Toronto Wildlife Centre

Toronto Wildlife Centre Since opening in 1993, over 120,000 wild animals (300 species) have been admitted.
(470)

TWC is a registered charity dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of sick, injured and orphaned wild animals, and to educating the public on wildlife-related issues. Toronto Wildlife Centre is the only veterinary hospital and rehabilitation facility for sick, injured and orphaned wild animals in the GTA. Admitting approximately 5,000 patients each year representing over 270 unique species, an

d helping tens of thousands more via an internationally admired wildlife emergency hotline and a myriad of public education initiatives, Toronto Wildlife Centre is the busiest wildlife centre in Canada and a leader in the field of wildlife rehabilitation.

06/05/2026

Who’s hungry for a little WILD competition?! We’re putting our chefs to the test!

At Toronto Wildlife Centre, mealtime means preparing dozens of specialized diets for wild patients with vastly different nutritional needs. A recovering hawk is fed protein-rich meat. Hungry bats chatter impatiently while awaiting their mealworms. Tiny opossums require tube-feedings of specialized formula multiple times a day before they can graduate to a menu of smelt, fruits, and vegetables.

These orphaned red foxes and raccoons were admitted after they had been found hungry and alone – but now they’re receiving all they need to fill their bellies and grow. Whether a patient weighs less than a golf ball or has a wingspan wider than your arms, the right food helps provide the strength needed to heal and eventually return to the wild.

It's a lot of meal prep, but for wild patients every bite matters – and TWC’s team had some fun putting together a variety of ingredients for these curious patients! Who can make the most enticing feast for a baby fox or raccoon? Watch these eager youngsters decide for themselves: https://youtu.be/y8fKuhZal4U

Over the course of three days last month, 67 injured migratory songbirds were admitted in need of urgent care. This blac...
06/04/2026

Over the course of three days last month, 67 injured migratory songbirds were admitted in need of urgent care. This blackburnian warbler was the 38th patient to be treated.

The tiny bird had collided with a window, leaving him with painful bruising on his shoulder and face - he perched weakly in an oxygen chamber (to help him breathe easier), squinting his eyes. The medical team provided pain medication and specialized care until he fully recovered and was released. 💚

Every spring, millions of migratory birds pass through the Greater Toronto Area on their journeys north. After travelling hundreds or even thousands of kilometres, they must navigate an increasingly urban landscape filled with hazards such as reflective windows, busy roads, unsupervised cats, and shrinking natural habitat. For many birds, these obstacles can turn an already demanding migration into a life-threatening situation.

When injured birds are found, organizations like Fatal Light Awareness Program Canada and compassionate members of the public play a critical role in giving them a second chance at Toronto Wildlife Centre. Together, we can ensure birds like this beautiful blackburnian warbler receive the care they need to return home.

Virginia opossums who are recovering from injuries or growing up at Toronto Wildlife Centre now have a brand new outdoor...
06/03/2026

Virginia opossums who are recovering from injuries or growing up at Toronto Wildlife Centre now have a brand new outdoor enclosure to explore! This is all thanks to a generous grant from The Rotary Club of Toronto and its Charitable Foundation, as well as their hardworking volunteers who helped build it.

The carefully constructed, species-specific enclosure will be a crucial part of each patient’s journey, providing a safe outdoor space for them to strengthen survival skills like climbing and foraging. This helps ensure they’re fully prepared for life on their own.

Please join us in showing appreciation for The Rotary Club of Toronto’s unwavering support! 💚

This baby beaver was quieter than a healthy one should be. Although uninjured, Naschelly found the poor animal was thin ...
06/01/2026

This baby beaver was quieter than a healthy one should be. Although uninjured, Naschelly found the poor animal was thin and dehydrated. The Registered Veterinary Technician needed to start her on essential fluids and give her a vital supplement. Beavers can become dehydrated very quickly if they’re away from a water source, so Naschelly placed the baby in a sink filled up enough to allow her to swim – the thirsty animal started drinking immediately!

Earlier that day, Daniel noticed the baby rolling around in a bed of dandelions beside the sidewalk. The vulnerable beaver was all alone and the concerned passerby couldn't find any adults nearby. He had a feeling the little one was too young to take care of herself so he quickly sought help.

At Toronto Wildlife Centre, the young orphan received the supportive care she needed.

As very social animals, baby beavers depend heavily on their family unit during the first two years of their life. Mother beavers closely nurture their kits, ensuring they feel secure and protected. Sadly, without close interaction from their parents and siblings, isolated babies can experience severe stress. So, unlike other wild animals in care, baby beavers need gentle physical comfort from a licensed rehabilitator to lower stress and provide ease.

This growing beaver will need long-term supportive care until she’s ready to venture out on her own. She has now been placed with a specialized foster team experienced in caring for young beavers, where she’ll grow alongside others her age before one day returning to the wild where she belongs. 💚

After hearing a loud thump against the house, Faye went outside to see what happened. There stood a turkey vulture, appe...
05/29/2026

After hearing a loud thump against the house, Faye went outside to see what happened. There stood a turkey vulture, appearing stunned, so the concerned homeowner sought immediate help. It wasn’t long before the Rescue Team was on their way to Toronto Wildlife Centre with the new patient.

Though the vulture hadn’t suffered any broken bones from the impact, she wasn’t looking her best. She had old scabs on her face, tattered tail feathers, and a wound on her foot. Despite having encountered a challenging time even before the collision, the resilient bird walked well; her injuries were old. She was feisty, hissing at her caregivers and not appreciating the pain medication she was given to ease her discomfort.

As nature’s clean-up crew, these scavengers mostly feast on carrion and are opportunistic eaters. But sometimes while in care, in an unknown environment, they may not eat well - which was the case for this patient, so she was carefully hand-fed. Once she began feeding on her own, rest and supportive care quickly restored her strength. Soon, she was flying effortlessly, staring down at TWC’s team from the aviary's highest perch.

When the patient was ready, Rescue Team Volunteer Kathy was excited to release her at a local park. Kathy was in awe as the vulture opened her powerful wings and took off, ready to patrol the area for her next meal.

These three young mourning doves are keeping each other company as they recover after encountering difficult - yet preve...
05/28/2026

These three young mourning doves are keeping each other company as they recover after encountering difficult - yet preventable - circumstances. Two of the vulnerable fledglings were injured by cats, while the third suffered a collarbone fracture after a suspected window collision.

Along with reflective glass windows, unsupervised outdoor cats are a great threat to birds. In Canada, free-roaming cats kill an estimated 100-350 million birds every year. These two little doves were lucky to survive - the youngest suffered puncture wounds, bruising and an injured left wing, while the other escaped with wounds, a bruised shoulder and missing tail feathers.

Even small wounds from our beloved cats can quickly become life-threatening for fragile little animals, due to the risk of infection caused by bacteria in a feline’s saliva. Urgent medical care is vital!

These three patients are receiving specialized care from TWC wildlife rehabilitators like Clemence (Photo 2), who are doing everything they can to help them heal, grow, and eventually return to the wild.

Cats are natural hunters - it’s instinct. That’s why it’s up to us to keep both cats and wildlife safe. As responsible pet owners, we can enjoy time outside with our whiskered friends by keeping them on leashes, providing them with catios, and keeping a close eye on them.💚

For the first time ever, a hooded warbler was admitted to Toronto Wildlife Centre. The migratory songbird was brought in...
05/27/2026

For the first time ever, a hooded warbler was admitted to Toronto Wildlife Centre. The migratory songbird was brought in by Fatal Light Awareness Program Canada after he struck a window – one of the most common dangers birds face as they journey back to their breeding grounds.

Thankfully, with medical care, the bruising around his tiny ear resolved quickly. The patient was given medication for the pain and lots of nutritious fruit flies to eat. After a few days of rest and recovery in a soft-sided enclosure, the little warbler was back to 100% and released to continue his migration! 💚

Male hooded warblers are hard to miss, with their striking black “hood” framing their bright yellow faces. While Southern Ontario marks the very northernmost edge of their breeding range, these birds are exceptionally rare in the Toronto area, making this patient a historic first at TWC.

Every spring and fall, during migratory season, hundreds of injured birds are rushed to the wildlife hospital needing treatment after colliding with windows. Peek in on a few who’ve previously been cared for at TWC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0fB3PRD4X4

05/25/2026

Nothing brightens our quite like tiny peeping ducklings cozying up together.💚

As they receive top-notch care at Toronto Wildlife Centre, the Rescue Team is searching for a new mallard family for them to join in the wild. These babies had hatched on a fourth-floor rooftop patio, and their mother had been unintentionally frightened away. With high walls surrounding the enclosed space, the hatchlings had no way to get down unharmed.

Megan had first noticed the family after hearing tiny peeps from her townhouse patio, and worried how the vulnerable ducklings would get to safety. With guidance from the Wildlife Hotline, she placed out water and grass for sustenance and blocked off any gaps or areas where the ducklings could accidentally fall.

It wasn’t long before TWC’s Rescue Team brought all nine ducklings into care, where each one was carefully examined. The little babies were all active and healthy!

Now, when they’re not nibbling on nutritious pellets and leafy greens, the ducklings snuggle together beneath a warm heat lamp or splash around in their pool. Though they may fit in the palm of a hand now, these wittle waterbirds will grow quickly and thrive once they’re accepted into the care of a new mother!

When a homeowner spotted this snapping turtle lying still on her back in their yard, they suspected what anyone would - ...
05/23/2026

When a homeowner spotted this snapping turtle lying still on her back in their yard, they suspected what anyone would - that she wasn’t alive.

Knowing Turtle Protectors asks the public to call them about deceased turtles, the homeowner reached out. There’s an old saying that “they’re not dead until they’re warm and dead,” which is often true of cold-blooded reptiles.

For , let’s celebrate the unique biological feats of these incredible animals. In the winter, turtles drop their temperature, heart rate, and metabolism, entering a state of dormancy called brumation. It allows them to survive the cold while preserving their energy.

This snapping turtle had likely suffered an infection before entering brumation. When she emerged, her immune system was too weak to fight it off. As a result, she was extremely lethargic, using every ounce of might she had to stay alive.

Turtle Protectors took her to the local animal services. She had been considered dead for 48 hours, but a wildlife veterinarian was needed to confirm if this was the case. So the snapper was brought to Toronto Wildlife Centre, where the medical team used a heating pad to warm her up over the next 24 hours. Using a Doppler (a tool to detect blood flow) the next day, they were overjoyed to hear the gentle thuds of a heartbeat - the resilient reptile was still alive!

They started the patient on antibiotics to treat the suspected infection, and kept her under close watch. A couple days later, she began acting like a normal snapping turtle again. She’s eating well, swimming, and yes - snapping. Can’t blame her!

This Species-at-Risk has since been released back into the wild, where she’ll be able to lay a precious clutch of eggs. Special thanks to the homeowner and Turtle Protectors for helping this snapping turtle get the care she needed to come back to life!

Photo 2: Turtle Protectors

05/21/2026

The long-tailed duck struggled to swim as a large fishing flasher (shiny, rotating plastic or metal blade used to attract fish) dragged behind him. The trolling line it was attached to had become wrapped tightly around the poor animal’s body and leg, making every movement difficult. Exhausted and unable to dive for long to catch food, the vulnerable duck desperately needed the Rescue Team’s help… Watch now: https://youtu.be/ndN0DXpbPxk

Address

4/60 Carl Hall Road
Toronto, ON
M3K2C1

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Friday 9am - 6pm
Saturday 9am - 6pm
Sunday 9am - 6pm

Telephone

+14166310662

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Toronto Wildlife Centre posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Toronto Wildlife Centre:

Shortcuts

Share

Category