Wildlife in the City

Toronto is a healthy city, full of green space, including rivers and ravines, parks and forests. Many of the green spaces are connected, creating corridors for wild animals to travel through and preserving biodiversity in the city. It’s necessary to co-exist with wildlife  because most residents in Toronto experience encounters with wild animals, especially those who live on or near ravines and other large naturalized areas. Since wild animals are part of our urban landscape, residents are encouraged to learn about the wildlife in their neighbourhood so that sharing space with them is safe and enjoyable. Healthy wild animals thrive in Toronto and should always be left alone. Unless they are sick or injured, wild animals don’t require any help or food from people and in fact, intervention by humans is often harmful. If you come across a wild animal that appears to be sick or injured, please contact 311.

For everyone’s safety, including wildlife, please do not view, feed or interact with wild animals. Remember these tips:

• Do not approach wild animals or their nesting areas and dens
• Do not touch wild animals, even if they appear tame, sick or injured
• Never feed wild animals
• Keep dogs on leash and away from wild animals

Why you shouldn’t interact with wild animals?

• Wild animals can bite, scratch or injure people and pets
• Wild animals may transmit diseases, such as rabies, to people and pets
• Feeding wild animals increases their presence and causes them to lose their fear of people
• Feeding and disturbing wild animals is prohibited under City bylaws

If you see injured, sick or very young wildlife, call 311.