The Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre is reminding residents not to provide food or care for injured animals, after taking in five young barn swallows from someone who had been caring for them for more than a week.
Two of the birds died and the others needed weeks of special care before being released this week.
Tara Thom, assistant manager of the BCSPA鈥檚 WildARC, said the swallows are a good example of why wildlife rehab should be left to professionals.
Wildlife rehabilitation doesn鈥檛 just involve feeding an animal, Thom said. It requires provincial and federal permits, as well as knowledge of the more than 140 species admitted to Wild ARC each year.
Thom said the work also requires a facility with enclosures suitable for each stage of development through to release, as well as equipment to provide accurate and timely diagnoses and treatment, including X-rays, surgeries, oxygen therapy and medication.
鈥淓very day and at each stage of development, wildlife rehabilitators are monitoring weight gain [or loss], assessing feather or fur condition, and assessing the animals鈥� overall condition and behavior,鈥� said Thom.
A man found the swallows鈥� nest on the ground and believed the young birds to be orphaned.
When Wild ARC got the birds, one was in critical condition with laboured breathing and was euthanized. A second swallow also declined quickly after admission. Although it was provided with oxygen within an incubator, it died shortly after.
The remaining three swallows were found to be thin and dehydrated with poor feather quality.
鈥淔eather quality is extremely important for birds to keep them dry and warm in all weather conditions,鈥� said Thom, adding that for the first few days, wildlife rehabilitators spent time gently cleaning old food pieces off the feathers, being careful not to damage the feathers further. They could only clean small areas at a time to prevent the birds from getting too wet and cold and also to minimize the amount of handling and stress for the birds, she said.
The swallows also received regular fluid therapy to rehydrate them, as well as a specialized formula to ensure they received the nutrition they needed to gain weight and grow.
After three weeks of specialized care, the three swallows were able to fly.
Thom says it鈥檚 important for the public to realize wildlife rehabilitators are highly trained and skilled at providing the specialized care that animals need for a second chance at life in the wild.
If you find a wild animal that needs help, call 1-855-622-7722.