Seeking an experienced Animal Care Manager to oversee daily operations, staff supervision, and animal welfare at our facility. Animal Care Manager Join Our Team! Animal Care Manager Job Posting Salary Range: $65,000.00 - $75,000.00 (CDN) The North Island Wildlife Recovery Association (NIWRA) seeks an Animal Care Manager to join our team. Based in Errington on beautiful Vancouver Island, NIWRA is a well-established, non-profit, registered charity focused on the rehabilitation of injured, ill and orphaned wildlife and public education on wildlife and environmental issues. Reporting to the Senior Director of Operations, the Animal Care Manager will lead the animal care team in delivering exceptional care to wildlife patients and permanent residents. This role is essential in supporting our facility's programs, operation, development and integrity. What We're Looking For We seek a confident, experienced manager and leader who communicates effectively, demonstrates professional maturity, and thrives in a dynamic, purpose-driven environment. While a background in wildlife rehabilitation or conservation is a definite asset, it’s not essential—we’re ready to train the right person who brings a strong work ethic, leadership skills, and a deep commitment to animal care. Key Responsibilities Wildlife Care: Supervise, support, and mentor the animal care team Collaborate with NIWRA’s wildlife veterinarian and the Ministry of Environment Oversee wildlife intakes, treatment, and rehabilitation Follow established treatment protocols and diet plans Lead and grow our Black Bear Rehabilitation Program Manage wildlife transport between rehab centres Ensure the safety and well-being of both the centre's wildlife and the visiting public Oversee ongoing care for both rehabilitation patients and permanent residents Facility & Program Support: Help maintain the high expectations of the centre's leadership Provide daily motivation to staff to follow animal care protocol, safety techniques (animal & public) and time management, following the centre's policy and procedure manuals Maintain accurate records, files, and reporting for management and the Board of Directors Working with staff, provide multimedia content (stories, videos) for social media and promotional use Ensure facility cleanliness and adherence to health and safety protocols Recruit, train, and supervise animal care staff, volunteers, and interns Oversee the Discover Bear Program and educational bird presentations Who You Are Key Attributes: Mature judgment, integrity, and professionalism Strong interpersonal and team-building skills Passionate about wildlife care Physically fit and comfortable in hands-on animal care role Willingness to be hands-on in learning all aspects of wildlife rehabilitation Education & Experience: 3+ years of proven and relevant management/supervisory experience Proven ability to lead teams and manage challenging or sensitive situations Required Skills: Highly organized and adaptable to changing priorities Excellent critical thinking and problem-solving abilities Strong verbal and written communication across all organizational levels Capable of working independently and under pressure Flexible availability, including for emergencies Technically proficient with Microsoft Office and digital tools Why Join NIWRA? Be part of a mission-driven organization making a real impact on wildlife Work with a supportive, values-based team in a unique environment Enjoy a competitive salary and extended health benefits Live and work on beautiful Vancouver Island, surrounded by nature North Island Wildlife Recovery Association is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and experiences. To apply for this position, please respond by email to Joyce Lee, Executive Director at wildlife@niwra.org citing NIWRA - Animal Care Manager in the subject line. Please submit a cover letter, resume and two professional references (with contact phone numbers). Detail your experience and qualifications, and outline why you are interested in this position. We would like to thank all applicants. However, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls please.

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.

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.

~wildlife education~ Photo credit: istock.com/ CarrieCaptured They may have lovely soft fur and be cute and cuddly when they feel like it, but cats have been largely responsible for the extinction of 33 bird species over many centuries. Scientists estimate that free-roaming cats kill hundreds of millions of birds, small mammals, reptiles, and amphibians each year, including endangered species. Cats are particularly deadly for birds. Even well fed, pampered cats will hunt and kill. Every year, domestic and feral cats kill between 100 million and 350 million birds in Canada, leading some bird species to decline by up to 90%. Cat attacks are one of the primary reasons birds, especially smaller species, are admitted to the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre (NIWRA) for treatment. A cat doesn’t have to kill the bird outright; even a small scratch from a cat can kill a bird. Bacteria found in the saliva and mouth of a cat can cause swift and fatal septicemia (infection in the bloodstream) in birds and small animals. Birds caught by cats need to be treated with specialized antibiotics by wildlife professionals, even if they don’t appear injured. If you have a cat, how can you help? Spay or neuter your cat at an early age, do not feed stray cats, never abandon a cat, and support the work of your local SPCA. Keep your pet inside or supervised and on a leash, if outdoors. Have someone handy build an outdoor Catio (a secure outdoor enclosure) fit for your feline royalty. You will be keeping birds safer, and you’ll keep your pet safer too. Outdoor cats can be exposed to many dangers, including motor vehicles, fights with other cats and wildlife, and diseases. Keeping cats from roaming freely also reduces human exposure to diseases such as toxoplasmosis. Domestic cats that hunt can contract and spread avian flu. Some cats have been infected with the H5N1 virus after coming into contact with sick birds or their contaminated environments. Avian flu can have severe health implications for domestic cats. Cat owners should be vigilant and seek immediate veterinary attention if their pets show any signs of illness, especially if they suspect exposure to sick birds. Our pet cats do have a reputation for liking things their way, but you will be doing them and birds and other small wildlife a big favour by keeping them safe indoors. 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~ Vancouver Island black bears eat both meat and plants, and their sense of smell and hearing is far superior to that of humans. If a hungry bear smells food waste in a barbecue or trash container or a vehicle, it will go after it. Photo credit: istock.com/eyfoto Bears are natural scavengers and have good memories, so they will return to locations where they have found food before. Bears must eat large amounts of food, so they don’t starve during the winter months and to produce offspring (cubs are born in January or February in winter dens), so they are continually looking for food. Bears may travel hundreds of kilometres daily in their search for food. Bears are strong and can bend open car doors and pry open trunks and windshields in their search for food, so don’t leave food or food waste in your vehicles in areas where bears are known to frequent. If you go hiking in bear country, make sure you are prepared. Carry bear spray and avoid wearing strong perfumes. If you are accompanied by children, keep them close to you, and always keep your pets on a leash. If you see a bear, stay calm. The bear may just be curious, not aggressive. Speak in a calm, firm voice and back away slowly. NEVER run. A black bear can run up to 48 km per hour, much faster than the average human. Don’t leave any type of food, garbage or pet food where a bear can get at it. Store them inside or in a bear-proof container. Many nuisance bear calls are due to garbage attracting them. Take your garbage away immediately and put it out at the curb just in time for your regular collection time (not the night before). Cooking grease, bones and waste parts of meat should be stored in the freezer until your garbage day. Do not put any meat or fish in a backyard compost bin. Barbecues attract bears. Clean up cooking and eating areas promptly when finished and keep your grills clean and free from grease. If you have fruit trees, pick fruit and windfall every day when ripe. Bee hives, birdseed and suet may also attract bears. Sadly, nuisance calls can lead to the death of a mother bear and orphaned bear cubs. Please be mindful of wildlife and act accordingly. 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~ 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!