Spring is baby season for many wild animals

Blue Ridge Wildlife Center—one of the largest wildlife rescue veterinarian hospitals in the Mid-Atlantic—has seen a significant uptick in the number of wild animals being brought in for treatment. "I don't know if it's because people are home and spending more time outdoors than they normally would," said Jennifer Riley, DVM, director of veterinary services at Blue Ridge Wildlife Center. "But, to date, we are 30% over 2019's patient intake numbers." A record number of patients have been brought to BRWC in April, with more than 45 arriving in a single day.

Due to COVID-19, BRWC's volunteer workforce is down 50%. So, the adjustment of more animals and less help has kept Riley and her small core of employees, working long hours. "It's a lot for us to handle, but we're coping," added Riley.

It's also baby season, when BRWC typically receives the most animals, although most of the rescues are adults this season. Fortunately, many people are calling ahead before they bring an animal in. "We get lots of people finding healthy babies," said Riley. "Often, they think the baby has been orphaned or abandoned when, in fact, it's the parent is somewhere nearby and still caring for it." This is true of many fledgling birds that hop out of the nest, and the parents still feed them from the ground. It is also true for some mammals. For instance, Deer will often find a spot to leave their fawns and go off to forage. They will return later to care for the baby.

"Because people are home and call ahead about the babies, we can give them info on how to re-nest them or let the parents come and get them," Riley said.

"Many times, while people mean well, they're essentially abducting a healthy baby from its parents," Riley continued. She also said that, if you find a bird or animal too small to be out of the nest, call BRWC before interfering. In many cases, renesting or reuniting may be the best option. The old wives' tale that animal mothers will not accept babies after being touched is not accurate. "Mothers will still take back their babies," said Riley, "but we recommend that you wear gloves and use towels or other barriers to prevent disease spread from you to the babies or vice versa."

Riley and her team at Blue Ridge Wildlife Center have also seen many lawn mowing accidents. With all of the time people have at home, and a mild spring, many are mowing their lawns and running over wildlife in the grass. "It would help us immensely if those mowing could walk/rake/sweep their yards before mowing," said Riley. This past week someone mowing their yard accidentally hit Killdeer parents. Both parents were killed defending their nest, and the chicks were brought to BRWC. "Chicks like these are very high-maintenance," said Riley. "They require large amounts of tiny invertebrates and will only eat for us if their habitat here is set up to mimic their natural habitat." That means that the BRWC staff is out foraging for fresh habitat supplies and small insects and worms throughout the day.

Cottontail rabbits, frogs, and toads are also at BRWC with various lacerations (some requiring surgery) from lawn mower accidents.

As Giving Tuesday approaches on May 5, the BRWC is asking for anyone willing to donate to go to blueridgewildlifectr.org, or click here. A generous donor has agreed to match donations up to $10K.