Open Sky Raptor Foundation

05/30/2026

05/07/2026

It's that time of year - baby season!
It's not just raccoons or opossums, it's so many other animals out there 'making' families. One of the biggest that are seen all over are goslings!
These cuties are the "I want to cuddle" critters that need the warmth and protection of their parents.
But sometimes that just isn't available.
So, if you see a gosling running around on its own, take a step back and see if mom and dad are around. If it's in the middle of a road and life is in danger, then yes, pick it up and get it out of the way. But still look about and see if parents are around.
DON'T try and put it with any geese with goslings that you see. They may or may not take it with them but come nightfall they will abandon it as it is not theirs. I have seen this countless times.
It's like they will babysit for the day but come night 'go home' attitude. A lot of people will watch them during the day and think, "that's great, they've got a mom and dad who has taken them in" and they leave. Not knowing what the night holds for the gosling.
NOT ALL GEESE ARE GREAT FOSTER PARENTS.
If someone tells you to take it back to where you found it and the parents will find it, then you may be relegating the baby to certain death. That type of advice is only good if you have done that in the first few minutes of finding it and the parents are actually honking nearby and baby runs to them or parents come at you for having their baby!
Goslings are easy to raise, but imprint on humans very quickly. In fact, the first thing they see in life, when their eyes are seeing well enough, becomes their 'momma'
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
Well, if you have truly found an orphaned or injured gosling (or any other baby animal -'cept the human kind), contact a rehabber.
But first MAKE CERTAIN they are taking in birds/babies/waterfowl. Some rehabbers have birds on their list but because of Avian Influenza they actually won't take in ANY birds (and sometimes if they do, they will euthanize it - just because).
It's a sad world, yes, that allows fear to lead our first reactions.
But there are people out there who know how to care for them, how to make it so they don't imprint on them, and how to release them back into the wild so they once again have a chance at freedom.
It's okay if you ask questions of a rehabber. Just know that you have 24 hours to get that bird to a rehabber.
Just know your rehabber and know that as cute and cuddly they are, they do grow into large, p**p everywhere, very territorial birds with wings that hurt like hell if they attack and their bite isn't soft either.

10/01/2025

The Provincial Government is at it again! They want to AMEND the Endangered Species Act and call it Species Conservation Act! BUT the name change also includes the gov't deciding who should be on that list and have taken out the section on 'harassment' of wildlife. This would also mean that ANYONE can remove, kill or harm ANY wildlife they deem to be a nuisance on their property or property they intend to build on. In other words, any industry can build on lands that once were protected from building. They can fill in wetlands, take down eagles' nests, take out any habitat that animals like snapping turtles, monarch butterflies et al exist in. Please, go to this posting site,
put in your comments (posting #025-0380 on the Environmental Registry of Ontario) about getting rid of the new SCA ,
and then share the hell out of it. It's the only way we can help our wildlife.

10/01/2025

One of the greatest advocates for environmental knowledge in the current time of this world has died.
We should all mourn the loss greatly.
Not just because of the loss but because of the silence.
R.I.P. JANE Dr. Jane Goodall

09/29/2025

https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/025-0781
Please put in your two cents worth. If Trappers are going to 'have the burden of yearly reports' removed or are currently having issues with 'humanely killing their trapped animals after dark' or how they want to open up the 'closed season' on beavers - which is the time of year when young are born, which may leave the young without parents and would end up suffering through starvation in the lodge - OR any other BS in this proposal, please be heard.
Oh yeah, that burden of paperwork is done by lots of licensed and authorized people EVERY year (rehabbers, falconers, tourist outfitters, etc.), so sad for the trappers...can we get rid of that burden too???

We are proposing changes to reduce regulatory and administrative burdens and enable increased economic opportunities for licensed trappers and fur dealers in Ontario.

09/25/2025

What kind of species are we to leave the world empty of the sounds of nature?

09/25/2025

🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲

08/24/2025

check out the news with key words - global, [wolf and Ontario Man], and news

08/24/2025

The MNR is VERY QUICK to euthanize animals - they seem to take their cue from CFIA or vice versa!
The MNR does NOT have facilities to house these animals AT ALL. They either use rehabbers for a 'time' or kill them.
Why they don't open conversations with anyone is beyond me! They are supposed to be looking out for our wildlife. If they say they are NOT true wildlife (because they are hybrids) and they are not getting put into the true wildlife population, they why are they concerned - especially with the set up these people have to contain them.
Please, please, please help to stop the MNR from killing off another set of animals with their lies of 'looking out for our wildlife'.

06/25/2024

It always amazes me how we can distinguish amongst ourselves as to who is 'right' or 'wrong', who should own what, who can live where, who gets the best and who gets the throw aways.
We live in a world, created by ourselves, of 'this or that'. No grey areas, no equalities amongst ourselves, but we claim to be the most intelligent on this planet.
If we cannot treat each other with the respect and love required to survive for millions of years, how will we exist.
We should maybe ask the experts - or at least observe how they've done it!
The animals of earth - all those species except the human animal - will live for years to come (if we don't wipe them out before hand) HOPEFULLY in spite of us.