Can you help these orphaned goslings find a new family?
Wildlife Rescue is seeking the public’s help in locating Canada goose families that can take in orphaned goslings.
Each year the Burnaby-based, volunteer-run rescue group takes in goslings that have been separated from their families or whose parents have been killed by predators or urban life.
Currently, the rescue is looking after 35 goslings, though during last year’s gosling season the organization saw nearly 200 goslings come through their doors.
“Every year, Wildlife Rescue takes care of hundreds of goslings at our hospital in Burnaby, and while we have the expertise to care for these birds until they are ready to face the wild, nothing can replace mom,” said executive director Coleen Doucette.
Canada geese are one of the rare birds that will accept orphans and raise them as their own. The challenge is that the orphaned goslings must match the age of their own offspring.
“So we’re trying to find them appropriate families because while we can take them up to an age where they can be safely brought back to the wild, obviously the best care is with a family,” said spokesman Sam Smith.
During last year’s push for the public to help locate Canada geese families, the organization saw a 100-per-cent success rate with placing orphaned goslings.
Wildlife Rescue is now once again asking the public to help report sightings of Canada goose families with age-appropriate goslings and their approximate location. That will help rescuers find the right match for the dozens of goslings currently in their care, as well as those likely to come in future.
Smith said Canada geese are extremely “habitual” characters, so time and location are the most important details to note in any reports.
“I would really stress again the time and the location are so important because Canada goose are habitual that way,” said Smith. “If they’re there at 11 a.m. on a Tuesday, they’ll be there at 11 a.m. the next day.”
If you spot a Canada goose family with young goslings you are asked to note the date, time and location where the family was spotted, as well as an estimate of how old the goslings are. If you are unsure, take a photo of the family and goslings and email your report to wildhelpline@gmail.com.
While the non-profit group hasn’t got the ability to do so on its own, Smith said he’d be interested in chatting with any app developers who might be interested in lending their talents to create an app that allows for more streamlined reporting of Canada goose families or any other injured animals spotted out and about.
“If there are any app developers out there that want to work with a non-profit to get this going, I’d be very happy to chat with them,” said Smith.