Secret World Wildlife Rescue has launched a new fundraising appeal to help the charity respond to a surge in orphan wildlife from across the Burnham-On-Sea area.
The charity says caring for orphaned wildlife is a time-consuming and resource-intensive job and the young animals require specialist food, heat, round-the-clock feeding, and expert care to ensure they have the best chance of survival.
That’s why the charity, which is based in East Huntspill, is launching a new Orphan Appeal, inviting donations to support orphan care this season.
A spokesman at Secret World Wildlife Rescue told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “Over the past few weeks, our team has been working around the clock to care for vulnerable young animals in need, marking the start of Orphan Season a little earlier than expected.”
“The first arrival was a tiny badger cub on Thursday, February 6th, found displaced after her sett flooded. Sadly, despite the best efforts of our dedicated team, she didn’t survive due to complications from her injuries. Her short journey with us was a heartbreaking reminder of why we do this work—to give every wild creature a fighting chance.”
“On Thursday, February 20th, we welcomed Lyra the leveret, a young hare found disturbed from her ‘form’ (the natural depression where a mother hare leaves her young for safety). Unfortunately, she had been in human care too long before arriving at our centre, meaning she couldn’t be returned to the wild immediately. We are now hand-rearing her, and her feisty personality is already shining through!”
George Bethell, Head of Education at Secret World Wildlife Rescue, adds: “Leverets are often picked up by well-meaning people who believe they have been abandoned, but in most cases, they are right where they should be. A mother hare leaves her young hidden during the day, returning only at dusk to feed them. If you find an animal in need, we always recommend calling your local wildlife rescue for advice before intervening.”
“The next day, on Friday, February 21st, we received our first fox cub of the season, Arlo. This little male was discovered trapped inside a recycling bag on a driveway, his cries alerting a kind homeowner who kept him safe until we arrived.”
“At an unusually advanced age for this time of year—2-3 weeks old and weighing 350g — he is in excellent condition. Our team attempted a natal return to reunite him with his mother, but after several hours of observation, she did not return. For now, Arlo remains in our care, and we will attempt another reunion soon.”#
Katie Gibbs, Wildlife Care Supervisor at SWWR, adds: “We were surprised to see such a large cub so early in the season, especially when other wildlife rescues are admitting fox cubs weighing well under 100g. Although unusual we have come to expect the anomalies in recent years with the seasons being less pronounced.”
On Saturday, February 22nd, an otter cub was also rescued after being seen following a woman around her garden. Separated from its mother, the distressed cub was dehydrated but otherwise uninjured. After receiving initial care at our centre, she was transferred to West Hatch Wildlife Centre, where she will undergo a lengthy rehabilitation process before release back into the wild.
George adds: “These orphans are incredibly vulnerable, and it takes a huge effort to care for them properly. Our team works tirelessly to ensure they have everything they need, but we rely on public support to continue this vital work. Every donation, no matter how small, makes a real difference to their survival.” To support the Orphan Appeal, click here.
