How to Help Injured Wildlife

Sharing our forests, rivers, and even backyards with wildlife neighbors can be a meaningful way to appreciate nature. Sometimes we may notice a wild neighbor in distress and want to help. Here are some helpful tips on what to do and what NOT to do to give that animal the best chance to survive.

First and foremost, if you see something unusual, don’t hesitate to contact the Naturalist staff of Lorain County Metro Parks with your wildlife questions! However, if you see an animal that is hurt or in distress, you will need to contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Rehabilitators hold state and federal permits and possess specialized skills to help wild animals with the intent to re-release them. While it might be very tempting, it is illegal for anyone in Ohio to possess a native wild animal without wildlife rehabilitation permits. The law is designed to help people and wildlife stay safe. The Lorain County Metro Parks does not hold these permits. We hold Education and Salvage permits that allow us to care for our non-releasable wildlife program ambassadors. Therefore, LCMP cannot rescue or accept any injured or distressed animals.

If you find an animal acting strangely or is visibly hurt, observe the animal from a safe distance and contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Divison can provide a list of rehabilitators close to you. They can be reached at (800) WILDLIFE or (800) 945-3543.

If the animal needs human assistance AND can be safely and easily captured, confine it in a small container not much bigger than the animal. Keep the contained animal in a small, dark, quiet place until you can take it to the wildlife rehabilitator. The sooner you can get the animal into the proper care, the better. Do NOT offer the animal food or water. Do not handle it or stay close to it unless absolutely necessary. Wild animals do not take comfort in human touch—it is quite the opposite. Human interaction typically paralyzes them with fear, which is a stressor that can be too much for animals dealing with injury or illness.

If you find that the animal is not injured, return it to the same area or closest safe area where you found it. Wild animals are quite attached to the area where they live. Unless it was found on park property, no animal can be released within LCMP grounds even if, to the human eye, it’s a “better habitat.”

Finding a baby wild animal alone is not the panic-inducing event that we think it is. As humans, we tend to keep babies close to us at all times. However, wild animal mothers often leave their young unattended for hours at a time to keep them safe and undetected. Wildlife babies are rarely abandoned. If the baby is sitting nice and quiet, not making a sound, then it’s not in distress. However, a wild animal walking around in circles continually crying is cause for closer observation and a few phone calls to determine if action is needed. Remember, the baby will never receive the same quality care from humans as from its natural parents. Babies need to be raised in the company of their own kind for proper behavioral development, and human intervention should always be a last resort.

The topic of injured wildlife can be overwhelming at times, but with these quick tips and the resources below, you are well on your way to being a good wildlife steward on behalf of Ohio’s wildlife. Please use the links below to gain more information, and as always, you can contact the Naturalist staff of Lorain County Metro Parks for help.

Here are some links to get more information:

LCMP Wildlife Inquiry Page: www.loraincountymetroparks.com/wildlife-inquiries

Ohio Wildlife Rehabilitators Association: www.owra.org

National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association: www.nwrawildlife.org/content/what-wildlife-rehabilitation

Ohio Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitators: wildlife.ohiodnr.gov