They grow up so fast!

Our 17 white-tailed deer orphans are now eating on their own. This is a huge and important step in their rehabilitation process. Once they are feeding on their own we leave them to frolic in our large one acre deer field and interact with them only when necessary. As they grow they will develop the healthy fear of people that they will need in order to survive and thrive in the wild.

HOPE FOR WILDLIFE OPEN HOUSE

What words can we use to express how we feel to our supporters, volunteers, staff and vendors who turned out for our 2023 open house except AWESTRUCK!

Not even rain pouring down was enough to wash the smiles off the faces of the more than 1300 loyal fans, admirers and the curious. Young and old alike walked around our facility, took in the vendors, the wildlife and the food while learning how we rehabilitate wildlife.

Success would be an understatement to describe how the staff and volunteers at Hope for Wildlife feel about the outcome of our 2023 Open house! Our team knows that when we measure the value of what we do, we don’t put it into dollars and cents. We put it in terms of the value we add to our wildlife and our ecosystem- having rehabilitating so many animals over the years and returning them to the wild. We measure it in how good we feel about the job we do. We measure it in the heartwarming appreciation we get from the public when they talk to us and in the wonderful feedback they give us about the work we do.

Of course we could not do it without our volunteers, interns, staff, vendors and educators so we want to give a big shout out to them and their supporters who make this all possible. You truly are our inspiration and we could not do it without you!

Squirrels eat a lot. Did you know that a squirrel can eat it's weight in food each week? All of that running around and yelling at everything burns a lot of calories!

This orphan is almost ready go be released, but she's probably got a couple more body weights in meals to go through first.

It's here! Our 2024 calendar is available now at our online gift shop.

It's chock full of information about wildlife, rehabilitation, and beautiful photos of patients we treated during the past year.

Order online or stop by our gift shop on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 12PM to 3PM (5909 Highway 207 Seaforth) and pick up a few!

We recently released a bunch of our orphaned groundhogs, and we caught this photograph of one of them considering where to start digging a new home.

Having all that room is just what this groundhog needs. Groundhogs are basically loners, seeking out their own kind only to mate, and the rest of the time they live solitary lives.

Even the maternal period is short and sweet. The mother nurses her young, and then shortly after they’re weaned, the youngsters go off on their own to find their own territory and make themselves a den. So if you ever find yourself with a litter of groundhogs nearby, you never have to wait long until you're back down to a single neighbor again.

While this distinctive call of the Common Loon seems a bit haunting, it's hard not to associate it with being out in the wilderness of North America. The call can vary in pitch and duration - being used for communication between individuals, particularly during the breeding season.

Common loons have quite a repetoire of calls, ranging from tremolos, hoots, toots, and various wails. These various vocalizations allow common loons to communicate effectively with their mates, chicks, and other loons in their territory. The calls play a crucial role in bonding, raising young, defending their breeding territories, and warning each other of potential threats.

This loon was brought in as a result of being entangled in trash. Fortunately, he was unharmed and we were able to release him shortly after.

Listen to the haunting sound of a loon here on our Facebook page!

Our first batch of eleven springtime orphaned striped skunks was released on the weekend. Many of them were in care with us for over two months! We like to release skunks that have grown up together and have formed a bond at the same time. Releasing them together will provide some level of companionship and support as they navigate their new home.

Releases are often a quiet, slow affair, as we like the animals to take their time to feel secure departing their cages on their new adventure. It's fun to watch their different personalities come out. Some are far more adventurous than others!

You can watch the release on our Facebook page!

We recently graduated this young pileated woodpecker to an outdoor unit for her final stage of rehab. In a bigger space, she will develop her fight muscles well enough to find a good home once she is released.

Pileated woodpeckers are specific about their homes, too. Since they need to peck out a cavity to build a nest in, the trees they live in tend to be large - typically about half a meter in diameter four feet from the ground. Often it is in old growth forest you find these trees, either dead or with a rot in the middle they can excavate. Telephone poles will also suffice if urban expansion forces them to get creative.

These trees are the bird's home, nursery, and kitchen! Older, dead trees tend to be swarming with the types of insects they love to eat.

There are lots of ways you can help Hope for Wildlife. Please check out under support us.

Click here or the image above.

Back in June we received this Northern Flying Squirrel because it had been brought home by a domestic cat. At that time, it was just a baby weighing only 27 grams!

It's been in care with us since then, receiving medications to protect it from the dangerous bacteria found in a cat's mouth. Even a tiny scratch or an invisible puncture can be deadly to an animal, so we always recommend calling a rehabber and having the animal treated, even if the animal appears unharmed.

At Hope for Wildlife, about 20% of our calls involve a cat-bitten animal!

Amazon Wishlist

Did you know that Hope for Wildlife has an Amazon Wishlist . As we continue to rehabilitate more and more animals, the supplies we require grows. Check out our wish list to see if you can help.

Items from the Amazon wish list will be shipped directly to Hope for Wildlife

5909 Highway 207, Seaforth, Nova Scotia ,

B0J 2L0