This is our charity mascot Oliver. He was brought in to us as a tiny chick and we subsequently discovered that he has a deformed wing. He is now usually to be found asleep on a door or perched on a shoulder.
Each Year, we rear around 250 baby birds of all species. It is hard work but hugely rewarding to give our feathered friends a second chance.
Each Year, we save hundreds of Hedgehogs who are too small to hibernate, or who have been injured, fallen sick or orphaned.
In 2009, we had our first ever otter cub brought in. Found laying on a bank of the River Ouse, the cub was suffering from hypothermia and shock. He went on to make a full recovery and has since been released through a Scottish release programme.
Another first for us was this beautiful Red Kite. The bird was unconscious when brought in to us having been blown into a tree in gale force winds. As it has laying on the ground for a few hours, the bird was suffering from hypothermia and shock too. The bird was successfully treated and returned to the wild a few weeks later.
We send out mange treatment to householders who are willing to treat their local fox population for this awful condition. Treatment can take 4 weeks to work and will need to be put on food every night for the duration of the course.
Bedfordshire Wildlife Rescue has been running since early 2004. Each of the patients is assessed in our small treatment room in the first instance and either treated in-house or taken to our local supportive vet.
During the last few years, the charity has become well known, particularly for a knowledge of bird care and rears around 250 birds alone each season.
We continue to be the only registered charity in Bedfordshire that cares for both wild mammals and birds and we currently admit between 800 and 1000 animals per year.
