About Wildlife Haven

The Manitoba Wildlife Rehabilitation Organization (MWRO) was founded in 1984 when a group of environmentally concerned citizens banded together to form Manitoba's first wildlife rehabilitation organization. Initially, MWRO operated out of the back yards of its volunteers, but soon realized its necessity of a Wildlife Rehab centre. In 1993, MWRO constructed a wildlife Hospital set on a beautiful 1 hectare treed lot leased from the University of Manitoba's Glenlea Research Station. The Centre had grown to consist of an Administration building, Wildlife Hospital, numerous pre-release cages, eight raptor cages, two 30 metre-long flight-conditioning cages, nine large songbird aviaries, one waterfowl enclosure featuring a 12' x 24' pool, and three mammal enclosures. In 2003 the MWRO became known as the Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre. In 2008 we had relocated to a facility in Ile des Chenes Manitoba where we continue today to provide care for Manitoba's injured and orphaned Wildlife, 365 days a year. While this temporary site in Ile des Chenes has served us well, the organization continues to receive approximately 1500 animals and 10,000 public inquiries every year, and we are actively seeking a new permanent location.

The Wildlife Haven receives approximately 1500 animals each year. The Centre is equipped to handle all avian species, including large birds of prey and herons, as well as small native Manitoba mammals. Hundreds of injured and orphaned animals are successfully rehabilitated and released each year. Animals must prove themselves capable of walking, flying, foraging, and hunting before release is considered. MWRO makes every attempt to return animals to their original territories. MWRO keeps records on all animals, including the date and place the animal was found, its medical assessment, and disposition. Animals that cannot be rehabilitated are humanely euthanized, as MWRO is only permitted to keep animals that are being rehabilitated for release. A small percentage of animals find permanent homes in breeding, display, or educational facilities.

The Centre receives approximately 10,000 public inquiries each year. Most concerns are easily resolved with practical advice and public education. During May and June the centre is flooded with phone calls about infant rabbits and birds nesting in back yards, as well as lone juvenile squirrels on the prowl. Both are perfectly normal situations, and the parents are no doubt keeping a watchful eye from a distance. If more people picked up the phone, rather than pick up the animal, a lot of unnecessary orphans could be prevented! Mammals have an acute sense of smell and mothers will often reject young that have been missing for more than 24 hours. Conversely, birds have a very poor sense of smell and an infant bird that has fallen out of the nest is easily returned..

The Wildlife Haven holds education as an essential component of its efforts to preserve Manitoba's ecosystems, so that wildlife and humans can co-exist in harmony and peace. Through a comprehensive education program, Experienced Education Volunteers reach out to community groups and school groups to enlighten people of all ages on practical steps to enhance the survival of Manitoba's wildlife. The Wildlife Haven's Educational Ambassadors are non-releasable former patients, who for a variety of reasons, cannot be returned to the wild. Each of these animals has a powerful story about the negative consequences of human interference with wildlife. The Ambassadors help the Wildlife Haven promote an appreciation for wildlife, in their natural surroundings. Education Ambassadors can be seen in our education complex when people drop off injured wildlife or visit our Centre. The Wildlife Haven cannot offer tours of the Hospital or injured animals in pre-release enclosures, as it is too stressful on the wildlife.

During the normal course of daily life, many Manitobans are quite unexpectedly confronted with an injured wild animal and don't know what to do to help. The Wildlife Haven provides the required expertise and needed time to provide proper treatment, and the organization is only a phone call away. We hope to inspire a sense of personal responsibility for the health and well being of Manitoba's environment and wildlife. We feel that it is vital to demonstrate to people the difficulties that wildlife face in our modern world - whether it is reaching out to thousands of school children, or convincing just one cat owner to keep their pet indoors.