Kirklees Valley Wildlife Rescue

26/08/2026

From struggling to stand… to back on the water. 🦆

This lovely mallard arrived with us from Pet Medics Worsley suffering from avian botulism. The team there had already provided 24 hours of supportive care before transferring her over to us to continue her recovery.

Avian botulism can cause severe weakness and paralysis in waterbirds, leaving them unable to walk, hold their heads up or even feed themselves. Recovery is very much about supportive care, keeping them hydrated, nourished and comfortable while their body works to overcome the toxin.

And thankfully, this girl is heading in the right direction. 🥰

She’s now strong enough to be outside and enjoying time on a pool - a huge improvement from when she first became unwell.

A big thank you to the team at Pet Medics Worsley for giving her that vital initial care and getting her safely over to us. 💚

23/08/2026

This coot was spotted with fishing tackle badly tangled around his feet. Catching an injured waterbird is never straightforward, and our rescue team spent two days out on the kayak, making multiple visits and attempts before they were finally able to bring him to safety.

Sadly, once we could properly assess the damage, it became clear just how severe his injuries were. The tackle had caused extensive trauma to his feet and, despite everything that had gone into reaching him, the kindest option was to peacefully let him go.

It’s incredibly frustrating when we fight so hard to get to an animal, only to find that we’re simply too late.

Discarded fishing line, hooks and tackle can cause horrific injuries to wildlife. Please, if you fish, take every single piece of tackle home with you - and if you spot an animal tangled or injured, report it as quickly as possible.

For this little coot, help sadly came too late. But we’ll keep getting in the kayak, making those extra trips and doing everything we can for the next one. 💚

21/08/2026

Can you help? 🐰

🆘❗️URGENT PLEA – CAN YOU HELP? ❗️ We believe someone has stolen – this baby rabbit today whilst visiting the Sanctuary.

Update: Having gone through CCTV we have a potential lead. If you have or know the person who has taken poor Hazlenut please bring her back tonight and no questions will be asked. We just want her back safely.

She is very young and it was her first time outside. We can’t believe that someone can be so cruel.

Please, please return this baby to us as she will need constant proper care and was due to see the Vet.

Also, if you have any information about this please do contact us on 01706 822577 asap.

Thank you & please share ❤

20/08/2026

663 more wild lives have needed us in just over a month.

Since 16th July, another 663 patients have arrived in our care – around 20 every single day.

And despite being well into August, orphan season certainly isn't over. We're still caring for nestlings, fledglings, juveniles, infants and even tiny neonates, all needing the food, warmth and specialist care that will hopefully get them back where they belong. 🦔🦊🐦

Our Summer Orphan Appeal is helping us provide that care, but there's still a long way to go.

If you can spare a few pounds, your donation really does make a difference.

Donate to our Summer Orphan Appeal: kirkleesvalleywildlife.org/summer-orphan-appeal/

Whether you donate, send supplies or simply share this post, thank you for helping make sure care is waiting for the next wild life that needs it.

18/08/2026

💔 Sadly, not every story can end with a release…

This beautiful Merlin recently came into our care with a serious fracture at the shoulder. After assessment, it became clear that the injury was too severe for the bird to regain the level of flight needed to survive successfully in the wild, and the heartbreaking decision was made to put them peacefully to sleep.

Losing any patient is difficult. Every animal that comes through our doors is given the chance to recover and, wherever possible, return to where they belong.

But cases like this feel particularly poignant. Merlins are currently Red-listed as a Bird of Conservation Concern in the UK, making every individual incredibly precious.

Wildlife rehabilitation isn't always about saving a life at any cost. Sometimes, the kindest thing we can do is prevent further suffering when a return to the wild simply isn't possible.

We only wish this little one could have been one of the lucky ones. 💔

17/08/2026

Well… this certainly isn’t one of our usual admissions! 🦎😅

Meet our latest patient… a gecko who has accidentally travelled all the way from Greece!🇬🇷➡️🇬🇧

We’re much more accustomed to hedgehogs, foxes and garden birds here at Kirklees, so this little stowaway is definitely a little outside our usual remit. 😂

Thankfully, the experts at National Reptile Welfare Centre were able to swiftly collect the gecko, where they’ll be able to provide the specialist care it needs.

Safe to say, this might win the award for furthest travelled patient of the year! 🦎✈️

Never a dull day in wildlife rescue… 😅

16/08/2026

31 swallows… and counting...

We’ve had 31 swallows in our care this orphan season, many of them youngsters that have fallen from their nests and needed a helping hand.

And with the prolonged dry weather we’ve experienced, we can’t help but wonder just how difficult this summer has been for them.

Swallows are incredible aerial hunters, spending much of their day on the wing catching flying insects. An adult swallow can consume hundreds of insects every single day, with estimates commonly suggesting around 850 insects a day - and when there are hungry chicks to feed, parents need to find even more.

For youngsters already facing the challenges of their first few weeks of life, every insect counts. Thankfully, our little patients don't have to worry about finding their next meal - but keeping all those hungry beaks fed certainly takes some doing! 😅

We are once again in desperate need of waxworms and crickets, along with puppy pads, which we get through at an unbelievable rate in the hospital🙈.

If you’d like to send our patients a little something from our wishlist, we’d be incredibly grateful - https://bit.ly/47ZaWXD

14/08/2026

A rather unexpected garden visitor…

This young heron was found grounded in a garden and unable to get himself back to safety. Thankfully, volunteers from Brambles Wildlife Rescue were able to collect him and bring him over to us for care. 💚

It’s thought he may have been mobbed by gulls, something that can leave young birds exhausted, disorientated or injured.

On examination, there’s thankfully nothing obviously wrong with him, but he is quite thin, so for now he’ll be staying with us for some much-needed food, rest and observation.

Hopefully, with a little time to build his strength back up, it won’t be too long before this impressive youngster is ready to return to the wild. 🤞

A big thank you to the Brambles volunteers for getting him safely to us!

13/08/2026

Right now, something as simple as a bowl of water could make a huge difference to wildlife.

A powerful new article from The Wildlife Trusts this week highlights just how much Britain’s landscape has changed. England has lost 90% of its wetlands, including almost half a million ponds, while decades of drainage have helped water disappear from our countryside faster.

Combine that with prolonged dry weather and extreme heat, and wildlife is increasingly struggling to find the water it needs to drink, bathe and survive.

At the rescue, we see the consequences when wildlife struggles during prolonged periods of hot, dry weather. But there is one really simple way we can all help. ❤️

💧 Please put out water for wildlife.

A few shallow dishes around your garden can provide a vital lifeline for birds, hedgehogs and other wildlife. Keep them topped up with fresh water, place them somewhere shaded where possible, and add a stone or pebble so insects have an easy escape route.

If you have space, creating even a small wildlife pond can provide an invaluable permanent water source too.

Our wildlife is trying to adapt to an increasingly dry landscape. Giving it somewhere safe to drink is one small action that really can make a difference.

🌿 Please share and encourage your neighbours, friends and family to put water out too.

11/08/2026

Back where a swift belongs… in the skies!

Most of the swifts that arrive with us are transferred into the expert care of the fabulous Louise at Bolton and Bury Swifts, who has kindly taken all of our swifts this year and continued their specialist rehabilitation. We’re incredibly grateful for everything she does. 🥰

But when Louise closed for a few days last month, this little one stayed with us instead. So, we rolled up our sleeves, continued his rehabilitation and watched as he grew stronger and stronger… until finally, he was ready. 🥹

And this is the moment all that care is for - back to the wild and straight into the skies where he belongs.

A huge thank you to Louise for all the swifts she has taken under her wing for us this year - we really couldn’t do it without wonderful specialist carers like her.