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Entanglement & Water Recreation

With the increase in aquatic recreation comes an increase in litter in our lakes, rivers, and streams. Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, we are also seeing a new type of litter: face masks. According to the Ocean Conservancy, 94% of volunteers reported seeing face masks littering the ground daily in their own communities. Unfortunately, the masks are not only unsightly; they can also pose a huge problem to local wildlife, such as the Great Blue Heron. Long-legged wading birds can get their feet tangled in the loops of the face mask. Leg and foot entanglement can also be fatal to smaller birds that make their habitat in the Burnaby Lake area, such as swallows and chickadees.

Rooftop Goslings Continue to Face Challenges

Spring is one of the busiest times of the year for Wildlife Rescue especially with “Rooftop Rescues”. Last year, the rescue team was managing 10 rescues a day to save fluffy little goslings and bringing them to safety with their families.

While nesting on rooftops seems like a safe place for goslings, it can be very dangerous for young geese. To make sure goslings are not harmed by rooftop nesting, the best thing we can do is prevent it!

Your Donation Funded Animal Care Facility Improvements

Thanks to your incredible support, several animal care infrastructure projects have been successfully completed!

Your Donation Helped Build the Medical Treatment Centre!

Your generous response enabled construction of the Medical Treatment Centre to be completed just a few months before COVID-19. Thank you for making this project a reality!

Accidental Nest Removal and Disturbance

This time of year, migrating birds choose British Columbia’s beautiful trees and forests as a spot to lay their eggs and start their families. This beautiful journey often has challenges, one being nest removal and nest disturbance.

Spring Match Goal Surpassed!

Thanks to you, we surpassed our Spring Matching goal and some! Thanks to your amazing community support, we reached the initial target of $30,000 early on in the month, which inspired new donors to come forward with additional challenge gifts increasing our goal to $50,000!

Protecting Ground Nesters

Spring and summer are a delicate time of year for ground-nesting birds like the Dark-eyed Junco, Hermit Thrushes, Sparrows, and Killdeer to name a few. One of the most common and easily forgotten human disturbances during spring is lawn mowing, which unknowingly harms wildlife, particularly ground-nesters!

Saving Small Nests

Every year from around mid-March to late August, the lower mainland is filled with birds finding habitats, constructing nests, and nesting. For birds, their mating season is extremely important – after all, this is the period in which they lay eggs and watch their kids grow up!

Glue Traps: A Sticky Situation

Every year, Wildlife Rescue provides care to hundreds of wildlife impacted by glue traps and flypaper. These inhumane methods to prevent unwanted guests inside and outside our homes causes horrific injuries and sometimes death to vulnerable wildlife.

Get Ready for Spring!

Every year, signs of spring fill the air as we feel the temperatures lifting, hear the chorus of year-round and migratory birds returning and the smell of fresh green grass as we step outside. It’s the perfect time to welcome this revitalizing energy into your backyard by preparing for these feathered friends.

In British Columbia Chickadees, Sparrows, Starlings, Robins, Northern Flickers, Bushtits, Finches, Steller’s Jay and Hummingbirds are a few of the common backyard birds looking for mates and shelter to thrive during the busy season.

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