By Victoria Badham, Education and Outreach Manager at TWC So often, the gifts we give and receive around the holidays go unused, underused, given away, or even worse, sent to landfill. Some people opt to “buy nothing” as a way of reducing waste and overconsumption which clearly has environmental benefits. At the same time, gift giving is a tradition that crosses over many holidays and cultures and carries deep meaning for many people. To give a gift with a nod to Mother Nature, we suggest using your purchasing power to help wildlife this holiday season! Check out the following list of our top ..read more

By: Victoria Badham, Education and Outreach Thud – the gut-wrenching sound of a bird flying hard into a window. Thud. It’s estimated that 25 million birds die from window strikes in Canada every year, and that number may be conservative [1]. Thud. Spread over the course of a year, that equates to 1 bird death every 1.26 seconds, from windows alone. Thud. Or about 5 bird deaths since you started reading this. Thud. Toronto Wildlife Centre (TWC) admits hundreds of injured songbirds every year as the result of a window strike – like this hummingbird admitted during fall migration 2020. Thes ..read more

It is our goal to successfully treat as many sick and injured adult wild animals as possible and release them back to their home in the wild. However, it is a sad reality that some animals are too sick or too injured and will never be able to cope in the wild again. Domestic companions – like dogs and cats – have a human to care for them; a wild animal must be able to find food, shelter, evade predators and carry out natural behaviours all on their own. The inability to do this due to an illness or injury will cause the wild animal to suffer and eventually perish, often in a painful and d ..read more

TWC is open every day from 9am – 6pm (including weekends and most holidays). If we are closed when you find the animal, please leave a message on our hotline by calling (416) 631-0662 or fill out our online form. A staff member will return your call the following morning. When possible, please contain the animal and keep it in a dark, quiet place away from people and pets. Please see our website for species-specific containment instructions. Do not offer it any food or water. If it is a baby, it must be given a heat source such as a hot water bottle, rice-filled sock microwaved for 1 minute, o ..read more

Baby raccoon It can be tempting to try to raise an orphaned wild baby, like a squirrel or raccoon, especially when you are having difficulty finding a space for it with a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.  However, wild babies need very specific care, and without training or resources to provide for it, you are setting it up for failure as an adult. Wildlife rehabilitation is the treatment and temporary care of a wild animal – the ultimate goal is the return of healthy animals to their appropriate habitat in the wild. If you are not a trained and licensed rehabilitator, keeping them ..read more

Baby cottontail rabbits Thank you for taking the time to rescue a wild animal. It is a selfless act and a critically important step in giving sick, injured and orphaned wildlife a second chance at life in the wild. TWC strives to help as many as we possibly can. We admit approximately 5,000 wild patients every year and can have hundreds of animals in care at our centre, at any given time, during our busy season.  As a charity with limited resources, the need for help is sadly far greater than what we alone can provide. Due to overwhelming demand during spring and summer, we have no ..read more

For the last five years, Dave had been visiting and photographing a beautiful pair of great horned owls who live in a local park. But this year was particularly special; the majestic owls had become parents to three babies. Since Dave is retired and lives in the area, he’s able to go out every day, sometimes even twice a day, just to see the precious owl family. Three fluffy owlets appeared in Dave’s camera lens as he took shots of the large nest up the nearly 100-foot white pine. He called the strong and independent first-born baby Eddie, named after his 9-month old grandson. Then there ..read more

Wildlife still need your help during this global pandemic… As part of our valued community of wildlife supporters, we’d like to let you know that during this COVID-19 crisis TWC staff and volunteers are still working hard to save sick and injured wild animals every day. We are currently open to the public for patient admissions after speaking with hotline operators (416-631-0662) and donation drop-offs only, from 9am to 6pm, 7 days per week – but our education and outreach program has been cancelled until further notice, which includes access to our on-site education area. There are now nearly ..read more

By: Victoria Badham, Education & Outreach Manager, Toronto Wildlife Centre It’s March! Spring is only a few short weeks away and wild animals are already prepping for the next generation of wild babies (and some are already here!).  Building the perfect den or nest is critical to successfully raising young and wild moms often find optimal spaces in human-built structures such as houses. And although many of us appreciate seeing our wild neighbours in our yards, having a wild family move into your home can be less appealing. So, read on to learn more about how to wildlife-proof yo ..read more

By: Victoria Badham, Education & Outreach Manager, Toronto Wildlife Centre “There is something haunting in the light of the moon.” Joseph Conrad Halloween conjures up images of wild species associated with darkness – from wolves and coyotes, to bats, owls and snakes – humans have created mythology around particular animals, rousing mystery and fear. But are these species that are integral to #BackyardBiodiversity really as scary as they seem? Snakes are one of the most commonly feared creatures and some research suggests this phobia may be ingrained in us as pa ..read more