Five orphaned moose calves are getting a second chance at life in the wild thanks to the team at Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary.
The calves, all less than a week old when they arrived, will remain in rehabilitation at the sanctuary for approximately a year before they are eligible for release.
According to Mon Naksomboon, Assistant Director of Animal Welfare at Aspen Valley and one of the calves’ primary caretakers, moose rehabilitation is a lengthy process because calves typically stay with their mothers for at least a year in the wild.
“Moose form very strong bonds with their mother, they are highly dependent on mum,” said Naksomboon.
All five calves arrived at the sanctuary after being abandoned, separated from their mothers, or after their mothers were killed.
The calves were suffering from various conditions upon arrival, including dehydration, starvation, exhaustion, and stress. One calf was diagnosed with pneumonia, while another was suffering from pink eye disease, which caretakers believe may have contributed to her separation from her mother.
“When they first came in, they were all quite distressed and looking for their mother,” Naksomboon said. “But once they settled in, they all started showing distinct personalities.”
She said each calf has developed unique traits, with some being playful, others more relaxed, and some highly food motivated. Some are more sensitive than others, with one calf even finding comfort in a large stuffed teddy bear.
One of the greatest challenges in raising orphaned moose is replicating the nutrition they would normally receive from their mothers.
“Though we try our best, we can’t mimic what the mum actually feeds them,” Naksomboon said.
The calves are currently bottle-fed formula seven to eight times daily. Once weaned, staff will gradually introduce a diet that mirrors what moose eat in the wild, including grasses, aquatic plants, leaves, and twigs.
Caretakers also ensure the calves experience all four seasons during rehabilitation, so they can learn what foods are available throughout the year. The sanctuary aims to release rehabilitated moose in the spring when food sources are abundant.
“We try to make sure they have a good start in their life,” Naksomboon said.
Space is another significant challenge, as each calf requires its own enclosure with access to outdoor areas, shelter, and water. Two dedicated caretakers work in shifts to ensure someone is always available to monitor and care for the animals.
To be eligible for release, the moose must be at least one year old, in good health, and capable of finding food on their own.
Naksomboon estimated Aspen Valley’s moose rehabilitation program has a success rate of roughly 70 per cent, and once released, the animals are monitored by Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources.
She said that human interaction is one of the main reasons a calf will become abandoned, and anyone who encounters what appears to be an abandoned moose calf is urged not to approach it.
“Leave them alone, keep your distance, observe, and call the closest [wildlife] rehab or the MNR,” Naksomboon said.
She said that mothers are often nearby and may be scared away by human presence. Signs a calf may genuinely need assistance include visible injuries, persistent crying, or if its mother has not been seen for at least 24 hours.
Roadways are another common cause of separation, with calves and mothers often becoming divided by traffic or collisions, which is why abandoned calves are commonly found by roads or highways.
Once in rehabilitation, minimal human contact is the best tactic to avoid habituation.
In addition to rehabilitation work, the sanctuary provides permanent homes for wildlife that cannot be released due to injury or being born in captivity. One popular permanent resident is Ella, a female moose that has lived in the sanctuary since 2015.
Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary cares for approximately 1,000 animals each year, and common patients include squirrels, beavers, otters, raccoons, birds, foxes, skunks, groundhogs, coyotes, wolves, moose, bears, and deer.
“We make sure they’re getting taken care of and have all the space that they need,” Naksomboon said. “We can’t provide the whole forest, but we try our best to provide them with a good life.”
Ultimately, Naksomboon says the sanctuary’s goal is to ensure rehabilitated animals return to the wild with the skills needed to not just survive, but to thrive.
“We try to keep wildlife wild,” she said.
For more information about the sanctuary and tips on what to do if you encounter an injured or abandoned wild animal, visit aspenvalley.ca
