The Center for Wildlife Education no longer participates in wildlife rehabilitation.

What to do if you find sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife:

• If you encounter an injured animal, please do not approach it. An injured animal is usually in a state of shock and will do anything to protect itself.

• If you spot an animal, particularly a young or juvenile animal that appears to be deserted or in difficulty, do not catch it, it may simply be waiting for a parent to return. Adult animals will often leave their young to hunt for food and return shortly to care for the animal.

• If you believe the animal is injured, call a rehabilitation center near you BEFORE you pick up the animal. Injured wild animals can be dangerous and need special handling. Keep an eye on its whereabouts and describe its condition to the rehabilitator you reach on the phone. They will give you the proper course of action to take for that particular animal.

• State and federal regulations prohibit the possession of most species of native wildlife, check with your local Department of Natural Resource Wildlife officer before taking action.

The Center for Wildlife Education and Lamar Q Ball, Jr. Raptor Center is committed to its mission of delivering quality education programs which correlate with the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS's), to school systems throughout the state.  The rehabilitation of Georgia's native wildlife is a worthwhile endeavor and should be entrusted to those individuals with the training and appropriate permits. Therefore, the Center for Wildlife Education no longer participates in wildlife rehabilitation.  If you find a sick or injured animal, we urge you to contact the following numbers for the rehabilitator nearest you:   

Ms. Cindy Webber, 912-748-0539 or wildcritters@bellsouth.net

Mr. Todd Nims, DNR Special Permit Office, 770-761-3044

Metter DNR: 912-685-6424

Rehabilitation Hotline: 1-800-241-4113 or 229-426-5267