Kildare Wildlife Rescue

Kildare Wildlife Rescue Kildare Wildlife Rescue (KWR) is a registered charity for sick, injured and orphaned wildlife.

KWR operate a Wildlife Hospital & Rehabiliation Centre in Kildare Town.

Thank you everyone who joined us for National Heritage Week as we explored this years theme "Heritage at Risk."We had a ...
27/08/2026

Thank you everyone who joined us for National Heritage Week as we explored this years theme "Heritage at Risk."

We had a full week of events highlighting the Native Species we love and why it is so important to protect and conserve our Natural Heritage with two in-person talks about "Ireland's Unique Species." We also spent time reflecting on the ones we have lost in our online Wildlife Couch episode "Ireland's Lost Species." The Wildlife Couch talk is now available to our Patreon members.

We want to thank The Heritage Council for sponsoring these free events, and everyone who attended.

The Heritage Council
National Heritage Week

We are delighted to welcome our first international speaker for this year, Lawrie Brailey.Lawrie works with South Essex ...
27/08/2026

We are delighted to welcome our first international speaker for this year, Lawrie Brailey.

Lawrie works with South Essex Wildlife Hospital and is a wealth of knowledge on wildlife rescue having previously worked with the late great Simon Cowell from Wildlife Aid in the UK. His talk "Reunions, Renesting and Relief" is explained in his own words below:

What’s better than getting a patient back home to learn those vital life skills directly from their parents?

Wildlife rescues worldwide are flooded with orphaned animals during the summer months but, as we all know, some of those don’t really need our help… lost fox cubs, juvenile owls blown out of trees and situations where members of the public have intervened a little too soon are things many of you will recognise, but this doesn’t mean they have to be forced into rehabilitation – especially when we are all rushed off our feet as it is!

Reunions and renesting are a vital part of the wildlife rescue toolkit, but there’s not too much information around how to do it successfully. In this session (with a particular focus on fox cubs and renesting birds of prey), we will discuss when a reunion is possible, what’s needed to make it all work and some of the odd quirks of the wild world!

Join is for this talk and many others at our Biodiversity Conference, Link in Bio:
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/kildare-biodiversity-conference-2026-tickets-1996629454446

Hoglet admissions have been keeping us busy this summer and some of the young ones are starting their prerelease journey...
27/08/2026

Hoglet admissions have been keeping us busy this summer and some of the young ones are starting their prerelease journey in our purpose built outdoor hedgehog runs!

Hedgehogs, and all wildlife, have had a tough summer. With the lack of rain, water has become hard to access causing dehydration of mother hedgehogs. The lack of rain has also caused the ground to dry up and the invertebrates hedgehogs rely on for food to become scarce.

These combined factors have led to a steep increase in admissions of abandoned and struggling young hoglets.

Volunteers have been working overtime making sure these spikey patients are being fed and cleaned every few hours, and we are delighted to see groups of them moving into our outdoor runs where they are acclimatising to the weather, foraging and natural nesting materials before their return to the wild!

You can help hedgehogs by leaving out shallow dishes of fresh water overnight, leaving scrubby areas for them to take shelter in and checking for nests before proceeding with any garden works. The National Hedge Cutting Ban will come to an end on September first, but hedgehogs have late litters, so it is important to always check hedges before cutting. If you find a small hedgehog on its own, or have accidentally disturbed a nest, take a short video and send it to your local wildlife rehabilitator for advice!

Can you help us stock our shelves? We are in urgent need of wet cat and dog food in jelly, and meat flavoured cat nuts....
26/08/2026

Can you help us stock our shelves? We are in urgent need of wet cat and dog food in jelly, and meat flavoured cat nuts. We are currently caring for nearly 700 hungry patients. Donations can be dropped to the centre at R51 X338 or donations accepted through idonate

https://www.idonate.ie/cause/KildareWildlifeRescue

Thank you!

We wouldn't blame you if you struggled to identify this animal. This poorly looking creature is a fox cub (26-4564) that...
26/08/2026

We wouldn't blame you if you struggled to identify this animal. This poorly looking creature is a fox cub (26-4564) that is suffering from a serious case of mange. We can only imagine the suffering they were going through before a kind member of public spotted them and contacted our Help Desk for rescue. As the fox was still mobile, responder Jamie set to organising a trapping schedule with the member of public to get this fox the care it urgently needed.

Mange is a skin condition caused by small mites getting under the skin. The mite infestation causes itching and fur loss, combined the two cause terrible scabs to form on the body where the skin that should be protected by fur gets scratched. Animals are also more prone to hypothermia as they lose out on the insulation properties of their fur. Thankfully, the condition can be managed and this fox is now doing well in our isolation unit for monitoring as the sores begin to heal and their fur grows back.

You can support this fox on its journey back to the wild by becoming a Patron. Patreon memberships provide valuable funding that are used help purchase specialised medications for wildlife in need.

www.patreon.com/kwr
Link in Bio

Or by donating directly. Details in stories!

Did you know otters can breed all year round?Typically this time of year we would be hoping to wind up what we know as "...
25/08/2026

Did you know otters can breed all year round?

Typically this time of year we would be hoping to wind up what we know as "orphan season" with expected late litters of hedgehogs arriving but for the most part everything starting to quiet down.

The otters this year have different plans for us. This is the third orphaned otter we have admitted in August (26-4813) from Galway. We were contacted by the finder after NPWS recommended our facility to care for the orphaned cub. Thankfully, a relay was arranged by the incredible team at Galway & Claddagh Swan Rescue with the finder to get this cub the urgent care he needed at our centre.

Part of the reasons otters can breed all year is they have a steady supply of food all year long. They do not depend on the wealth of new life the spring and summer carry to provide for their young and in Ireland the waters they call home rarely would freeze over so they can raise their young through the winter without experiencing hardship.

You can help support this cub, and others we have in care by becoming a Patreon member, link in bio, or by direct donation, swipe for info.

Kate Maher has attended the conference since the beginning and this year we are welcoming her to speak on day one with h...
25/08/2026

Kate Maher has attended the conference since the beginning and this year we are welcoming her to speak on day one with her talk titled - "Rewilding Our Youth"

Kate is the founder and lead practitioner at Dúlra. With over twenty years' experience in education, she has worked across a wide range of settings in Ireland and internationally. She is a qualified primary school teacher, a founding member of the Chartered College of Teaching, and holds an Honours Bachelor's degree in Fine Art from the National College of Art and Design.

Young people today are spending less time outdoors than previous generations, while many schools and communities are seeking meaningful ways to engage them with biodiversity, sustainability and wellbeing. Rewilding Our Youth explores how nature-based education can help address these challenges through regular, hands-on experiences in local woodland environments. Drawing on learning from the Wild Horizons programme, this session will examine how direct engagement with nature can foster ecological awareness, practical skills, confidence, resilience and a sense of belonging.Through activities such as species identification, biodiversity surveys, foraging, woodland crafts, habitat exploration and conservation projects, young people move beyond learning about nature to learning within nature. By building relationships with local landscapes, they begin to see themselves not simply as observers of environmental issues, but as active participants in the stewardship of their communities.The talk will share insights and outcomes from working with post-primary students and will highlight practical approaches that schools, youth organisations and community groups can adapt within their own settings. At its heart, Rewilding Our Youth asks what happens when we give young people the time, space and trust to reconnect with the natural world. The answer is often greater confidence, stronger environmental awareness, and a deeper commitment to protecting the biodiversity and natural heritage that surrounds them.

You can get your tickets at the link in the bio!
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/kildare-biodiversity-conference-2026-tickets-1996629454446

17/08/2026

Our Help Desk was contacted about two ducklings that had fallen over a retaining wall in Laois.

Our volunteer responded to the case and safely contained both ducklings, that had become trapped under a small waterfall. They were brought to the centre where they were examined, weighed and given an identifying colour mark with a nontoxic paint pen to allow us to monitor their progress. They will moult this identifying mark before release, and it will not impact their adult feathers.

The ducklings were then introduced to a group of ducklings of similar size. Being a member of a larger group helps ducklings feel secure and makes them less prone to stress related complications. They will remain a group for the duration of their rehabilitation journey.

You can support our work by becoming a Patreon member. For as little as €5 a month you can help us make a difference in the lives of Irish wildlife.

www.patreon.com/kwr

Link in bio.

We are delighted to have Dr Bobby Ortiz, an exotics specialist join us on day 2 of our conference with his talk "Tiny Ve...
14/08/2026

We are delighted to have Dr Bobby Ortiz, an exotics specialist join us on day 2 of our conference with his talk "Tiny Veins, Big Challenges: IV and IO Access in Wildlife."

Gaining reliable vascular access can be challenging in small, critically ill or dehydrated wildlife patients. This practical session will explore the placement and management of intravenous and intraosseous catheters in commonly encountered birds and small mammals. Attendees will learn when each route is most appropriate, how to select suitable sites and equipment, and how to adapt their technique to the patient’s size, anatomy and clinical condition. The session will review safe restraint and positioning, catheter stabilisation, confirmation of correct placement and important avian considerations, including avoiding pneumatic bones during intraosseous catheterisation. Common complications such as unsuccessful placement, dislodgement alongside practical strategies for preventing them as well as ways to confirm placement. Using clinical examples and step-by-step guidance, this session aims to build confidence in establishing safe and effective access for fluid therapy, emergency medications and ongoing supportive care in wildlife patients.



Tickets are on sale now, link in bio.
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/kildare-biodiversity-conference-2026-tickets-1996629454446

Just when we thought orphan season was starting to wrap up, we admitted two otter cubs (26-4469 and 4470) from Lettermul...
13/08/2026

Just when we thought orphan season was starting to wrap up, we admitted two otter cubs (26-4469 and 4470) from Lettermullen, Galway.

These cubs are a perfect example of what can be accomplished when wildlife rescues work together. After intial contact being made with us, a cross country relay was organised with Galway Claddagh Swan Rescue ( Galway & Claddagh Swan Rescue ) to get them into our care. Four volunteers gave up their Sunday to ensure these cubs made it safely to the centre where they will continue thier rehabilitation journey.

These Otter cubs are now being cared for around the clock. At approximately 5 weeks of age, their eyes have just begun to open and they still depend on volunteers for bottle feeding. They will be in our care for the next year as they grow and develop.

If you would like to support our efforts and help grow these Otter cubs to adulthood, please consider joining our Patreon community. As a charity, Patreon memberships form an important part of our funding, and you can join for as little as €5 a month. Becoming a member allows you access to our newsletters with behind the scenes insights and exclusive talks with wildlife heroes. Link in bio. www.patreon.com/kwr

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Grey Abbey Road, Greyabbey
Kildare
R51X338

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