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Ongoing Project

Wildlife Rescue

Local Wildlife Rescue Initiative

There are no opportunities to rehabilitate injured wildlife in Fort McMurray, and few opportunities to assist wildlife in need of rescue. The WBWRI is working to change this. Last year we held a training session with WILDNorth Northern Alberta Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation to provide our volunteers with the skills needed to capture and transport injured wildlife to the rehabilitation facility in Edmonton. We hope to further develop our relationship with WILDNorth and provide more training opportunities for our volunteers with the objective of doing more to help injured wildlife in Fort McMurray.

"Our success with this initiative is dependent on adequate funding, and we are currently working to identify funding sources to advance our goals. "

Common Goldeneye

Many of our members already have strong experience capturing and handling birds, including waterbirds, raptors, gamebirds, and other landbirds, as well as bats and other mammal species. We wish to capitalize on the incredible experience that is already found in the people that call Fort McMurray home. A coordinated approach and collaboration with members of our community will ensure a better outcome for the wild animals that share our space.

Horned Grebe
Common Goldeneye
White-tailed Deer Fawn

Did you know?

Most baby animals that are found without their mothers have not been abandoned. These young animals, including deer fawns and baby birds, are often left for long periods while the parents are foraging. It is best to leave these babies alone. If after a day or two you still do not see the parent return, call Fish and Wildlife for advice before you decide to intervene.
Deer fawns are camouflaged by their spots and they emit almost no odour so that predators are unable to detect them by sight or by smell. Baby birds are similarly camouflaged by their very brown or spotted juvenile feathers, allowing them to hide in their nest or in vegetation when they initially leave the nest while learning to fly.
Attempts to intervene and help an injured wild animal, even with the best of intentions, can cause the animal severe stress leading it to injure itself or injure you. Injured animals that experience high stress can die simply from being handled by people. Rescue and helping an injured animal requires training and experience, and should only be done by those with the proper training and equipment.