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This spectacular female bald eagle was rescued after a collision with a vehicle. She had an injured left wing and needed a lengthy rehabilitation. Story and video by NIWRA. This spectacular mature female bald eagle was rescued after a collision with a vehicle and suffered an injury of her left wing. Due to the seriousness of her injury, she required approximately 6 months of rehabilitation to regain her strength and flying abilities in our Eagle Flight Enclosure. According to our Animal Care Team, she is a very confident and feisty eagle and will thrive in her freedom. Sally, our Gift Shop manager, was invited to participate on the release. The eagle calmly left the confines of her transport crate, went to the edge of the cliff, paused to get her bearings, spread her beautiful wings and lifted off! She flew to the top of a nearby tree to survey the landscape before her complete return to the wild... exactly where she belongs. Good luck! 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!

A bald eagle gets a thorough examination to determine the extent of her injuries. Story and photo by NIWRA. This beautiful mature bald eagle was found on the ground and unable to fly. After arriving at the Centre she was anesthetized so that a proper examination and radiographs could be performed. Thankfully there were no fractures, but there was some soft tissue damage to one wing. Her body condition was not great, suggesting she might have been on the ground for an extended period of time. Now that she is here at NIWRA we will help her build back up strength and body condition before assessing her flight and determining if she can be released. 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!

Young Gull with a bandaged wing recuperates in a safe place. Story and photo by NIWRA This Glaucous-winged Gull was brought to the center after being involved in a vehicle collision in Parksville, BC. During the incident the Gull sustained a minor head injury and a wing injury. The animal care team at NIWRA wrapped the wing for support and stability and re-hydrated the bird. After a couple days in recovery, the Gull was moved into an Intensive Care enclosure where he could stretch and enjoy a larger water basin. The wrap will be removed and the flight will be assessed before this Gull is released back into the wild, but the prognosis for this little one is very good! 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!

Story from YAM magazine - By Linda Barnard | Photo by BC Bird Trail Birdwatching is having a moment, with people around the world embracing time in nature. Luckily for those of us on Vancouver Island, there are countless opportunities for spotting our feathered friends. Go to https://www.yammagazine.com/birdwatching-growing-trend-vancouver-island/ to read the full story. 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!

Story from the Parksville Qualicum Beach News - story and photo by Mandy Moraes) In 2018, a small fledgling raven was found on the ground and brought into the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre. The on-site veterinarian, Dr. Malcolm MacAdie, soon assessed that the bird was blind and that he’d been abandoned by his parents and left to fend for himself. Though still able to make out shadows and movement, it was unlikely he could ever see well enough to survive on his own. Go to https://www.pqbnews.com/community/dougal-the-blind-raven-enjoys-role-as-ambassador-at-north-island-wildlife-recovery-centre/?fbclid=IwAR2fLvyOKBySJ9ThfAmeU1MlJSBiVqQZUvVZ5w9xyKcGZvQirqDUoLAr4Dc to read the full story. 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!

An infectious disease of birds caused by a virus which can cause permanent damage including blindness, beak malformation and loss of toes and feet. It is not difficult to diagnosis Avian pox (AP) in an eagle when it is presented to the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre. These wart-like lesions, that can be the size of a golf ball, appear on the unfeathered part of the bird, such as the beak, eyelids, nostrils and legs and feet or between feather tracts anywhere on the body. An eagle may suffer from this trauma for some time as it develops into the last stages of hemorrhage and tissue death permitting bacteria and fungi to develop. The lesions also severely affect its ability to feed thus starving and exhaustion. It has been determined there is no cure for this disease but care such as fluid therapy, balanced nutrition, decreased stress levels and medicinal treatment can help in the bird’s recovery. The lesions can cause permanent damage including blindness, beak malformation and loss of toes and feet. The unpleasant outward appearance of the pox also affects mucous membranes, respiration, their gastrointestinal tract and can result in death. Avian pox seems to occur more in juvenile eagles than adults. It also seems that the birds’ susceptibility to the virus and the severity of the lesions are tied to its immune and nutritional state – so severely affected birds are often compromised in some other way and the virus really takes hold. This disease is a member of the poxvirus family and is species specific. It is believed to be transferred from one bird to the next from an insect bite, direct contact, contaminated objects or by aerosol particles, trauma or damage to the epithelium (skin) when birds are fighting. There is no evidence that the strain affects humans. Dr. McAdie DVM, NIWRA’s veterinarian says, “The severity of the lesions can be small and self-limiting if the bird is otherwise healthy. I think that these severely affected birds are presented in such a debilitated state that you can’t reverse the extreme damage from the virus. Our fundamental goal is to restore wildlife to full health so they can be returned to the wild and stand a good chance of survival or to end suffering. These birds are starving (often just feathers and bones) and they have been suffering in silence for quite a while. To not euthanize is to needlessly prolong their suffering. It always makes me sad to euthanize these eagles, but I know it is the right thing to do.” 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!

Weighing only 13 pounds, this baby bear managed to enter a home through a cat door in search of safety. The cub's mother could not be found and it was brought to NIWRA for assessment, stabilization and rehabilitation. Image of Bear Cub hiding behind house plant in corner of house DID YOU KNOW? Small cubs are fed a special formula containing yogurt, cottage cheese, applesauce, eggs, milk for bears, puppy food and nutritional supplements. Fruits and vegetables are added to the diet as the cub grows. The cub will stay at NIWRA until its release to the wild where it belongs in 2023. Click the video below to follow along as orphaned cubs are raised at North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre and released back into the wild How You Can Help Vancouver Island Black Bear Cubs at NIWRA Your support means the world to the animals! You can help by dropping off any of the items on the wish list below, or by making a financial contribution through our secure website. THANK YOU!

It's about this time of year that fawns begin to arrive, and we urge the public to leave them unless they have a life-threatening injury or you witness the doe is dead. New born fawns will drop to the ground in response to a threat (dogs, cougars and humans) or while their mother goes off to forage. Fawns do not have a scent therefore the doe will leave them in tall grass or even in your yard. This adaptation allows for the fawn to be safe from predators. If the doe stayed close the predator would smell her and attack the fawn. Please curb the urge to pick them up thinking they have been abandoned. 90% of the time that is not the case. If you find a fawn laying out flat on the side or in the middle of the road, stop and gently herd them off into the bush or ditch. This will prevent other motorists stopping or even hitting the fawn. The mother and fawn have become separated when crossing the road and she is probably watching you. The fawns tend to lay flat instinctively hoping you will go away. If it is necessary that the fawn must be brought to the centre, do not feed it. Feeding an improper diet may cause its death. For more information about wildlife: www.niwra.org If an animal is in distress, call the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre at 250-927-6025 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!

NIWRA shares the incredible journey of two Bald Eagles who are released back to their wild home after successful rehabilitation. Check out North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre on Facebook to stay up to date with all the news. 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!

Story from Parksville Qualicum Beach News - Michael Briones The x-ray conducted on a eagle rescued by the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre showed a fractured leg. The eagle (inset) is now recovering from the injury. (NIWRC photo) The eagles were picked up from Qualicum Bay, Qualicum Beach and Boswer on Feb. 15. After each one was X-rayed, they presented different injuries and ailments. Unfortunately, said Derek Downes, centre animal care technician, two of the eagles did not survive. Go to: Parksville Qualicum Beach News to read the full story. 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!

Story from the Vancouver Sun - Written by Jane Mundy Sitting on eight acres, the North Island is a world-class rehabilitation facility with an interactive learning centre and gift store—shopping began. Longtime volunteer Dr. Lynne Brookes greeted us and we walked by displays about trash showing the damage we’re doing and another display diagramming how a poisoned mouse can kill so many animals. “Our purpose is to educate the public out of our jobs,” says Brookes. Go to https://vancouversun.com/travel/local-travel/cool-coombs-quirky-qualicum-and-picturesque-parksville to read the full story. 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!

The bullfrog is the largest frog in North America. It has made a negative impact on native frogs. Amphibians like frogs, toads, newts, salamanders and the limbless worm-like caecilians will live in the water but can survive on land. They are cold-blooded vertebrate animals of which there are about 2,500 known species in the world. At least 53 species of birds have frogs, toads and salamanders as their favourite delicacy. Long-legged wading birds like herons and egrets feast on these amphibians. In fact, 34 frogs were found in the stomach of one little blue heron. The common merganser will ingest frogs and 5% of the belted kingfisher’s diet is frogs. Crows seems to be a voracious eater of frogs with a one-time consumption of 24 frogs. They also love salamanders. The belted kingfisher consumes the large tadpoles of the bullfrog when it dives into the shallows of small ponds. Unfortunately, the kingfisher does not eat enough tadpoles to make a difference in the population of the Alien bullfrog, which not exists on Vancouver Island. Bullfrogs are native to North America from southern Quebec and Ontario to the Gulf of Mexico. Farming of bullfrogs for their hind legs as food and the subsequent failure of these ventures have seen their introduction into western North American from California to southern British Columbia. The Alien bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) is successful breeders and can live up to 15 years. They begin breeding at the age of 4, with females lying up to 20,000 eggs in single spawn. These tadpoles grow to about 15 cm. over a two-year period before they turn into a frog. They breed in early May in permanent ponds and lakes in sub-urban, rural, disturbed and wooded habitats. Sometimes they move into stream habitats either as tadpoles or young frogs. The bullfrog is the largest frog in North America growing 8 - 20 cm. long and weighing up to 600 grams. They are green to brownish green in colour with the breeding males having yellow under their chin. They have a conspicuous skin fold around the ear membrane down to the shoulder. The breeding males call the females with a very low-pitched drone. Their diet mainly includes insects, snakes, small mammals, birds, as well as smaller native frogs. They have been seen catching and swallowing birds up to the size of a woodcock. This species of frog has made a negative impact on native frogs. Both the adults and tadpole were known to prey upon the tadpoles of smaller frogs and caused them to relocate into unfavourable habitats. A monitoring study has been underway for the past few years to determine the location of the Alien Bullfrog and to prevent their further expansion. It is apparent their introduction has displaced native frogs in the lower Fraser Valley and southeastern Vancouver Island. Evidence shows they have made their way past Nanaimo. To prevent their spread into new areas, the public must not move frogs, tadpoles or frog eggs from one wetland to another. This would mean young boys and girls may have to curb bringing home frog eggs in an ice cream pail from ditches, ponds or streams. 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!

Story from CHEK News It was a day that Megan Buemann had been looking forward to for months. On July 4, Buemann and her colleagues at the North Island Island Wildlife Recovery Centre finally got to release a Great Horned Owl back into the wild that they had been nursing for months. “I’m very happy, I’m almost nervous excited,” said Buemann, an animal care worker at NIWRA. “It’s very fulfilling to see them off and free and healthy.” They chose Little Mountain near Parksville, a popular hiking spot where on a clear day you can see for kilometers, as the place to release the now recovered Great Horned Owl. But upon releasing the raptor, Buemann saw a disturbing sight over the cliff – piles of trash including appliances and televisions, at the base of the mountain. “Looks like a TV screen down there,” said Buemann as she was surveying the bottom of the cliff. “It’s kind of disheartening you know we wanna create a good environment for ourselves and wildlife and then there’s junk down there.” Go to www.cheknews.ca to read full story and watch video 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!

Story from CHEK News The Ahousaht RCMP point to a slogan on police recruitment posters that state “a career nowhere near ordinary,” after rescuing a bald eagle on Sunday. On June 14, Ahousaht RCMP responded to reports of an injured bald eagle that was located on the roof of the Thunderbird Community Hall and in need of assistance. Two police members attended the scene and immediately determined that further help would be needed, according to an RCMP press release. This led police members to reach out to the Ahousaht Fire Department. One of the members even retrieved his own personal dog crate and blanket, anticipating a course of action once the injured eagle was recovered. Go to www.cheknews.ca to read full story and watch video 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!

In contrast to other goose species, Brant are characterized by their extensive use of native coastal habitats outside the breeding season. The Brant is a small dark goose that occurs throughout much of the northern hemisphere. In contrast to other goose species, Brant are characterized by their extensive use of native coastal habitats outside the breeding season. Three to four subspecies are recognized mainly on the basis of plumage characteristics. The two/three North American subspecies are further separated into four sub-populations based on genetics, location of breeding and wintering areas, and migration routes. This goose breeds from the low to the high Arctic, and migrates long distances to wintering areas. Different sub-populations nesting in arctic Canada and Alaska winter in areas as distant and widely separated as Baja California, the Puget Sound, the coastline of the mid-Atlantic states, and Ireland. In summer, salt marshes, especially those containing the graminoids Carex and Puccinellia, are key habitats for nesting and raising young. These same habitats, along with large freshwater lakes with abundant moss and sedge shorelines, are also used during the flightless moult. Wintering locations are usually characterized by an abundance of native intertidal plants used as forage, particularly the seagrass, Zostera; no other species of goose relies so heavily on a single plant species during the non-breeding season. In contrast to European populations, Brant wintering in North American have, for the most part, not switched to agricultural habitats. Like other geese, this species provides bi-parental care, accompanies its young through their first migration, and usually mates for life. Brant show fidelity to both wintering and breeding areas. In the low Arctic, Brant often breed in relatively dense colonies, but in the high Arctic nesting is more dispersed. During brood-rearing, the availability and abundance of salt marsh foraging habitat directly affects growth and recruitment of goslings, thereby influencing local population dynamics. During winter, their strong dependence on certain food plants makes them vulnerable to occasional heavy losses from starvation, more so than most other geese. Further, oceanographic conditions experienced at wintering locations directly affect their subsequent breeding condition and reproductive performance. These vulnerabilities necessitate careful population-monitoring and regulation of hunting. 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!