February 2023 Data Bites
It may surprise many Seattle citizens that the Seattle Animal Shelter (SAS) deals with wildlife as well as companion animals, although not always in happy circumstances. One of the responsibilities of SAS field officers is to pick up wildlife that are in distress or are deceased. Approximately 78 percent of wildlife intakes are alive and subsequently picked up by the PAWS Wildlife Center in Lynnwood for care and rehabilitation.
This Data Bites is a review of wildlife intakes. The value of this data is two-fold. It provides another metric to show the trend of decreased shelter intakes post-pandemic and it also shows the diversity of our often-unseen urban wildlife.
Decreasing Wildlife Intakes
Much like the other metrics we have seen, wildlife intakes show a decreased volume post-COVID. One marked difference is that the intakes are not showing any recovery. In fact, there were 63 fewer wildlife intakes in 2022 than in 2021. This may be a reflection of field officers having to fill in for SAS care officers during high turnover experienced post-COVID.
According to SAS data, total wildlife intakes dropped from a high of 696 live animals in 2018 to a low of 304 in 2022. In addition, deceased animal pickups decreased from a high of 199 in 2019 to 90 in 2022. Both of these 2022 numbers are the lowest since 2016.
What Kind of Wildlife Do We Have In Seattle?
Lots!
The top ten wildlife intakes are species that we all know, but when we dig deeper, we begin to see a wide array of animals that may surprise our urban dwellers.
Let’s start with the top ten. These are all animals that we expect to see in our backyards. An interesting note is the increase in wild rabbits that rose from a low of 15 in 2016 to a high of 91 in 2016, dropping to 42 in 2022, which is in line with 2018 numbers. This correlates to many anecdotal reports of “all those rabbits in my backyard!”
The second set of species shows a greater diversity, particularly with the various birds. Of surprise are beavers and bats. The remaining list is also broad and includes 23 owls, 10 coyotes, 9 deer, 8 eagles, and 7 seals.
In our call for a comprehensive plan for Seattle’s companion animals, we have included urban wildlife as well. We see diminishing habitat in Seattle due to increased housing development. How can we protect our wildlife and provide much-needed if we don’t have a plan for them?
