Article by Angela van Breemen*, images by Jen Howard and Crystal Faye
Approximate read time: 3 minutes.
It’s been a very busy season for us, and we are only midway through the year. Currently, we have 252 animals in care, and we have admitted 713 animals so far this year, comprising 51 different species.
Typically, during the month of June, the workload for our hard-working and dedicated volunteers changes from a strict, round-the-clock formula-feeding schedule to a different type of animal care as our injured and orphaned wildlife grow. The workload for our volunteers doesn’t lessen, but the type of duties changes from indoor to outdoor care as we ready them for life in the wild.
In fact, all our baby raccoons and squirrels will be moving out into the pre-release enclosures very soon. The next stage will be having them moved to outdoor enclosures, where they will become acclimatized to the conditions they will experience once back in the wild.
All our overwintered bats are in the process of being released. This past winter, we had a high number of bats in our care. One of the main reasons they come to us during the winter months is that they awaken during a mild spell only to find there is no food to sustain them and that it is far too cold. Now that there are plenty of mosquitoes outside for them to feed on, they are ready to go home!
We have admitted more baby mink than in any other year, and they have just graduated to outdoor enclosures.
Fawns, baby skunks, and opossums have started arriving. Currently, we have 28 baby skunks. We also have two fawns, soon to be five, when three more are transferred to us from another wildlife centre.
We also just admitted two baby groundhogs. The first baby groundhog was hypothermic, as she was found covered in wet mud. The second one, although not a sibling, was from the same area and is the same age, so they can grow up together!
You may remember the story of Apple and Applesauce. Last year, Apple came to us with a head injury, and we were shocked when we discovered that she was pregnant. She gave birth to a little one who was aptly named Applesauce. Applesauce has been successfully released to the wild, but sadly, Apple, due to her injuries, is not releasable.
Fortunately for her, we have received approval from the Ministry of Natural Resources for her to become a permanent resident of Procyon Wildlife and she just got new outdoor digs! You can read the full story here: https://www.procyonwildlife.com/2026/06/15/apple-gets-new-digs/
If you would like to contribute toward the care of these animals, please visit: https://www.procyonwildlife.com/sponsorship-programs-help-is-in-your-hands/
Every little bit helps and allows us to continue our work rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing sick, injured, displace or orphaned wildlife back to their natural habitat.
Thank you! Help is in YOUR hands… it’s in ALL OUR HANDS.
*Jennifer Howard, our regular Animal Updates columnist, will be back for the August issue of the Procyon Post to report on our precious animal charges.