Erie Wildlife Rescue

10/15/2026

EASTERN COYOTES: LET'S CLEAR UP THE DNA DRAMA! 🧬

Coyotes? Coywolves? Or simply a remarkable wild canid with an extraordinary evolutionary history?

🔎 MYTH: Ontario, Canada is home to two different kinds of coyotes: coyotes and "coywolves."

✅ FACT: Ontario's coyotes are Eastern coyotes! Their fascinating genetic ancestry includes Western coyotes, Eastern wolves, and traces of domestic dog DNA.

The term "coywolf" is an informal nickname, NOT a separate species. Unfortunately, sensationalized labels often fuel fear and misinformation rather than scientific understanding.

🌿 HERE'S WHAT REALLY MATTERS!

Eastern coyotes are intelligent, adaptable, devoted family members, and ecologically important predators and scavengers. They contribute to healthy ecosystems and have an extraordinary ability to thrive alongside us.

Their evolutionary history stretches back millions of years. Their genetic story continues to fascinate scientists.

But here's the bottom line: DNA doesn't determine whether wildlife deserves our respect.

Regardless of their ancestry, Eastern coyotes deserve understanding, meaningful protection, and a place in our shared landscapes.

💚 Respect the science. Challenge the myths. Celebrate our wild kin.

📷 Canid Response Team | Coyote Watch Canada

10/12/2026

Happy Thanksgiving from Erie Wildlife Rescue!
EWR is thankful for our great staff, our dedicated volunteers, the caring veterinarians who work with EWR, and especially for our incredible donors. We couldn't do it without you. Thank you!

10/11/2026

All ears for Thanksgiving! 🦇🍂

“Myotis” means “mouse-eared,” and these little listeners certainly live up to the name. We have EIGHT myotis bats in western Canada (5 in Alberta - BC has all eight)! They may have "mouse" ears but they are not rodents! Bats are Chiroptera!

This Thanksgiving weekend, we’re thankful for bats and everyone helping to protect them. Wishing you a cozy Sunday, from our colony to yours!

10/10/2026

During this Thanksgiving long weekend, EWR will be open to accept injured wildlife. Please call 519-735-3919 and leave a short message with your phone number if you have found a wild animal in distress. We will return your call to arrange for drop-off as soon as possible.

While you're waiting for our callback, please keep the animal safe in a closed box, and place somewhere warm and quiet. Please resist the urge to give food and water; ask us why when we speak to you. Happy Thanksgiving!

10/09/2026

Ontario has 8 species of bats: the hoary bat, the eastern red bat, the silver-haired bat, the big brown bat, the tricolored bat, the little brown myotis bat, the northern long-eared myotis and the eastern small-footed myotis.

October is bat appreciation month! Alberta has 9 species of bats, 8 of which can be found in Alberta's prairies. All 9 species are insectivores, meaning they eat insects.

Some cool bat facts:
🦇 bats use echolocation to navigate in the dark - and to find their insect prey! Echolocation works by making sounds and listening to the echoes that bounce back off surfaces and objects.
🦇 one bat can eat up to 1000 insects in an hour! That includes mosquitoes!
🦇 bats are heavy drinkers. They lose up to 30% of their body weight daily and need to replace that with water. They drink water on the wing, skimming over water and dipping their head down to drink.
🦇 Most bats only have one baby (pup) per year.
🦇 how do they survive winter? 6 of our bat species hibernate and 3 migrate to warmer areas that still have active insects.

What can we do to help?

Protect their habitat!
🦇 Keep native grasslands and riparian areas healthy.
🦇 Protect trees and other natural roosting sites.
🦇 Provide safe access to water.
🦇 Minimize pesticides where possible to protect their insect
food supply.
🦇 Reduce unnecessary artificial lighting around bat habitat.
🦇 Bat houses can provide additional roosting habitat where
natural roosts are limited.
🦇 Avoid areas where bats might be hibernating to decrease the
risk of spreading white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease
that has killed millions of bats in North America since it was
first observed in 2006.

Healthy landscapes help bats thrive.

10/08/2026

10/08/2026

Go Dr. Kate!

All October long, Dr. Kate is biking to work to raise money for the Farley Foundation.
We welcome your support as she pedals for this meaningful cause.
Donations can be made at the clinic in person, by email [email protected], or through the link below. In addition, all fees from nail trims this month will be donated directly to the Farley Foundation. If your pet is due for a pawdicure, please give us a call — your payment will support a worthy cause.
https://give.farleyfoundation.org/fundraisers/dvh-sweetmans-fundraiser-1