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Toronto Wildlife Centre

Peter was walking to his car in a parking lot when he noticed a horned grebe sitting on the pavement. The little one didn’t try to escape, something was wrong…

Angelo was headed to work when a grebe sitting on his driveway suddenly stopped him. The poor bird struggled on the concrete, unable to take off…

Aliisa flagged down a passerby to help her after she spotted a grebe on the road. The bird was injured and needed help…

Horned grebes are small waterbirds who spend most of their lives in ponds, lakes, or rivers diving for food. Many are returning during their spring migration, but some mistake wet pavement from rain or melting snow for bodies of water to land on, causing them to crash into the hard surface.

This can result in painful injuries, and even the few who are unharmed become stranded, unable to walk properly on land or take off without being in water. Each of these three grebes, found in the same desperate situation within just days of each other (a rare occurrence!), received help at Toronto Wildlife Centre.

Experience their recovery journeys, from treatment to release, and even watery naps in between… but fair warning, you’re in the splash zone!

Enjoyed this video? Subscribe → / @twcwildlife

0:08: Exam and treatment
0:33: Swim and feeding
1:11: Naptime for grebes
1:23: Release

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Peek in on recovering wildlife in their outdoor enclosures!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlKHEtZoU5Y&t=11s

Young duck swallows fish hook and needs life-saving surgery
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97ZFqE5GY8g&t=4s

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Recovery journey of 3 horned grebes | Check up, feeding & release

“Attack”, “fear”, “aggressive”… unfortunately, these are the words often used in the media to portray coyotes, as many of you may have witnessed. The reality? It’s the actions of people - from feeding to off-leash dogs - that negatively impacts and changes the behaviour of these naturally timid animals, and is the root cause of human-coyote conflicts that arise as a result.

What can we do to prevent this? How can we work together to peacefully coexist with a species that has been here long before us and is valuable to our ecosystems?

Enjoyed this video? Subscribe → / @twcwildlife

0:18: Toronto Wildlife Centre Executive Director Nathalie Karvonen and Education and Outreach Manager Victoria Badham comment on how are coyotes generally represented in mainstream media
0:47: What is the overall common behaviour of healthy coyotes in the wild?
1:02: What problematic human actions negatively impact the behaviour of coyotes?
3:21: How does this fear mongering lead to cruelty and fatal outcomes for coyotes?
3:38: A recently admitted coyote who fell victim to a snare
5:15: How are coyotes important to our local ecosystems?
6:18: How can we foster a peaceful coexistence between humans and coyotes?

RECOMMENDED VIDEOS

How does the Rescue Team approach catching sick coyotes?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ4pioSiEBs

Peek in on what coyotes do after the sun goes down!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-p4cFUWQUTw

Toronto coyote conflicts: How can we coexist?

Believe it or not… once a wild animal has healed from injury or illness at Toronto Wildlife Centre, it’s still not the end of their recovery journeys.

A big part of rehabilitative care for wildlife is reconditioning, which are the steps needed to prepare a patient for release. The Rehabilitation Team sets up large outdoor enclosures with items that encourage survival skills (such as food to forage, perches to land on, soil to dig in, branches/greenery to hide in, platforms to climb, space to run, etc.). This process allows wild patients to restore their physical strength, exercise flight/climbing muscles, acclimate to the outdoors, and develop their survival instincts to ready them for their natural habitats.

Join wild patients - from a curious fox, to a swift flying squirrel, to a hungry vulture - in the final stages of their recovery.

What do you think, are they ready to return to the wild?

Enjoyed this video? Subscribe → / @twcwildlife

0:02: Red fox
0:37: Northern flying squirrel
1:03: Raccoons
1:32: Boreal owl
2:02: Turkey vulture
2:22: American crows
3:01: Eastern gray squirrel

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Listen to the sounds of recovering wildlife!
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Have you ever wanted to dance with a woodcock…?
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Visit recovering wildlife inside their enclosures

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torontowildlifecentre

We’re looking for experienced and driven profess

We’re looking for experienced and driven professionals who are passionate about helping wild animals to join Toronto Wildlife Centre’s (TWC’s) Board of Directors! The Board provides independent and objective oversight and acts in the long-term interests of TWC and the wild patients in care.⁠
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The Board is made up of diverse members of the community who have a demonstrated interest in TWC’s work, and who have beneficial leadership skills, knowledge, and experience. As a Board member, you’ll contribute to informed decision-making, propose strategies, solve problems, seize opportunities, and more. ⁠
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The application deadline is April 4, 2025. Apply now by visiting the link in our bio!⁠ ⁠
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#BoardMember #TorontoWildlife #OntarioWildlife #UrbanWildlife #WildlifeRehabbers #WildlifeRehabilitation #WildlifeRehab #WildlifeCharity #WildlifeCentre #TorontoWildlifeCentre #TWC

Happy St. Batty's Day!☘️⁠ ⁠ Still stumblin

Happy St. Batty's Day!☘️⁠
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Still stumbling after your weekend celebrations? This big brown bat looks like he had his fun too. 😂 Take a quick break with this silly moment, we promise you’ll feel better! #MondayMood⁠
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(Don’t worry, this little patient was alright – his species normally eats on the fly, so he was getting used to gobbling up mealworms from a dish while in care!)⁠
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#BigBrownBat #Bat #StPatricksDay #TorontoWildlife #OntarioWildlife #UrbanWildlife #WildlifeRehabbers #WildlifeRehabilitation #WildlifeRehab #WildlifeCharity #WildlifeCentre #TorontoWildlifeCentre #TWC⁠

A flash of wings flapped frantically on the side o

A flash of wings flapped frantically on the side of the road – did Emma’s eyes deceive her?! ⁠
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She quickly turned the car around, pulled over, and her girlfriend got out to investigate. Worry filled her partner’s heart as she saw a poor owl lying there, weakly kicking his legs. She gently wrapped him in a towel from the car and brought the injured animal into the vehicle, cradling him as he hooted faintly. Emma immediately drove on, determined to find the frightened owl help. ⁠
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At Toronto Wildlife Centre, Heather carefully examined her new patient - a barred owl - as he looked up at her with squinted eyes. He was exhausted and didn’t make much effort to move. The wildlife rehabilitator treated injuries to his eyes and worked with the Veterinary Team to check for broken bones – thankfully, x-rays revealed there were none. ⁠
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After a few weeks of continued treatment and supportive care, the barred owl’s eyes greatly improved! What a wonderful sight to witness him soar silently away upon release. 💚⁠
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#BarredOwl #BarredOwls #Owls #TorontoWildlifeCentre #TorontoWildlife #OntarioWildlife #Wildlife #SaveWildlife #HelpWildlife #WildlifeRehabilitation #WildlifeCare #WildlifeVeterinarian #WildlifeRescue #HelpingBirdsTOC⁠

A poor striped skunk had become caught in the hole

A poor striped skunk had become caught in the hole of a chain-link fence! 😮 Luckily, caring Kerstin noticed the struggling animal and sought help right away. Once the fencing around his neck was cut, the skunk was rushed to Toronto Wildlife Centre to have the remaining metal piece safely removed.⁠
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Clemence and Dr. Alexis DeMong assessed the patient’s behaviour, and although he was frightened, they were relieved that he was still energetic despite how he was found. The wildlife rehabilitator and veterinarian gently placed him under anaesthesia and prepared to remove the metal from around his neck. Dr. DeMong carefully untwisted the piece and voila, he was free! ⁠
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With no serious injuries, the skunk was ready for release after three days of supportive care. He quickly scurried off into the night - stopping briefly for a sneaky glance behind him - after being returned back to a safer area in Kerstin’s backyard.⁠
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#StripedSkunk #Skunk #TorontoWildlife #OntarioWildlife #UrbanWildlife #WildlifeRehabbers #WildlifeRehabilitation #WildlifeRehab #WildlifeCharity #WildlifeCentre #TorontoWildlifeCentre #TWC⁠

“Attack”, “fear”, “aggressive”… unfo

“Attack”, “fear”, “aggressive”… unfortunately, these are the words often used in the media to portray coyotes, as many of you may have witnessed. The reality? It’s the actions of people - from feeding to off-leash dogs - that negatively impacts and changes the behaviour of these naturally timid animals, and is the root cause of human-coyote conflicts that arise as a result.

What can we do to prevent this? How can we work together to peacefully coexist with a species that has been here long before us and is valuable to our ecosystems? Learn more and watch now (link in our bio).
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#Coyotes #Coyote #EasternCoyotes #EasternCoyote #TorontoWildlifeCentre #Wildlife #SaveWildlife #HelpWildlife #OntarioWildlife #TorontoWildlife #WildlifeCentre #WildlifeRehabilitation #WildlifeVeterinarian #WildlifeRescue #WildlifeCare

Heather gently placed the exhausted Virginia oposs

Heather gently placed the exhausted Virginia opossum onto the leaves that sprinkled the bottom of his freshly set up enclosure. The new patient could rest now after the wildlife rehabilitator, alongside Veterinarian Dr. Alexis DeMong, had given him fluids and started his treatment - he was dehydrated, and had painful frostbite on his ears and tail. ⁠
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Susan had first noticed the poor animal sitting on top of a wooden fence outside her workplace. Given that it was mid-morning, she worried something was wrong with the nocturnal critter. So she contacted Toronto Wildlife Centre (TWC) and was advised to monitor him, as he may have been out and about due to the warmer weather. Two hours later, Susan realized the opossum hadn’t moved and knew he needed help!⁠
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After he had some time to rest, his tail was wrapped to help protect the severely frostbitten tip as it healed. He’s now recovering well, and once the warm spring weather is here to stay, he’ll be released close to where he was found.⁠
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#VirginiaOpossum #Opossum #TorontoWildlife #OntarioWildlife #UrbanWildlife #WildlifeRehabbers #WildlifeRehabilitation #WildlifeRehab #WildlifeCharity #WildlifeCentre #TorontoWildlifeCentre #TWC⁠

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