As late summer brings an increase in wildlife encounters, from young raptors learning to hunt to bats ending up in strange places, the Wildlife Rescue Society of Saskatchewan is reminding residents that expert advice is just a phone call away. The organization, which expects to field over 4,000 calls this year, is also putting out a special call for volunteers in the southeast.
“We run the provincial wildlife helpline,” said Bonnie Dell, Executive Director of WRSOS. “You can call us 365 days a year.”
Dell noted that WRSOS is the only organization of its kind in Canada, and its helpline is available to anyone who has questions about wildlife, is experiencing conflicts, or has found an injured or potentially orphaned animal.
“A lot of what we do is education over the phone and letting people know that whatever they're seeing the animal do is actually natural behaviour and is fine to be left alone,” Dell explained. “But if it really does need help or rescuing, we have a network of wildlife rescue volunteers throughout the entire province that we can involve and get them out to help.”
Currently, the helpline is busy with seasonal calls about young bats and birds of prey.
“August and September are big raptor calls,” Dell said. “Lots of young raptors who don't know how to hunt properly and are starving.” In the southeast, owls caught in barbed wire are also a common call.
While the instinct to help is strong, Dell stressed the importance of calling for guidance first to ensure the safety of both the rescuer and the animal. She shared a recent example from Weyburn.
“We had a fellow in Weyburn yesterday pick up a, I think it was a Swainson's hawk, so quite a large hawk on his motorcycle,” she recounted. “He meant well, he did a great job, but that's not a safe situation. So it's always best to phone us first, and we could make a plan.”
A crucial part of that plan is transportation, and WRSOS currently has a gap in the region.