The Spring Surge
Inside Our Member Organizations’ Busiest Season
Each spring and summer, wildlife rehabilitation centers across California prepare for one of their busiest times of the year: baby season.
From roughly April through September, many species of birds and mammals give birth and raise their young. For wildlife rehabilitation centers, including many organizations that are members of the Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN), this means a dramatic increase in patients arriving at their doors.
“Wildlife centers see a significant rise in admissions as young animals begin to explore the world and sometimes end up needing help along the way,” says OWCN wildlife rehabilitation expert Sam Christie.
When the First Wave Hits
For some organizations, the surge happens quickly. At OWCN member organization Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center (WWCC) in Huntington Beach, patient numbers can more than double in a matter of weeks.
“Baby season is less a tidal wave and more a tsunami,” one WWCC staff member explained. “We had 163 animals in care on March 1st, and by the end of the month that number had climbed to 445.”
Babies sometimes begin arriving at WWCC as early as January, with hummingbirds among the first patients. The largest wave comes in spring with young mammals like squirrels and opossums, followed by songbird chicks in April and May, along with hundreds of Mallard ducklings throughout the season.
At facilities caring for breeding birds, baby season can extend across several months and require intensive monitoring. Hand-rearing chicks may involve multiple feedings each day, careful weight tracking, temperature management, and close veterinary oversight.
The youngest patients require intensive care. Baby mammals may need feeding around the clock, while baby birds are typically fed throughout all daylight hours. Very young songbirds may require feedings as often as every 30 minutes.
Marine Mammal "Pupping Season"
For marine mammal rehabilitation centers, the seasonal surge arrives in the form of stranded seal and sea lion pups.
At OWCN member organization The Marine Mammal Center (TMMC) in Sausalito, “pupping season” brings a significant increase in young Northern elephant seals, California sea lions, and Pacific harbor seals. During this time, the center may care for more than 100 animals at once! (Fun fact: each animal takes a few liters of “fish mash” (blended herring and salmon oil) at each feed, so several HUNDRED liters must be made each day.)
The facility’s 56 pens and pools function as hospital rooms for these jumbo babies, each housing multiple animals that require individualized care such as medications, specialized feeding plans, and monitoring as young animals learn to eat fish on their own.
When Baby Season and Spill Response Overlap
Many wildlife rehabilitation centers caring for these young animals are also members of the Oiled Wildlife Care Network, a statewide network coordinated by the UC Davis Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center that responds to wildlife affected by oil spills. During a spill, trained responders and facilities from across the Network may be called upon to support wildlife recovery and care.
When an oil spill occurs during baby season, the demands can intensify quickly. Many of the same people who would respond to a wildlife emergency are already caring for nursery patients, breeding birds, and animals requiring intensive daily care.
“An oil spill response activation would definitely stretch staff and resources,” noted Jenna Stallard, wildlife care manager for birds at OWCN member organization San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. “It takes careful coordination and a lot of teamwork to make sure both the animals already in care and those affected by an emergency receive the support they need.”
TMMC, like many member organizations, houses a designated area equipped to care for oiled wildlife during spill responses. When emergencies occur during pupping season, however, the added demands can strain normal operations.
“High patient loads, longer days for staff and volunteers, and the need to carefully manage disease risks between patients and oiled wildlife all add layers of complexity to an already busy time,” said Krystal Krucik, public programs coordinator at TMMC.
A Network Ready to Respond
Despite the challenges, the strength of the Oiled Wildlife Care Network lies in its collaborative network of trained responders, partner organizations, and specialized facilities across California.
Whether caring for orphaned baby wildlife that need constant care or responding to wildlife affected by oil, OWCN member organizations work together to ensure animals receive the best possible care during some of their most vulnerable moments.