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Greetings fellow wildlife lovers!
Have we told you about our amazing volunteers? Well, let us tell you again!
We have a porcupine friend who was a bit down on his luck, but rocking a pretty cool 'do. Some important information to consider when you find a bird who may have been impacted by a storm

To wrap things up, we have a heartwarming rescue story by some local seniors! 
Read on!


Superhero volunteers!
At CWRC we need all kinds of volunteers with a variety of skills
** Take Rick and Eleanor, for example. **
They just finished completing a metal wrap around the lower portion of the Big Jeezley (eagle flyway) with some support help from a few other volunteers. You might remember Rick from our August eagle release!
  • The materials were donated by the fine folks at John Ross & Sons Ltd
  • The wrap is a general husbandry improvement that blocks the ground level slats and prevents birds pacing and shields both the birds and volunteers from wind and blowing snow.
  • To see the eagles in action inside this building click here! 
Rick has been making all kinds of improvements to the property.
He arranged a donation of grade A gravel from the wonderful people at
Will Kare Paving for our new multi purpose parking lot beside the nursery.
Rick brought in his super cool tractor to move and lay the gravel and complete the project. What a super hero!
 

Storm Birds
Although hurricane Teddy came in more like a teddy-bear 
than a lion for most of us in Nova Scotia, with hurricane season upon us 
we are likely to see wayward birds blown ashore.

If you see strange looking birds after the storm, it's very likely they need help!

Many birds who live at sea or in large bodies of water can't take off from land, and they may also be injured, exhausted, or contaminated from their ordeal. 

These birds' lives depend on their natural waterproofing so it is very important if you find one that you
do not touch with your bare hands! 

WHY? The natural oils in their feathers are what keep these birds waterproof, and the natural oils in our hands, as well as ingredients in hand lotions etc, will damage the waterproofing of the bird.

The reason these birds turn up after storms is due to being physically blown off course by high wind. In some cases they will be contaminated by oils or organic material as well but for the most part it’s related to high winds and physical exhaustion.

If you find one of these birds and aren't sure what to do please contact us for guidance.  902 893-0253 operations@cwrc.net or facebook messenger.
(or your local registered wildlife rehabilitation centre if you aren't local)


Peel-a-Porc!
Have you ever heard of a porcupine being peeled?!
Well if it has scabies or mange that’s what we need to do. We currently have an adult porc in care with mange.
  • This is a parasitic mite infection which causes thick, scaly growths over the porcupine’s skin.
  • Because of their quills the mite debris is unable to slough off or fall away.
  • It builds up and hardens, eventually encasing them in a thick, layer of dead skin that's almost like armour.
  • When it is over the ears, eyes and /or mouth it can affect sight, hearing and the ability to eat.
  • It also affects their ability to forage and climb trees as movement becomes restricted and eventually stops.
  • Left untreated, these complications can cause animals to perish from starvation or infection. 
We have been treating this prickly patient with medicine to kill off the mites and this week he went into the clinic for a descaling or ‘peeling’ to remove the hardened growths. 
He looks a little naked and sad but must be feeling a lot better and will grow back his hair and quills.

If you would like to contribute to the care and rehabilitation of our peel-a-porc friend here and his fellow wildlife please consider helping out within your means, by making a donation, you can make a difference for wildlife!
Just click HERE. 

Fun Porc facts!

Porcupine quills are modified hairs coated with thick plates of keratin. So -  like our fingernails!
A baby porcupine is called a porcupette (how sweet is that?)

Truro seniors rescue bird of prey !

The quick action and compassion of four women at a Truro seniors’ residence recently saved the life of a distressed merlin. Enjoy this story written by Lynn Curwin, one of our wildlife heroes and CWRC board member.

Ethel Matthews, Pat Burridge, Caroline Connors and Joan Allen knew there was something wrong as soon as they spotted the bird, on Aug. 5
“When we went out, he was on a post,” said Connors. “When I saw the little round face, I thought it was an owl first. I didn’t know what kind of bird he was, but he stared at us like he was asking for help.”
When the women stepped toward the post, the bird went onto the ground and into the bushes.
“There were five crows around, cawing,” said Burridge. “They stayed around the whole time, but the bushes were thick and this bird knew enough to stay in there.”
The women decided to call the Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre where they spoke to operations manager, Brenda Boates. Boates alerted the Bible Hill office of the Department of Lands and Forests who dispatched a pair of wildlife officers; the DLF officers safely caught caught the bird and took him to the CWRC for assessment.
“The bird was with us for more than a couple of hours, and it was exciting to be so close to him for that length of time,” said Allen.
Matthews said it was the first time they’d seen the bird around their building.
“We felt really bad for him and we’re so thankful we were able to help,” she added.
Dr. Jessica Rock, a veterinarian who volunteers at the CWRC, said the merlin, who was found following several hot days, was suffering from heat exhaustion and, because he hadn’t been feeding much, his energy levels were very low. He was given fluid therapy for a couple of days, and then refed slowly...

To read the full story click here. Spoiler - as you can see from the photos this story has a happy ending - the little merlin was released! 

 
If you'd like to see the Big Jeezley eagle flyway in action RIGHT NOW - you can!
Check out our live eagle cams 24/7!
Just
click here and note there are multiple camera options to click on to see the entire flyway - watch them eat, poop, bathe, play and more! 

Stay safe and take care of each other!

Thank you for your continued support!
From all of us here at the Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre,
we couldn't do what we do without you.
Copyright © 2020 Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, All rights reserved.


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