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WILDLIFE RESCUE NEEDS A NEW, LARGER REHABILITATION FACILITY
IT’S BABY SEASON . . . AGAIN !! Every year in February orphaned baby animals start trickling into Wildlife Rescue. First to come in early spring are squirrels and opossums, but this trickle is quickly turned into a flood, and by March, raccoons and rabbits join the flow of helpless orphans into the wildlife rescue center.
The flood gates really open in April when the baby birds start arriving. Baby birds come in all ages, sizes, and species. During baby season, wildlife rescue rehabilitates hundreds of orphaned baby birds, everything from great-horned owls to tiny wrens. April is the peak of the spring bird migration through Central Texas, and, in addition to the orphans, we always receive injured warblers and other migrants who were on their way north for the summer. Water fowl, like ducks and herons, get into trouble too and end up at the center. These birds require a water habitat as well as a cage. Kiddie swimming pools make good miniature lakes.
By May, the baby fawns start coming in. Not only are all the indoor and outdoor cages already full and stacked three and four high, but also all our rehabilitators have full cages at their homes. These crowded conditions will continue until early fall. In short, by May of every year, we are out of space and have to work miracles to find a place for every single baby that needs our help.
At this time, Wildlife Rescue leases the Blair Woods facility on MLK from Travis Audubon Society. As wonderful as Travis Audubon has been as our landlord, the time has come for Wildlife Rescue to seek its own location. However, we need your help. Ideally, here’s what we are looking for:
About 10 acres of wooded land on which there is either an existing building that can be converted into a rehabilitation facility or where we can erect a large pre-fabricated building with utilities.
We would continue to use the facility on MLK as a drop-off center or seek an alternative location where people can drop off animals convenient to the Austin metropolitan area. Volunteers and staff would drive the animals from the drop-off facility to the rehabilitation facility where they will stay until ready for release.
If you can help us find a new place or have an idea, please call the center at 472-9453 and ask to speak to Preston.
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