Rare white raven, bear cubs recovering at Vancouver Island wildlife centre
The North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre (NIWRC) in Errington is currently caring for a rare white raven and a pair of orphaned bear cubs.
NIWRC says the juvenile white raven came into the centre last week after it was found on the ground and unable to fly in the Oceanside area. It's one of only a handful of white ravens that have been cared for at the centre over the past 30 years.
The centre says typically white ravens have a compromised immune system and don’t make it to adulthood.
"We are hoping that in a captive situation we can overcome these hurdles," said Derek Downes, an animal care technician at NIWRC. "Get it’s immune system firing on a strong level, then perhaps we'll be able to succeed with this one."
The white raven is considered sacred to the Oceanside region and some have been spotted in the area off and on for several years.
It’s not clear what causes the white pigmentation of the ravens seen in the area, but it’s believed to be a recessive gene passed on by the black raven parents.
Meanwhile, NIWRC is caring for two sibling bears who were picked up by conservation officers near Woss, B.C. earlier this week after their mother had died.
The two bear cubs and are in good condition and are eating on their own, according to the animal centre.
The cubs were born in February and their prognosis looks very good to be released back into the wild next year.
"They’ll be in our care until probably next June," said Robin Campbell, founder and operations manager of NIWRC. "It’s going to be a journey and they’re going to have to pass many, many tests before they go home."
The recovery centre will have things come full circle in a couple of weeks when the three black bears they took in last year are expected to be released.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
"It's a bit of a complicated pattern; we've got a lot going on," said Jennifer Smith of the Meteorological Service of Canada in an interview with CTVNews.ca on Wednesday. "[As is] typical with weather, all of these things are related."
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.