Calgary Wildlife is a no public access facility. We run a wildlife trauma hospital and many of our patients are recovering from severe injuries, including surgeries. Remember these are wild animals; they are highly stressed by proximity to humans! Animal patients that become too stressed can die in care simply from stress. It is in the best interest of our wildlife patients to benefit from a quiet, stress free environment, which we try to create for them. To see wild animals please visit the Calgary Zoo.

We are so glad you asked! Window strikes are a leading cause of wild bird deaths accounting for millions of songbird deaths in North America every year. The US Fish & Wildlife Service put out a very informative and thorough document detailing the ways you can make your windows safer for our avian friends. Information included is taken directly from their website. The purpose of this document is to provide straightforward, best-known approaches for reducing bird collisions with buildings and building glass through building occupant measures, simple low cost actions, and strategies for new buildings, building renovations and building retro-fits. Reducing Bird Collisions With Buildings This flyer, a product of the Council for the Conservation of Migratory Birds, includes some simple, low cost measures that anyone can implement in their home or at the office to save birds all day, every day. Building Glass and Lighting Lunchroom Flyer We offer bird friendly tape in our online store, which reduces the risk of birds colliding with your window.

An easy way to deter skunks from living under decks, porches etc., is to soak old rags in house hold ammonia (found in grocery stores) and place them into tin cans. ** Remember not to mix ammonia with bleach or any other products. ** Place the cans where you think their entrance and exit locations are. You may have to be persistent for a week or so before they get the hint. Skunks do not like the smell of ammonia and should move on to reside elsewhere. As soon as you are sure the skunks have moved on, you should board up the area so they will not return.

Wild animals do not make good pets and are meant to live their lives in the wild. Under the Alberta Wildlife Act, it is illegal to possess wildlife in Alberta without a special permit. Wildlife can carry diseases that are harmful, sometimes even fatal, to humans. Raising wildlife in your home robs that animal of the wild life it was meant to live and can cause irreparable harm to that animal. If you have found and retrieved a baby animal, return it to its mother as quickly as possible. If it is not possible, contact your Calgary Wildlife or your nearest rehabilitation centre.

Make sure that the bird is indeed orphaned by observing it for a period of time. Once you are absolutely certain it needs help, put on a pair of protective gloves before handling the bird. 1. Place the baby bird in a makeshift nest made out of an old shoe box lined with dryer lint or a soft cloth. 2. Place half of the container on top of a heating pad set on low or a hot water bottle filled with warm – not hot – water. This will allow the bird to choose a comfortable level of warmth. 3. Once the bird is warm (note: NEVER FEED A COLD BIRD), it can be fed some soaked dry cat food. Make sure the cat food is soaked quite well and stirred up to a pasty consistency. Using a medicine dropper, place a small amount of cat food at the back of the bird’s mouth. If the bird is hungry, it will be displaying a “gapping” behavior and will quickly accept food. It is very important not to over feed the young bird. Very young birds will need to be fed quite frequently — sometimes an eye-dropper full every 15 to 20 minutes. 4. Contact Calgary Wildlife or your nearest wildlife centre as soon as possible. A wild animal has the best chance of survival with those who understand its nutritional and behavioural requirements.

Calgary Wildlife takes injured pigeons and is the only wildlife facility to do so. Please do not bring them to the veterinary clinics.