 | The Winslade Wildlife Sanctuary |
At the Winslade Wildlife Sanctuary, we are preparing ourselves for our busiest period now that Spring is underway, when many young creatures come to the sanctuary, these include fledglings which have been separated from their parents and young deer. We usually receive a number of ducklings at this time of year who make good use of the water facilities available. All this activity leads to regular and frequent feeding and plenty of monitoring to ensure full recoveries.
Many people ask 'what do I do if I find a baby bird or mammal?' Well, all wildlife casualties whether injured or not are suffering from shock. more wildlife casualties die as a result of shock than for any other reason, shock is the biggest killer. With this in mind, the first rule is to put the casualty somewhere warm, dark and quiet, do not be tempted to cuddle them to keep them warm, this will increase the shock to an already terrified creature. The best care for your casualty is to make up a hot water bottle and put it under a jumper or small blanket in a box and gently place the casualty on top. Close the box but remember to make sure there are air holes to allow the creature to breathe, then place the box in as quiet a place as possible, an airing cupboard or unused room is ideal. You can now work out what to do with your casualty.
Do not attempt to feed the casualty yet, telephone the sanctuary on 01237 451550 for advise, we can either give guidelines of how to look after the creature or tell you how to get to the sanctuary.
If you find a baby bird you think is lost or has no mother, always stop, look and listen from a concealed position before taking action. A lot of baby birds that arrive at the sanctuary should have been left alone, more often than not the mother is watching you and waiting for you to leave.
If you would like to know more about your local wildlife sanctuary please feel free to contact us and we will send you a leaflet. Telephone:01237 451550