New England Wildlife Center is super busy! Pictured here is a fledgling Blue Jay, who was admitted to our hospital last week after being found alone and injured under a bush in Wellesley. After admittance, he was checked over and found to have a deep laceration to the side of his neck. The injury could have been caused by an attack from a predator, or from falling out of his nest. After a wound debridement, he was put on the NSAID Meloxicam to reduce his pain. He is currently doing quite well in our Noisy Baby Ward where he is receiving fluids and nutritional support. His feathers are close to being fully developed. Within a few weeks time we expect him to be old enough, and strong enough for release. His prognosis is good, and we expect a successful release back out into the wild.
If you come across a wild animal you think is injured, please give our front desk a call at 781-682-4878 to learn about the actions you can take to help. During baby season, many baby animals are unknowingly taken from their parents, by good samaritans who think they’re all alone. Many New England mammals, such as squirrels and bunnies, will only spend a few minutes of the day with their babies to feed them, and will spend the remainder of the time hidden and out of sight, in order to best protect their young. Fledgling birds, who have just left the nest, normally hop around on the forest floor for around 2 weeks as they continue to develop the ability to fly. They look very similar to the adults of the species, and are often mistakenly captured by those who think they’re injured. The best way you can help is to take the time to properly observe the situation and seek advice from professionals before making the determination an animal needs help. Here at New England Wildlife Center much of what we do mimics the care animals would normally receive in the wild. Wildlife has the best chance of survival in the wild, and having their parents care for them is always the best possible situation.