Mon – Fri: 8:30 – 4:00
(609) 883-2900
2 Jake Garzio Drive
Ewing, NJ 08628
Ewing, NJ 08628
Wildlife
Mercer County
WILDLIFE CENTER
An exceptional resource for the local community and wildlife, this Mercer County facility cares for injured, ill, and displaced native wildlife, as well as handling wildlife questions and concerns from the public.
Location & Contact
1748 River Road, Titusville
Phone: (609) 303-0552
Human-wildlife interactions have increasingly become an issue as habitat loss from modern urban sprawl increases. As we encroach on the once pristine wild areas that had been home to various forms of wildlife, we find ourselves sharing our neighborhoods with them. Ewing's natural areas and neighborhoods are abundant in native wildlife such as fox, coyotes, raccoons, hawks, deer, Canadian geese, groundhogs, rabbits, opossum, snakes and even the occasional bear. They all have a role to play and make significant ecosystem contributions. For example:
- The opossum is a veritable tick vacuum. A single opossum might eat an astonishing 5,000 ticks in a week.
- Squirrels play a huge role in forest regeneration due to their food storage habits.
- A single little brown bat can consume up to 3,000 mosquito sized in a single night.
- The fox is a predator of small rodents such mice and rabbits.
So you are encouraged to care... and share! Help keep them wild!
Rabies
Rabies can be a serious threat and bites from animals that are not rabid can also be painful. Stray animals roaming your neighborhood can pose a real danger as they are probably unvaccinated. One of the best ways to protect yourself and your family from rabies is to vaccinate your pets and avoid contact with wild animals. Do not feed or handle them even if they seem friendly.
If you see a wild animal acting strangely, report it to animal control. Small mammals are also carriers of the deer ticks that cause Lyme disease. If anyone comes across any wildlife that appears ill, do not try to handle it, but rather call Animal Control at (609) 883-2900 ext. 7175 or the Police Department after hours.
Exotic Pets
Protect yourself and the environment. Wild and exotic animals should not be kept as pets. Some of these pets, if released into the environment, can cause irreversible and costly damage to our ecosystems. People often get these animals when they are small and then have few options when the animals grow too large or dangerous to handle. They may carry diseases and parasites that can be transmitted to humans.
The Burmese pythons in the Florida Everglades provide a sobering example of the incalculable damage to our native ecoystems due to release of exotic pets.
Help Keep Animals Wild
Do not encourage wildlife by feeding or leaving food for them, including bird food. Don't allow it to accumulate on the ground. Human food is not healthy for them. Wild animals have specialized diets, and they can become malnourished or die if fed the wrong foods. Check the US. Department of Agriculture site for more information
Wildlife
FACTSHEETS
Are there Coyotes in Ewing? ETAC1
Born To Be Wild NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife (Young wildlife FAQs)
Canada Goose - NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife
Coexisting With Deer - Mercer County Wildlife Center
I Saw a Fox In My Yard ETAC
Know the Bear Facts: Living with Black Bears in NJ NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife
Let's Talk About Bats ETAC
Living with Vultures in Ewing ETAC
What to Know If You Find a Fawn ETAC
Feeding of Wild White-tailed Deer - NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife
TNR - Trap- Neuter - Release Program for Feral Cats - Easel NJ.
1. Ewing Township Animal Control
New from the NJDEP division of fish and wildlife new
Wildlife sightings from the public are incredibly useful to NJDEP Fish & Wildlife. The NJ Wildlife Tracker is a web application you can use from your cell phone or computer to report rare wildlife species observations and wildlife of any kind on roadways. Your sightings of wildlife on roads (dead or alive) will help NJDEP's Connecting Habitat Across New Jersey (CHANJ) team identify problem spots across the state - like places with frequent roadkill or at-risk species being impacted by roads. These can point us toward opportunities to build safer road-crossings for animals. Please practice “Safety First” in every situation, especially along roadways, and be sure to give wildlife their space! Report wildlife sightings via the NJ Wildlife Tracker. Can't scan the code? Click here! https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/conservation/reporting-rare-wildlife-sightings/
Report sightings of
- NJ Rare or Endangered Species Click HERE for the NJDEP Fish and Wildlife's listing of endangered, threatened, or special concern species.
- Wildlife on Roads / Roadkill
Please practice “Safety First” in every situation, especially along roadways. Please also give wildlife their space. Click here for more resources if you find an injured animal or need help with wildlife in some other way.
FAQs
Animal carcasses can present health hazards. If you come across a deer or other animal carcass alongside of the road or other location, we ask that you notify our animal control officers. Township staff will respond as soon as possible to mark and remove the dead animal. The NJ Fish And Wildlife Division also requests that you report sick or dead deer sightings online to them using their Deer Disease Sighting Form (photos and/or videos are encouraged.) Your input is critical for NJDEP Fish & Wildlife's quick response to potential disease outbreaks in New Jersey’s deer population.