As we start to see baby bunnies, squirrels, and birds this spring, the Willowbrook Wildlife Center prepares for its busiest season of animal care.
“We’ll have over 1,000 patients in our care during the busy spring and summer months,” said Naturalist Stephanie Touzalin at the center. “We can have up to 600-700 ducklings at one time and that’s just one species. Baby bunnies –cottontails – are our number one patients that we take in every year, just because they are able to have multiple litters all throughout the season. One mom can have as many as six or seven litters in the summer.”
Need for Supplies
Because of the influx, the center is in need of supplies to continue their care and medical treatment to injured and orphaned wildlife in DuPage County.
“Some of the donations that we most appreciate during baby season are formula. They actually do make formulas for baby squirrels, baby possums, baby bunnies. We do have an Amazon wish list and it has all the different formulas that we use the most of,” said Touzalin.
Find a Hurt Animal?
If you come across a baby animal that appears to be hurt or abandoned, call the Willowbrook Wildlife Center and staff can walk you through how to best proceed. Or you can learn more on their rescue advice page, or in our news story from last season, that walks you through some ways to handle these situations.
Not Good Pets
And don’t be tempted to keep that baby as a pet.
“You actually need the Illinois Rehabbers License in order to take care of wild animals,” added Touzalin. “And they really do have specialized diet and care needs that again, people really don’t know how to provide, so a rehabber has the experience to know how to do that.”
The Willowbrook Wildlife Center is also reminding residents that animals like these are not good Easter gifts.
Naperville News 17’s Christine Lena reports.
