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What Wildlife Rehabilitation is

Wild Animal Rehabilitation is a very complex and specialized process involving the medical management and ultimate release of a healthy wild animal back into its natural habitat. It is a process of assessing the animals physiological and physical condition upon intake and addressing their conditions in the order of their severity. Depending on the specie, age and medical status, a specialized dietary program is created for that animal. Some babies are fed every 15 minutes to 2 hours throughout the day. Some animals are too compromised to eat.

Feeding regular food to an emaciated or dehydrated animal will do more harm than good and possibly kill the animal, as that animal’s system is not able to absorb the nutrients in a solid form. Once the animal is self sufficient, it’s HANDS OFF and he is introduced into an environment as closely resembling the one that he will have to survive in once he is released. During the weeks or months that he is in this environment, it is up to the rehabilitator to expose him to everything he would be learning from his parents in the wild – and limit his exposure to those things that can harm him, predominately humans.