Baby wildlife season kicks off in Santa Barbara County

GOLETA, Calif. - Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network is already seeing the first wildlife babies of Spring.

Every day the center receives at least a dozen new animals, brought by community members that are inspired to help when they find an injured and/or orphaned animal.

Managers are honored to help them, and grateful to be operating from their wildlife hospital with staff providing expertise, diets, enclosures, and medical treatments.

Right now, the wildlife center is seeing a lot of baby squirrels, opossums, and hummingbirds currently in care.

Baby hummingbirds need to be fed every 15 minutes.

Mammals need to be fed every 20 to 30 minutes.

The center is receiving a lot of baby wildlife, but at the same time are treating all of the adult wildlife that comes through our center, requiring a wide variety of care and expertise. 

This is the wildlife center's third year operating in its hospital and are continuing to see the massive impact that having this facility and expert care has on the outcomes of wildlife rehabilitation.

Staff have already had 768 patients in care this year, and currently have 170 patients in care, and 95 different species so far.

Generally, during baby season the wildlife center can see up to 3,500 patients a year with over 200 species of animals. 

From March to September, the organization will work 13+ hours a day, 7 days a week to keep up with hundreds of animals in care all at onc.

Many need to be fed every 20 to 30 minutes from dawn to dusk.

Baby Season is a massive effort, and the rewards are great. 

After weeks in care, SBWCN releases animals back into the wild where they forage, hunt, climb, swim, run, and fly all on their own.

They make a vast transformation from babies with eyes still closed to thriving creatures ready to explore. 

In order to make sure the organization can do everything for wildlife baby season, they need your help. 

SBWCN has set the ambitious goal of raising $500,000 to support the wildlife baby season this year. 

Funds raised go towards the direct care of injured and orphaned animals. 

There are many ways to help, and all giving levels are meaningful to the wildlife we rescue.

You can make a tax-deductible donation, joining SBWCN as a member, sponsoring an animal, shopping our baby season wish list, and exploring the many other ways to give on their website: www.sbwcn.org.

SBWCN hopes for community support in order to keep being a safety net for wildlife.