With Spring finally in full swing, it's wildlife baby season in Alberta.

The Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conservation, located northwest of Airdrie, is receiving calls daily about baby hares (jackrabbits) and are already caring for several. Before long there will be plenty of newborn ducklings, goslings, songbirds, and other species.

Last year alone, AIWC took in more than 140 hares, however, officials say many of them were “kidnapped” by people who mistakenly, though well-intentioned, thought they were abandoned.

AIWC Executive Director Hollie Lillie says the message is simple: “If you see a baby hare, leave him/her there!”

"There's a lot of species that we find in the province that, it's natural that they're left alone during the day," Lillie says. "When [hares] are born, they're very different from domestic rabbits. They are born fully furred, their eyes are open, they're very independent. And the mom, in fact, will only return once or twice a day to feed her young, usually at dusk and dawn."

Lillie says hares are born without a scent so they are less likely to be found by predators.

"They will run around on their own," she says. "They're very active, especially at night. So it is normal that they are going to be somewhere else than where the mother left them, and she will find her babies within a block of where she left them. So she knows what she's doing. We need to trust that she knows what she's doing and not intervene."

If anyone does come across any babies and are concerned, they can call the Wildlife Hotline at 403-946-2361 for assistance.

Lillie also dispels the myth that animals will reject their young due to human scent.

"That is not the case. So for example, if you find a baby hare in your window well or in the middle of the road, it is perfectly acceptable for you to pick that animal up and move them into a shrub or the base of a tree, somewhere very close by. The only thing that we would ask you to do is to rub that baby down with leaves or grass. That will help remove your scent so that domestic animals such as cats and dogs will not be attracted to that young."

Lillie says AIWC takes in and cares for more than 1000 baby animals every Summer, and this Spring has gotten off to a busy start.

"Even in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are not seeing a slow down for our operations. In fact, our patient numbers have increased by 50 per cent compared to the same date last year. So it's very busy for us."

She says they are hosting a Wildlife Baby Shower fundraiser online in May to help cover costs. The goal is to raise $15,000. For more information, click HERE.

 

 

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