They are very busy at the Bird Shelter in Someren and the Regional Shelter for Stray Animals (ROZE) in Eindhoven. Now that spring has really sprung, the animal shelters notice that it is busier. The caretakers have their hands full with newborn ducklings waddling in people’s gardens or along busy roads. However, the use of the animal shelter is not always necessary. “A rule of thumb you can use: if you don’t see blood, don’t call.”
“Chicks of the blue tit, ducklings, tawny owls, little owls, but also hares, rabbits, foxes, squirrels…” lists Caroline Relleke, manager at the Bird Sanctuary in Someren. It’s not just bird chicks that are taken care of there. “Especially now that it’s starting to get busier, the animal ambulance brings in all sorts of things,” she says.
Fortunately, the animals brought in have nothing to fear: they are all helped. “It is busy now, but we are not afraid that we cannot cope. We have good communication and cooperation with other shelters in the area.”
Nest flyers on the ground
Pascale Attema of ROZE also recognizes that busyness. “It changes every day, but we are regularly very busy.” According to her, the season ‘traditionally’ starts with young hares and bunnies. At the moment it is the newborn ducklings that keep the caretakers busy.
“In addition, we now see a lot of nest flyers: chicks that people find on the ground. That is often not a problem, they learn to fly from the ground,” says Attema.
Hints
Part of the busyness is therefore due to cases where it is not actually necessary to call at all. But what is the best thing to do if you come across a newborn chick, hare or otherwise cute colossus? Caroline and Pascale give tips:
- It is best to place a chick on a higher branch and leave it alone there, so you protect it from predators. The mother is nearby, she will definitely come.
- If you come across newborn rabbits, call. These often appear when their living environment is threatened by, for example, housing or road construction. The mother then flees, leaving the boy behind
- Baby squirrels act very tame when they are hungry. They just come to you. Take a look, if the squirrel keeps coming to you without the mother showing up, call the animal ambulance
- If you come across a hare in a field, leave it alone. There is nothing to worry about: the mother scatters her young and comes back twice a day to feed the young.
Although it is not desirable, according to the animal caretakers, it does not hurt if you touch one of the animals. “Only watch out for newborn deer, they have a chance of being rejected.”