Second Chance Wildlife Rehab Center

09/19/2026

🕸️🚫 Fake cobwebs may look spooky, but they can be deadly for wildlife.
Bats, owls, songbirds, and even chipmunks can become fatally tangled.

This rare Mexican long-tongued bat was found stuck on a porch in San Diego during migration. Luckily, he was rescued and released safely—but many aren’t as fortunate. 💔

This Spooky season, keep decorations safe for wildlife. Skip the fake webs and choose bat-friendly décor instead! 🦇✨



📸 Dick Wilkins

09/09/2026

09/08/2026

Release of wild turkeys. They were just 2-3 days old when admitted after a dog ran through the turkey family scattering all the poults. The rescuer found these three (only caught two in the video) the next morning.

09/06/2026

Read the whole thing before you pass judgement.

Colorado killed 294 bears this year. Tragic.

Last year? 83.

So, what's going on??

Colorado Parks and Wildlife released preliminary bear numbers this week, and they tell a terrible story about what drought and wildfire are doing to bears across the state.

Through August 31, wildlife officers logged 8,672 reports of bear sightings and incidents.
Last year? 3,680.

Bears relocated: 98.
Last year? 33.

Bears euthanized: 294.
Last year? 83.

Bears are entering hyperphagia right now, fattening up for hibernation. It's normal to see more bear encounters this time of year. But this year, because of drought and wildfires, they're desperate to find food and moving even more consistently into places where humans live. That's not safe for bears or people.

Wildlife officers euthanize bears when they've attacked a person, entered a home or structure, been hit by a car, or are suffering from poor health. These aren't close calls. These are bears that have already crossed into dangerous territory.

CPW has one ask: be "BearWise." That means secure your trash, don't leave food outside — bird and pet food included — and know what to do if you see a bear.

There are free resources at bearwise.org.

Have you seen more bear activity in your area this summer than in years past?

Stay safe.

08/29/2026

Release day for more Says Phoebes, Scaled quail, Mourning Doves.

08/22/2026

Facts vs Fiction about bats and rabies

We're talking about rabies! Our latest blog separates facts from fiction, and discusses the safe - and unsafe- ways to interact with bats.

Link in comments.👇

08/21/2026

Did you find a bat on a wall? Give the bat a break. Leave it alone.

Bats are moving from their summer to their winter roosting sites. In some areas of BC, they have also been displaced by wildfires. You might find a bat or two roosting on exposed walls, entry ways, fences, benches, or other odd places.

Please do not disturb them. Do not touch them. Leave them alone.

Bats may stay just for a day sleeping and move on at night. Some may stay for up to a week, then fly away. This is normal behaviour at this time of year.

If the bat is not visibly injured (eg. bleeding or broken wing), leave it alone.

If it's roosting where children and pets cannot reach it, leave it alone.

If it's roosting down low, and there are children and pets that could come into direct contact with it; make a temporary fence with a chair or a pylon to keep the bat and the people separate. Check out www.bcbats.ca for further information on what to do.

08/20/2026

She crashed into your screen door. She's not sick. She's not rabid. She's a baby bat learning to fly. And it's August — graduation month.
BAT PUP SEASON:
→ Pups born May–June in maternity colonies (attics, barns, bridges)
→ Born hairless, blind, the size of a jellybean
→ Nursed by mother for 4–6 weeks
→ August: first solo flights begin
→ Young bats are clumsy, slow, and sometimes crash-land
WHY YOU'RE SEEING THEM:
→ Juveniles practicing flight = more visible
→ May land on the ground, walls, or screens (exhausted or confused)
→ Sometimes found on porches, patios, or inside garages
→ They are NOT sick — they're learning
IF YOU FIND A GROUNDED BAT:
→ Do NOT touch with bare hands (rabies precaution)
→ Use thick gloves or a towel
→ Place on a tree trunk or high surface at dusk (they can't take off from flat ground)
→ If bat doesn't fly by morning: call a wildlife rehabilitator
→ Keep cats and dogs away
WHAT BATS DO:
→ One bat eats 1,000–3,000 mosquitoes per night
→ A maternity colony of 300 = millions of insects per season
→ Worth $23 BILLION/year to US agriculture in pest control
→ Pollinate plants, disperse seeds
→ Indicator of healthy ecosystems
THE CRISIS:
→ White-nose syndrome has killed millions of bats since 2006
→ Some species declined 90%+
→ Every surviving bat matters more than ever
She weighs less than a quarter. She just flew for the first time tonight.
Don't call pest control. Call it a miracle.

08/17/2026

Release of the last of 2026 Western Kingbirds. Also released House Finches and Spotted Towhee not shown in video.

08/15/2026

In the aftermath of the Aspen Acres Fire, many wild animals are moving throughout Pueblo County and surrounding areas to find new habitats. Follow these tips from Ranger Sarah to stay !