond turtle in B.C. and with World Turtle Day just passing on May 23, consider learning more about turtles in B.C. and how you can help them thrive.
Some other notable patients include:
- The first orphaned black-tailed deer fawns of the season. Each year, fawns may lose their mothers to vehicle collisions or predators and can’t survive on their own. Learn more about when deer fawns need your help, and when they are perfectly fine waiting for mom to return!
- A Hutton’s Vireo is currently in care after being struck by a vehicle. This is quite a rare species for Wild ARC — this is the first one admitted since 2019! This small songbird has only been in care for just over two weeks and still has a lot of recovery ahead of them with the support of our expert staff.
- A Surf Scoter admitted in early April was emaciated and had a loss of feather weatherproofing. Rehabilitators worked to stabilize the Surf Scoter and provided a specialized kennel to support his body while his waterproofing improved. After a few weeks in care, he regained his strength and ability to dive, and was released back to his wild life!
One aspect of the busy baby season that Wild ARC staff and volunteers love is being able to see how much wild babies grow. Look at the difference between these Red-breasted Nuthatch babies, for example. With professional care and species-specific diets to provide the nutrition wild babies need to grow healthy and strong, the difference in only one week is incredible!
These babies came into care after their nest cavity in a tree was cut down and reuniting attempts were unsuccessful. They will stay in indoor intensive care and continue to be carefully monitored by the expert team at Wild ARC until they are old enough to be moved to outdoor aviaries where they can practice all the skills they need to survive in the wild. When ready, they will be released back to their wild home! If you would like to support these babies, and many more like them, consider donating towards their care and checking for nests before pruning trees!
Another favourite event in wildlife rehabilitation is seeing wild animals return to their wild homes. This bald eagle was admitted to Wild ARC after being in a fight with another eagle and sustaining soft tissue damage. This type of trauma can lead to several complications including swelling and required urgent treatment. After more than a month in care and time to regain their flight strength, this eagle was ready to return home. Rejoice with us in this special moment!
Want to keep an eye on the animals admitted to Wild ARC throughout the year? Follow us on Facebook for the latest updates on our wild patients, events, tips for coexisting with wildlife, fundraisers and more! As more wild animals come through Wild ARC’s doors this season, our staff and volunteers will rise to the challenge — none of this life saving work would be possible without them and our supporters, like you!
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