Cold snap could cause trouble for Windsor wildlife

A wildlife rescue shelter says Windsor's odd winter weather is throwing some animals' lives out of whack.

Staff at the Wings Wildlife Rescue Centre in Amherstburg have noticed possums getting frostbite, young hawks and owls looking a bit starved and squirrels being born into a cold snap.

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"Usually the young and the old get in trouble when there is bad weather," Nancy Phillips told CBC Radio's Windsor Morning. "With the weather being so mild, I think it's just going to throw everything off by a couple of weeks."

Baby squirrels are one of the major concerns now there is snow on the ground, Phillips said. While it doesn't look like many babies have been born yet, some squirrels in Windsor-Essex are showing signs of breeding, she said.

This is particularlydangerous for any babies born since the nests aren't very secure during the winter, Phillips explained.

"With the cold spell we're having now, it could be serious for them because they're out there in the very, very cold. If they fall out now, the young ones could be in serious danger," she said. "I think it's going to throw off the whole year."

To help mitigate some of the danger, the centre is stepping up its efforts to provide for any baby squirrels that are found. They're stocking up on synthetic squirrel baby formula, which will help the squirrels get the nutrients they need.

Overall this has been an odd winter for wildlife, she said.

"We're just seeing, as a whole, things that are much different this year than last year," Phillips said. "Last year at this time, we were getting frozen swans by the dozen. This year we see 300-400 swans in our back field that haven't even gone away. They've stayed around all winter."

Phillips advises anyone who sees squirrels or other animals in distress to call the Wings Wildlife Rescue Centre.