Advertise on podcast: Wild About Wildlife

They weigh more than your car, yet they're scared of little tiny bees. In this episode of Wild About Wildlife we are heading to Africa to explore the unique interventions underway to help save dwindling elephant populations. Bees play a big role, along with grandmothers from local communities.  Elephants Alive Elephants Alive on: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube Support Elephants Alive WATCH: Kathy's close encounter with an elephant To learn more about Salthaven Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Centre, visit our website: www.salthaven.org.  And make sure to follow us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SalthavenWildlife/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salthaven_org/ X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/salthaven_org YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/salthavenontario Bluesky: @salthavenwildlife.bsky.social Have an idea for a future episode? We'd love to hear from you!  Contact us at: [email protected]

When you think of climate change, you probably picture heatwaves. But for birds, the real danger might actually be the rain. In this episode of Wild About Wildlife, host Kathy Mueller sits down with Western University biology professor Dr. Alice Boyle to uncover a surprising threat to global biodiversity. Discover: Why the timing of rainfall matters Which Canadian birds are most at riskSimple, high-impact actions you can take to help protect bird populationsBoyle Lab Western News Western Centre for Animals on the Move  To learn more about Salthaven Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Centre, visit our website: www.salthaven.org.  And make sure to follow us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SalthavenWildlife/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salthaven_org/ X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/salthaven_org YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/salthavenontario Bluesky: @salthavenwildlife.bsky.social Have an idea for a future episode? We'd love to hear from you!  Contact us at: [email protected]

Whether you are a master gardener or someone who is currently apologizing to a struggling rosebush, this episode will help you decide what to plant in your yard to attract birds, bees, butterflies and other vital pollinators that help keep our ecosystems healthy.  Middlesex Centre Pollinator Team Golden Alexanders Carolinian Canada "In the Zone" To learn more about Salthaven Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Centre, visit our website: www.salthaven.org.  And make sure to follow us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SalthavenWildlife/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salthaven_org/ X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/salthaven_org YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/salthavenontario Bluesky: @salthavenwildlife.bsky.social Have an idea for a future episode? We'd love to hear from you!  Contact us at: [email protected]

From snake invasions to flying squirrels that know how to party to chewing up earthworms to feed injured birds, we've seen it all at Salthaven.  Today, we are opening up our archives to share some of the most unforgettable wildlife patient stories from our clinics in Ontario and Saskatchewan. You will be shocked. You will laugh. You might even tear up.  To learn more about Salthaven Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Centre, visit our website: www.salthaven.org.  And make sure to follow us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SalthavenWildlife/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salthaven_org/ X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/salthaven_org YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/salthavenontario Bluesky: @salthavenwildlife.bsky.social Have an idea for a future episode? We'd love to hear from you!  Contact us at: [email protected]

Imagine a bird that spends almost its entire life in flight, eating, drinking, sleeping and even mating, before it disappears into our dark chimneys at night. Today we are uncovering the secrets of an urban icon, the chimney swift, one of our most understudied bird species.  Why do they fly into chimneys? Why are they threatened? Can fake chimneys provide the answer? And how can you help? All questions we'll answer in this episode of Wild About Wildlife. So glad you could join us! London Monitoring Program: [email protected] Nature London Birds Canada Ontario Swift Watch (links to Facebook) Gardening for birds To learn more about Salthaven Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Centre, visit our website: www.salthaven.org.  And make sure to follow us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SalthavenWildlife/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salthaven_org/ X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/salthaven_org YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/salthavenontario Bluesky: @salthavenwildlife.bsky.social Have an idea for a future episode? We'd love to hear from you!  Contact us at: [email protected]

"You can't tell me that you love your dog and hate coyotes. They're exactly the same, only one is wild." Where do you stand on the issue of coyotes? Are they curious, family-oriented canines or menaces to people, pets and farm animals? In this episode of Wild About Wildlife you'll hear about bounties put out on coyotes, why open hunting seasons are not the way to control their populations, and tips on how we can co-exist with them. Host Kathy Mueller chats with Bonnie Dell from the Wildlife Rescue Society of Saskatchewan, and Megan Lawrence from Salthaven West.  Resources Wildlife Rescue Society of Saskatchewan Coyote Watch Canada To learn more about Salthaven Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Centre, visit our website: www.salthaven.org.  And make sure to follow us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SalthavenWildlife/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salthaven_org/ X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/salthaven_org YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/salthavenontario Bluesky: @salthavenwildlife.bsky.social Have an idea for a future episode? We'd love to hear from you!  Contact us at: [email protected]

In this episode of Wild About Wildlife, we explore the profound connection between humans and our closest living relatives, the great apes. We delve into the remarkable capacity of gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans, and bonobos for curiosity, play, and problem-solving—traits that reveal we aren’t as different as we might think. Our guest is Dr. Rick Quinn, a veterinary ophthalmologist from southwestern Ontario whose focus shifted from a successful private practice to the front lines of ape conservation. Tune in to hear:  The moment Dr. Quinn realized these animals are "just like us."How Canadian veterinarians are making a global impact on conservation.The urgent mission to save our closest relatives from extinction. Resources: Docs4GreatApes: website, Facebook, Instagram Gorilla Doctors: website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube To learn more about Salthaven Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Centre, visit our website: www.salthaven.org.  And make sure to follow us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SalthavenWildlife/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salthaven_org/ X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/salthaven_org YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/salthavenontario Bluesky: @salthavenwildlife.bsky.social Have an idea for a future episode? We'd love to hear from you!  Contact us at: [email protected]

Welcome to this special "rewind" of Wild About Wildlife! This month, we look back at some of our most memorable conversations from previous episodes. We're diving into the archives to bring you highlights that showcase groundbreaking technology, dedicated conservation efforts, and inspiring individuals who share our passion for the animal kingdom. In this episode: Beavers & Bytes: Learn how researchers are leveraging artificial intelligence to study beaver behaviour, including how they can be our allies in fighting wildfires. A Closer Look at Bird Banding: We revisit our segment on bird banding, a vital practice for tracking migration patterns, population dynamics, and avian health. Discover how catching, tagging, and releasing birds provides essential data for conservationists. From Heartland to the Wild: A fan favourite interview with actress and animal advocate Amber Marshall, star of the hit TV series Heartland. She shares her experiences working with animals on set and how, in her case, art really is mimicking life! Thank you for listening and being a part of the Wild About Wildlife community! To learn more about Salthaven Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Centre, visit our website: www.salthaven.org.  And make sure to follow us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SalthavenWildlife/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salthaven_org/ X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/salthaven_org YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/salthavenontario Bluesky: @salthavenwildlife.bsky.social Have an idea for a future episode? We'd love to hear from you!  Contact us at: [email protected]

This month we talk with Thames Talbot Land Trust, a non-profit in southwestern Ontario doing amazing work to protect, conserve, and restore nature – not just for today, but for generations to come. They’re thinking long-term, preparing habitats now for wildlife that will relocate here long after we’re gone. Curious about how land conservation really works, and why it matters more than ever? Take a listen and get inspired to protect the places we all value. Thames Talbot Land Trust Hawk Cliff Woods Joany's Woods Nature Conservancy of Canada To learn more about Salthaven Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Centre, visit our website: www.salthaven.org.  And make sure to follow us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SalthavenWildlife/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salthaven_org/ X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/salthaven_org YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/salthavenontario Bluesky: @salthavenwildlife.bsky.social Have an idea for a future episode? We'd love to hear from you!  Contact us at: [email protected]

Meet Root, a wood turtle who happens to be missing a foot. But that hasn’t slowed him down in the slightest! Thanks to some creativity, a few Lego pieces and a dog harness, Root is motoring around. Tune in as Heather McKinnon-Ramshaw and Tessa Biesterfeld from the Museum of Natural History in Halifax, Nova Scotia describe the trials and tribulations of designing the perfect mobility aid for Root, how he took to it, and the one characteristic that sets wood turtles apart from their other prehistoric cousins. Museum of Natural History, Nova Scotia Wood turtles in Ontario Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre Royal Saskatchewan Museum To learn more about Salthaven Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Centre, visit our website: www.salthaven.org.  And make sure to follow us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SalthavenWildlife/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salthaven_org/ X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/salthaven_org YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/salthavenontario Bluesky: @salthavenwildlife.bsky.social Have an idea for a future episode? We'd love to hear from you!  Contact us at: [email protected]

Summer temps will soon be soaring, and our feathered friends will be feeling the heat! Should we help them? We answer that question and explore how you can attract different birds to your yard while keeping so-called bully birds from taking over your feeders!  Host Kathy Mueller is joined by birding expert Jeff Lee from Wild Birds Unlimited who also answers some questions submitted by his customers. Wild Birds Unlimited Bird Friendly London Birds Canada To learn more about Salthaven Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Centre, visit our website: www.salthaven.org.  And make sure to follow us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SalthavenWildlife/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salthaven_org/ X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/salthaven_org YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/salthavenontario Bluesky: @salthavenwildlife.bsky.social Have an idea for a future episode? We'd love to hear from you!  Contact us at: [email protected]

In Canada, up to 42 million birds die every year - not because of cats or being hit by a car - but because they've flown into windows.  In this episode of Wild About Wildlife, host Kathy Mueller is joined by Dr. Brendon Samuels to explore what researchers are doing to help reduce these deaths – and how you can help from your own backyard.   Resources FLAP Canada  Bird Friendly London Western University Sustainable Development Goals iNaturalist Canada Global Bird Collision Mapper Project Feeder Watch Nature Canada To learn more about Salthaven Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Centre, visit our website: www.salthaven.org.  And make sure to follow us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SalthavenWildlife/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salthaven_org/ X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/salthaven_org YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/salthavenontario Bluesky: @salthavenwildlife.bsky.social Have an idea for a future episode? We'd love to hear from you!  Contact us at: [email protected]

It's April and that means Earth Day! That time of year when we're all encouraged to be a little bit more mindful about our behaviour and how it affects Mother Earth. In this episode, host Kathy Mueller explores the steps taken by Salthaven Wildlife over the years to reduce its carbon footprint. Turns out there are a lot of things being done in the clinic that you can adapt in your own home. If you're looking for an Earth Day activity, check out the list below for possible ideas:  EarthFest London London Clean & Green Upper Thames River Conservation Authority And some additional year around resources: Get Involved London Middlesex Centre Pollinator Team David Suzuki Foundation Climate Action London London Environmental Network ReForest London Bird Friendly London Feather Friendly To learn more about Salthaven Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Centre, visit our website: www.salthaven.org.  And make sure to follow us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SalthavenWildlife/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salthaven_org/ X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/salthaven_org YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/salthavenontario Bluesky: @salthavenwildlife.bsky.social Have an idea for a future episode? We'd love to hear from you!  Contact us at: [email protected]

Turtles have been around since the age of the dinosaurs and are actually distant relatives. They've done a pretty good job of adapting over the years, except when it comes to adapting to humans. Their slow reproductive rates, combined with human impact, means many turtle species are at risk. Species-at-risk biologist Scott Gillingwater joins host Kathy Mueller in this episode of Wild About Wildlife to talk turtles, the role they play, the threats they face, how you can help, and we'll throw in a fun fact or two.  Southern Ontario At-Risk Reptiles (SOARR) (Facebook) Southern Ontario At-Risk Reptiles (SOARR) (Instagram) Upper Thames River Conservation Authority To learn more about Salthaven Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Centre, visit our website: www.salthaven.org.  And make sure to follow us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SalthavenWildlife/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salthaven_org/ X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/salthaven_org YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/salthavenontario Bluesky: @salthavenwildlife.bsky.social Have an idea for a future episode? We'd love to hear from you!  Contact us at: [email protected]

What's in your refrigerator? Here at Salthaven Wildlife, if you open our fridge in the winter, you are likely to find a bat or two! Believe it or not, it actually helps these ravenous insect eaters survive our coldest months.  Curious about how it works? In this episode of Wild About Wildlife, host Kathy Mueller chats with two of Salthaven's bat experts, Natalia Slipak, Clinic Manager for Salthaven West in Regina, Saskatchewan, and Megan Clark, a member of Salthaven's Bat Squad in Ontario. To learn more about Salthaven Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Centre, visit our website: www.salthaven.org.  And make sure to follow us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SalthavenWildlife/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salthaven_org/ X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/salthaven_org YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/salthavenontario Bluesky: @salthavenwildlife.bsky.social Have an idea for a future episode? We'd love to hear from you!  Contact us at: [email protected]