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Home to more than sixty resident, non-releasable animals as well as raptors, bears, and other Vancouver Island wildlife who will return to the wild, we welcome families, individuals, school tours, and community groups to visit us 7 days a week. Hours 9:00 am - 4:30pm Daily Admission Adult $15 Children 4–16 $6 Children 3 & under FREE Veterans & Military FREE Our Location 1240 Leffler Road, Errington, BC Locate Us on Google Maps Plan Your Visit Our self-guided map will show will help you make the most out of your visit. NIWRA Map Download Map Learn More Find out about our facility, accessibility, parking, picnic areas, and more. Onsite Services Book a guided tour for your group or organization (15 to 45 people) . Group Tours Request Your Group Visit Meet Our Animals Home to more than sixty resident, non-releasable animals as well as those who will return to the wild Eagles - Owls - Black Bears - Hawks - Turtles - Ravens - Turkey Vultures and more! Symbolic adoptions support the care of our non-releasable animals View Adoption Animals in Shop Dan's Nook Wildlife Garden Visit Our Garden Enjoy local wildlife in their natural habitat, including a mini-wetland, featuring: tadpoles hatching dragonfly nymphs emerging bees pollinating Marsh Marigolds blooming hummingbirds feeding Bear Den Gifts Looking for the perfect gift for the animal lover in your life? Or just looking for a unique gift? Bear Den Gifts has you covered: books on animals and the environment local wildlife-themed art clothing home decor and much more... Visit us in person or online! Let's Get Shopping!

VISIT > Services & Facilites Services & Facilities Wheelchairs/Access Our paths are graveled and wheelchair accessible. Two wheelchairs are available for visitor use at no charge. Caregivers A caregiver accompanying a disabled person who requires assistance receives FREE entry. Participant in the Easter Seal Access 2 Card program. Parking Parking is free. Reserved parking spots for the disabled are available in the main lot near the entrance. Gift Shop Bear Den Gifts is open daily and features unique clothing, wildlife & nature books, and other unique souvenirs to remember your visit. Washrooms Washrooms are wheelchair accessible and have one baby changing station. They are located in the Eagle Flight Enclosure building. Picnic/Play Areas Picnic areas with tables and benches are scattered around the grounds for your enjoyment. The Field of Stones playground is located near the Wildlife Garden and picnic areas.

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~Wildlife education~ It is estimated that between 16,400 and 23,000 wild animals are killed annually on roads in British Columbia, and, sadly, wildlife collisions are becoming more common. Photo credit: istock.com/Pascal-L-Marius Deer are the most often struck wildlife on BC roads, involved in nearly three out of every four wildlife collisions. Other animals impacted are bears, raccoons, wolves, cougars, beavers, muskrats, moose and elk. And before highway crews can pick up the carcasses, scavengers such as eagles, hawks, ravens, and turkey vultures arrive on the scene to become the next victims. What brings wildlife close to the roads? Fawns following their mothers are frequently killed. The animals may be running from predators or searching for food. Litter thrown from vehicle windows can be a big attractant. Highways interrupt natural corridors of travel for wildlife looking for food or water. Some techniques to reduce collisions are highway lighting and signs, fencing, wildlife overpasses and underpasses, repellents, noisemakers, and reflectors. Driver education is also important; 60% of motorists do not notice wildlife warning signs. Exclusion fencing has been quite effective in preventing wildlife-vehicle accidents but is not feasible in heavily populated areas. Reflective prisms mounted on posts and installed along the sides of the highways as a means of deterring animals from coming onto the road have had some success. The reflection appears to distract the animals momentarily long enough to allow the car to pass. Infrared (heat sensing) cameras to detect the presence of wildlife on or near roads also have been used. When wildlife is detected, flashing lights are triggered, which provide a “real time” warning for drivers to slow down. It’s important for drivers to watch for and obey wildlife warning signs and speed changes, slowing down when animals are on or near the road. Animals are unpredictable and may jump out in front of your car even if they see you. Deer usually travel in groups of two or three so watch out for the animals you can’t yet see. Make sure you clean and align your headlights and use the high beams to scan the road ahead. Honk your horn to scare wildlife off the road. Dispose of your garbage responsibly; don’t throw it out the window. Drivers must be alert and drive defensively and responsibly; it could mean life or death for the motorists and the wildlife. 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~ Do you hear thumping overhead at night? You could have raccoons in your attic. Raccoons are nocturnal creatures, so they will make noise at night. Photo credit: istock.com/Westy72 If you have a mother raccoon with babies in your attic, getting them all out could be difficult. Baby raccoons, called kits, are born in the spring. When their mother is away, they will cry, chirp, and squeak awaiting her return. It would be very cruel to shut the mother out, leaving the babies inside. And it could make your invasion problem much worse as the mother may become desperate to get to her babies and cause serious damage to your home trying to reach them. There are gentle deterrent methods to evict raccoons. A few strategically placed bright lights and a motion-activated alarm would make them feel unwelcome. Also, raccoons hate the smell of mint or peppermint. Spray peppermint oil around the attic, especially near the raccoon’s entrance point to bid them adieu. Once you know they are gone, have the access holes sealed. Raccoons can carry parasites and dangerous diseases that may be passed on to humans. Always wear gloves and a mask when dealing with raccoons or raccoon waste. They can also bite and scratch if they feel threatened. An infected raccoon can shed hundreds of roundworm eggs in their feces daily which can live outside the raccoon for years, awaiting a host. If ingested by humans, results may vary from mild symptoms to potential death. Children under the age of one year who have eaten raccoon feces have died. Collecting raccoon feces to dispose of them should be done using protective clothing, rubber gloves and boots (that are left outside, not brought indoors). The feces should be flushed or burned. You may think the little critters are cute and feed them on a regular basis, but you could be threatening your health and that of others. Raccoons are part of our wildlife family, but they can be a potential risk to your health. Take precautions to keep you and your family safe. Do not feed your pets outside as their food may seem like an invitation to a hungry raccoon. If you store your garbage bins outdoors, make sure they are secure. The rule of thumb is: if raccoons are visiting, something has attracted them. 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~ Nesting season on Vancouver Island begins mid-March and extends through mid-September. Clearing trees or other vegetation or draining or flooding land for development, particularly if undertaken during nesting season, can harm migratory and native birds, their nests or eggs, resulting in long-term negative effects on bird populations. Photo credit: istock.com/Simon002 Before starting any clearing activity that may affect bird nests, buffer zones should be established to protect existing nests and their surrounding environment. Keep up to date with the latest guidelines and government regulations regarding the protection of migratory birds and their nests. Migratory bird regulations protect migratory birds, their eggs and their nests, by prohibiting activities that can cause them harm. Unless you have a permit, or the regulations provide authorization, you are prohibited from capturing, killing, injuring or harassing migratory birds; destroying or disturbing an egg; or damaging, destroying, removing or disturbing a nest, unless the nest does not contain a live migratory bird or a viable egg; and the nest was not built by a species that is listed in Schedule 1 of the Migratory Birds Regulations. The nests of species listed in Schedule 1 are protected, unless notification of unoccupied nests has been submitted through the Abandoned Nest Registry; the wait time designated in the regulations has passed, and during the wait time the nests have not been occupied by a migratory bird. Great Blue Herons, Bald Eagles and Pileated Woodpeckers are on the list of species whose nests and nest trees are protected year-round. The way land is cleared to remove trees, vegetation, rocks, stumps, etc., and what’s done afterward can significantly affect local ecosystems and long-term sustainability. Depending on the location and size of the project, clearing may involve bulldozers, chainsaws, or controlled burning, all of which can have major impacts on the ecosystem. Land clearing destroys natural habitats. Forests, wetlands, and brushlands are home to a wide range of plants, animals, and insects. Removing the natural habitats disrupts complex food webs and forces wildlife to relocate or disappear altogether.  No wonder wildlife often appears in our backyards! The root systems of trees and vegetation also prevent wind and water from washing topsoil away. Once vegetation is removed, rapid erosion may result, leaving the land less suitable for growing anything but invasive weeds. Please be considerate of migratory birds and other wildlife in your development plans. 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!