Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary

10/27/2026

It's Bat Appreciation Week!

We are honoured to be able to care for bats whenever they are in need of help. Thanks to many compassionate finders, we generally have quite a few big brown bats overwintering with us until the warm weather arrives. Big brown bats will often “wake up” in winter when the temperature fluctuates. If living in someone’s house (in an attic or in the walls) the bats might move around to find a better place to go back to sleep, and then end up in a basement or even go outside by accident. We are grateful to all those who reach out to us for help. Big brown bats are not listed as threatened yet, and with everyone’s help, we can do our part to ensure they maintain a healthy population. Thank you for caring about bats – they matter too!

10/21/2026

10/09/2026

Wishing you a restful and plentiful Thanksgiving.

We are grateful to be able to care for injured and orphaned wildlife during their time of greatest need. We are incredibly thankful for our finders, donors, volunteers, and staff for making our work possible. Thank you!

09/26/2026

Let’s Help Keep Our Eastern Cotton Tails Safe This World Rabbit Day!

We get dozens of requests each year for help with Eastern Cottontail Rabbits. They are incredibly sensitive creatures who generally do not to well in a rehab environment. Because of that, we have foster volunteers who care for them outside of our sanctuary. To help keep baby and adult cottontails safe in the first place, here are some things we can all do to be Wildlife Wise and make a huge and immediate impact:
Eastern Cottontails can have up to five litters per year, from early spring to late fall. Moms often make tiny nests on lawns which can be very hard to see. Homeowners are encouraged to walk their lawn looking for rabbit nests before each mow. If you do find a nest on your lawn, mark it off with stakes to avoid mowing in that area. If pets are present in the lawn, place a laundry basket or recycling bin over the nest while pets are using the yard; remove when pets are inside. Please never move the nest.

Many of the requests for help we receive are the result of dog or cat attacks. The babies rarely survive. Please be diligent and proactive if you can. Do the speed limit in the mornings when rabbits are very active to avoid hitting them with your vehicle.

Eastern Cottontail Rabbits are fully independent at 3 or 4 weeks old, round and fluffy, with open eyes and ears fully erect. At 3 – 4 weeks, they are about four inches long or about the size of an apple.

Mom rabbit leaves her babies alone most of the time to avoid attracting predators to the nest. She comes in the evening / night to feed, and then leaves again. If you find babies all alone, chances are they are not abandoned. If you want to be sure, place some tiny / light branches over the nest in an X pattern. Check in the morning to see if the X pattern was disturbed or not. If after 48 hours without the X pattern changing, please email [email protected] with a photo of the nest, your phone number, your address and an explanation of the situation.

09/17/2026

Happy National Fox Day!

We have cared for many red foxes over the years and we are honoured to celebrate National Fox Day with you today!

Ontario has two species of fox. The Red Fox is the most common and widespread in the province. Known for their beautiful white-tipped tails, they are found in both rural and urban areas. They eat mostly rodents, rabbits, insects, eggs, fruit and birds. Red foxes mate in winter, both parents help raise their young and they have one litter a year.

The Grey Fox is much less common and is listed as threatened in Ontario. They are about the size of a small dog, have black-tipped tails and grey fur with cinnamon colouring throughout. They tend to live in deciduous forests, near marshes and close to a water source. They have shorter legs than Red Foxes and can have longer bushier tails.

09/04/2026

Founded by Colleen Paige (one of America’s leading pet and family lifestyle experts), today is a day to promote endangered species and wildlife conservation.

Unique in that it’s celebrated twice a year (today and February 22 in honour of Steve Irwin’s birthday), National Wildlife Day is a day where we can all make a difference. Whether we take a few minutes to educate ourselves, donate, volunteer or avoid wildlife attractions that do not contribute to conservation, we can all do something.

Ontario currently has 18 mammals and 22 reptiles listed as at risk. This includes all eight of our turtle species.

Here is a short list of easy ways to make a difference right now:

Watch a video on how to help a snapping turtle cross the road https://www.rideauwildlife.org/turtles/

Order a turtle rescue kit for your car by emailing [email protected]

Make a donation to support our important work https://www.rideauwildlife.org/donate/

Plant a native wildflower such common milkweed or a coneflower

Be a good steward. Private land owners have a very important role to play in
species recovery and may be eligible for stewardship programs that support
the protection and recovery of species at risk and their habitats.

08/30/2026

RVWS wishes you a happy International Bat Night. Bats are celebrated through the last full weekend of August each year. The purpose of this celebration is to encourage more learning about this nocturnal creature.

Did you know? According to Parks Canada, bats’ “worldwide value” as natural pest control for both agriculture and forestry is estimated to be in the billions of dollars. All of Canada’s native bats are insect-eaters and will usually eat half their weight in insects during a single night of hunting - all for free!