Wildlife rescuers at Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center want to reassure residents that most area wildlife are OK after the weekend cold snap.

Residents in the region who see any animals acting abnormally when it gets colder can call the center, said Mysti Tatro, community relations manager. The nonprofit group treats injured, sick and orphaned animals at its office at 5761 Ute Highway in unincorporated Boulder County near Lyons.

“We have been getting a lot of calls at our center about people concerned about wildlife during these cold temperatures,” said Tatro. “Generally speaking, wildlife are well adapted to the cold and snow and have a whole arsenal of tools that they can utilize.”

Tatro said some animals — especially birds — go into a torpor-like, lethargic state that allows them to conserve energy.

“We have some animals that retreat to lower elevations and fly south for the winter. The birds that do stay will fluff up their feathers and insulate their bodies,” said Tatro. “So, in general, they’re going to be okay. But there are the few that may already be sick, injured or elderly, and those vulnerable guys sometimes may need help. So we wanted to put it out there that Greenwood is there if you find an animal that is looking really lethargic or hypothermic.”

Tatro said that birds usually can’t fly for long and act lethargic if they’re injured or sick.

“Just last January, I remember we had a cold snap around the same time, and we got a few animals. We got a bird that was found in a compost bin cold and wet,” said Tatro. “We were able to rehabilitate that little guy with some warm fluids and calorie-rich foods, and just a few days later, when the temperature warmed, he was released back into the wild.”

Suet, or beef fat, which is high in calories, can be especially nutritious for birds during colder winter months, according to Tatro.

“If you do participate in bird feeding, high-calorie foods are helpful for those birds that are having a hard time finding sustenance,” said Tatro. “But if you’re worried about other creatures getting into that stash, you might want to bring the feeders in at night away from any rogue raccoons.”

Tatro generally cautioned against encountering wildlife, unless it is absolutely necessary.

“I think because people are concerned, they’re going to be more apt to try to help an animal they think is acting strangely,” said Tatro. “We really want to press that we’d love to be a resource for people and they can give us a call if they’re worried about an animal, but we want to make sure not to be interfering with those healthy creatures since they’re trying really hard to conserve their energy.”

Tatro also said that if an animal is wet and seems unable to warm up, that can be a cause for concern. In the past, the center has mainly seen birds affected by the cold weather, though.

“We always recommend saving a rehabilitator’s number in your phone. Greenwood is a great resource, and if you find an animal while you’re out and about, give us a call,” said Tatro. “If you feed birds, then leave out that high calorie suet and try and help some of those critters through this tough time.”