Search Results

North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre is a non-profit facility that cares for ill, injured and orphaned wildlife, and educates the public about wildlife and environmental issues. Visitors can see non-releasable Vancouver Island wildlife in peaceful and rustic surroundings. Hours Open Daily 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM Admission Adult $15+tax Children 4–16 $6+tax Children 3 & under FREE Veterans and Military FREE Location 1240 Leffler Road, Errington, BC Locate Us on Google Maps Join Our Team Volunteer They Need Us. We Need You! Donate Now Stay Connected Latest on Facebook Photos on Instagram Tripadvisor reviews Watch us on Youtube Get our newsletter Adopt an Animal View Adoption Animals in Shop

We Need a New Building for Our Songbirds! Each year, we admit hundreds of ill, injured or orphaned birds. Although our current building has served us for many years, it had become dilapidated and must be torn down and replaced. With only a few months until the busy baby bird season, we must build soon. WE NEED YOUR HELP to build a new centre with improvements that will enable us to care for our little birds from nestling to fledgling to release. Help us make sure every little bird gets the expert care it needs from rescue to release. Songbird Rehabilitation Centre Fundraiser Ways to Help Build Our New Songbird Rehabilitation Centre Bid on This Painting Click above image to enlarge Guardian of Time is a Gallery Wrapped Canvas Long time NIWRA supporter and international artist, Michael Schutte, donated a special painting for our fundraiser. Michael spent years developing his style of Romantic Realism by studying famous Dutch artists. We are accepting donation bids on this painting until Tuesday, December 15th at 12:00 noon. Painting can be viewed at Bear Den Gift Shop at NIWRA (open daily 9am - 4:30pm) Value: $2500.00 Starting Bid: $1000.00 Bidding Increments: $500 Email Joyce: wildlife@niwra.org to place your bid. Check our Homepage for current highest bid. The winning donor will be notified and arrangements for payment and pickup can be made once bidding ends. "Guardian of Time" | Depicts an owl and Medieval Dutch Sun Clock (Zonnewijzer) Rich, warm palette | 24" wide by 36" high Guardian Painting Other Ways to Donate * All Donations Welcome * All Donors of $500 or more will have their name engraved on our Songbird Rehabilitation Centre plaque In Person You can come to the Gift Shop desk at NIWRA and make your donation in person. Let us know it is for the songbirds. Online You can make an online donation directly to NIWRA at CanadaHelps. Donate at CanadaHelps Over the Phone If you prefer not to make payments online, we will happily take donations over the phone by credit card. 250-248-8534 ext 3. Please let staff know your donation is for the songbirds. By Mail Or you could send a cheque to: NIWRA Box 364 1240 Leffler Rd. Errington, BC V0R 1V0 Please write 'Songbird' on bottom of the cheque.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

~wildlife education~ Deer have microbes in their stomachs that help them digest coarse food such as lichen.  If rich foods like alfalfa or apples are introduced to these microbes, it can cause bloat and may lead to the death of the animal.  It’s best not to feed wild deer in the winter unless you have small amounts of local hay to offer. istock.com/GarysFRP Anna’s Hummingbirds don’t migrate in the winter; they become dormant daily to conserve energy, entering a state of torpor on cold nights. Their body temperature lowers, and their heart rate slows. Hummingbird feeders should be cleaned weekly and stocked with sugar water made of four parts water and one-part white sugar. Hummingbirds depend on this for energy when their usual food sources are unavailable. Bats are natural pest controllers. All BC bats feed exclusively on insects and are vital for maintaining healthy and balanced ecosystems. Our local bats eat night-flying insects including mosquitoes, beetles and moths. A nursing female bat can consume up to 600 insects an hour and 100% of her body weight in a night! Owls have very large eyes in relation to the size of their bodies. Their eyes gather and concentrate much more light than ours do. Owls have forward-looking eyes, giving them binocular vision and excellent depth perception, which is an advantage in hunting. They can focus on both near and distant objects at the same time, a special adaptation allowing them to accurately gauge distance when they are pursuing prey. Turkey vultures are often called “Nature’s garbage collectors”. While it’s believed they will eat anything dead, they prefer their ‘meals’ to be no more than three days old. Turkey vultures have keen eyesight and a razor-sharp sense of smell. A large nasal cavity in their beak helps them detect a carcass from great distances. The vulture can put its featherless head into a rotting carcass without soiling or damaging its feathers. It is thought that their strong digestive juices counteract most harmful bacteria. They defecate on their legs to disinfect them. The American bullfrog, the largest frog in North America, is an invasive species due to its voracious appetite and the large number of eggs it produces. Frogs eat any animal that can be captured and swallowed, including all kinds of vertebrates and invertebrates. Bullfrog adults eat insects, snakes, small mammals, birds, and smaller native frogs. You can help the wildlife in care at NIWRA by making a financial contribution on our secure website . Thank you so much for caring about wildlife!

~wildlife education~ The mission of the North Island Wildlife Recovery Association (NIWRA) and Centre in Errington is to care for ill, injured and orphaned wildlife, and to educate the public on wildlife and environmental issues. Approximately 800 animals are admitted to NIWRA each year, and we do our best to reintroduce as many as possible back to the wild. But there must continue to be untouched wild areas where we can release animals safely, and where various species can thrive, that’s why we are adding our voice to the chorus calling for the protection of the Hamilton Marsh Wetlands and Forest. [Photo credit: Claire Summers] Biodiversity-rich natural areas like the 360-hectare Hamilton Marsh Wetlands & Forest are so important to preserve – for wildlife, yes, but also for humans. As development continues at a rapid pace, areas that hold water are fewer and farther between. Drought continues to be a problem for Vancouver Island during warmer summers, and flooding is an issue during the wet season. Humans, wildlife and nature all rely on ground water, but the water table continues to lower.  Water retention areas like Hamilton Marsh are crucial for wells, for drinking water, and for feeding our rivers. Birds and other animals need places like Hamilton Marsh to be safe preserved spaces where they can thrive. The Hamilton Marsh complex is a treasure trove of biodiversity and includes a very wide range of habitats & species. Hamilton Marsh is the largest body of water in the French Creek Watershed, and it also contributes to the Little Qualicum Watershed. Marshes and other wetlands play an important role in nature, support biodiversity, and provide water for us and for many other creatures. Water retention is increasingly important due to development and climate change.  Preserving the Hamilton Wetlands & Forest is important for animals, plants, climate change mitigation, and for two watersheds. Now that the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) and Mosaic Forest Management have announced a conditional Contract of Purchase and Sale (CPS) for approximately 360 hectares (ha) of land known as Hamilton Marsh, a precious area could be preserved, but funding support is needed. We think it is a worthy cause. Visit https://hamiltonwetlands.com/ for more information on Hamilton Marsh and why it is important to save, and how you can help. NIWRA, a non-profit organization, is situated in Errington, B.C. We are open to the public daily for viewing of non-releasable animals. You can help the wildlife in care at NIWRA by making a financial contribution on our secure website . Thank you so much for caring about wildlife!

~wildlife education~ Since becoming internationally known in January 1989 after rescuing 25 poisoned eagles,   the North Island Wildlife Recovery Association (NIWRA) has evolved into a remarkable wildlife rescue and rehabilitation facility specializing in black bear cubs and birds of prey. NIWRA’s mission is to care for ill, injured, and orphaned wildlife, and to educate the public on wildlife and environmental issues. Years of dedication and hard work have resulted in thousands of animals being rescued, rehabilitated and released. Here are a few stories of animals that have come to NIWRA for treatment this year: A Pileated Woodpecker came to NIWRA with his face stuck in a rat trap. He had quite significant facial swelling but with our care, he is healing well. A young Great Blue Heron was found in a koi pond tangled in fishing line, unable to free itself. Upon examination, we discovered that the Heron had also been shot and the pellet was still lodged in its neck.  Fortunately, the lead pellet was successfully removed, and the bird is recovering. In August, a little beaver kit was found struggling in the fast-moving rapids of the Cowichan River. No mom or lodge in sight. She is now doing well in our care. A cedar waxwing was brought to us because someone had deliberately clipped its wings, leaving it defenseless and unable to fly. Clipping the wings of a wild bird strips it of its freedom. Our black bear nursery currently holds five cubs that are gaining weight and doing well.   They will be released back into the wild next year. We invite the public to visit, and here are a few of our non-releasable ambassador animals you can meet when you come: Rae (Black Bear) Rae is a female bear who was found starving and unsteady on her feet, likely due to head trauma. She requires ongoing care for the rest of her life.  Casey (Bald Eagle) Casey, now an adult eagle, was found on the ground with no nest nearby when he was a chick. He has a non-repairable dislocated wing and will live here at the Centre for the rest of his life. Farley (Great Gray Owl) Farley was found near 100 Mile House, BC after being hit by a vehicle. The collision resulted in a badly broken wing which had to be partially amputated, so he cannot fly. You can help the wildlife in care at NIWRA by making a financial contribution on our secure website . Thank you so much for caring about wildlife!