Our centre serves two main purposes; teaching the public about native wildlife and providing a home to animals that cannot live in the wild.   Most of our time and resources are spent caring for our wild wards here at the centre and teaching people about Ontario’s wildlife, through the many exciting programs we have developed over the years.  But behind the scenes there is so much more we are doing to help wildlife.  Whether it be pushing to change legislation to protect wild animals, assisting our many colleagues from rehabilitation centres in field rescues and treatment of wild creatures that will be released back into nature, appearing as wildlife experts in legal proceedings, assisting biologists with wildlife research or providing training to students and professionals that will, in turn, serve wildlife…the list goes on and on.  Below you will find some great examples of some of the important work we are proud to have been involved with.

Our badgers, Dozer and Sandy, were kind enough to donate their toe nails for the betterment of badgers in Ontario, albeit while under sedation. It may sound very odd, but a wildlife research team approached us and asked if it would be possible to clip the tips of our badgers very long nails and then come back several times to measure their growth. They were trying to figure out how long it takes for badgers nails to grow. This information would help the researchers learn about when and where ...  read more

For the second time in a couple of months we received a call, this time from A Wing and A Prayer (a wild bird rehabilitation centre), about a great blue heron hung up by fishing line. It was dangling from a hydro wire by one wing, spinning in the wind, frantically trying to free itself. While Janis (of A Wing and a Prayer) tried to get a hold of Hydro One, we sent a crew to see if there was anything that could be done without coming into contact with the hydro line. By the time our staff got ...  read more

This little bear was stricken by a car and laid in the hot sun in a ditch until she was found. She received medical treatment including surgery to a badly broken leg. We were her temporary cub-sitters until she could be looked after at a bear rehabilitation centre. Bella made a fantastic recovery and she made some new friends at Bear With Us - the bear sanctuary. She is vision impaired in one eye and walks with a little swagger but is otherwise a healthy baby bear. Everyone's hard work paid o ...  read more

• Tags: Bear , Bella , rescue

We rescued a beaver off of the side of the road yesterday, we have named him Kilworthy (that is where he was found).

Kilworthy as shot in the face with a shot gun and survived for weeks with over a dozen pellets in his face and skull. We thought he had been hit by a car, because he was bleeding from his nose and mouth and seemed weak and disoriented. The x-ray attached revealed the grisly truth.  read more

• Tags: beaver , kilworthy , rescue , shot