Baby Great Horned Owl

Every spring, and well into summer, there’s a baby boom in the animal world, and organizations across Alabama gear up for the challenge. April through June is the high season for animal births, not only in the wild but at zoos and animal rescue centers.

The Alabama Wildlife Center in Pelham hosts close to 2,000 birds per year, representing more than 100 species at its rehabilitation facility at Oak Mountain State Park.

“This is our busiest season of the year. We will literally treat hundreds of injured and baby birds,” said Executive Director Doug Adair. Nearly 300 birds are residing now at the center. Carolina wrens make up the biggest number.

In May, the center hosted its annual “Baby Bird Shower” and invited the public to tour the facility. The center also collected cash contributions and supplies to support its efforts to care for the birds.

Doug Adair with Coosa, the Barred Owl

The Birmingham Zoo is caring for around 20 baby and infant animals, born within the past three years. The majority were born in spring 2013.

One of the most popular young species at the zoo is the North American black bear. The two bears were born in the wild last spring in Montana, and the zoo is raising money to build them a permanent exhibit, the Barbra Ingalls Shook Black Bear Trail. The bears’ new home is being designed to help educate the public about Alabama’s state bear and its habits.

The newest of the Birmingham Zoo’s “Baby Bunch” is a De Brazza’s monkey, which are native to Central Africa. Born in late May, the monkey is “already trying to climb off mom and explore the exhibit,” according to the zoo’s website.

In Orange Beach, the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo has about 20 baby and young animals, ranging in age from three months to seven years. One of the youngest is a tiger cub that was born in April at the Marcan Tiger Preserve in Florida. The zoo’s youthful lineup also includes baby lemurs and kangaroos.

Baby House Finches waiting to be fed

Public animal shelters, including those affiliated with the Humane Society and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, also see a surge in the spring and summer months. Unfortunately, the number of adoptions can dip in the summer.

The Montgomery Humane Society hosts 8,600 animals a year. Its busiest months for drop-offs are May through September when they host close to 2,000 animals. The busiest months for adoption, in contrast, are November and December.

But Montgomery Humane Society spokesperson Lea Turbert offered a message for all seasons: “Any time is good time to adopt an animal.”