CLINIC FOR THE REHABILITATION OF WILDLIFE INC

THE CLINIC FOR THE REHABILITATION OF WILDLIFE (CROW) IS LEE COUNTY, FLORIDA'S ONLY WILDLIFE HOSPITAL. OPEN 365 DAYS A YEAR, WE RESCUE, REHABILITATE AND RELEASE INJURED, ORPHANED AND ILL NATIVE AND MIGRATORY WILDLIFE. IN 2023, CROW ADMITTED FEWER PATIENTS THAN IN YEARS PAST DUE TO RECOVERY FROM HURRICANE IAN. OF OUR 4598 PATIENTS. 52% BIRDS, 41% MAMMALS, AND A COMBINED 7% WERE REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS. AMONG THE 200 SPECIES SEEN, MANY ARE FEDERALLY AND/OR STATE LISTED AS THREATENED OR ENDANGERED INCLUDING WOOD STORKS, BURROWING OWLS, EASTERN INDIGO SNAKES, GOPHER TORTOISES, AND SEA TURTLES (LOGGERHEAD, KEMP'S-RIDLEY AND GREEN). CROW IS THE ONLY LICENSED SEA TURTLE REHABILITATION SITE BETWEEN SARASOTA AND THE KEYS. OF THOSE PATIENTS THAT SURVIVED THE FIRST 24 HOURS, 66% WERE REHABILITATED AND RELEASED. CROW'S STATE-OF-THE-ART HOSPITAL PROVIDES CRITICAL MEDICAL, SURGICAL, AND ONGOING REHABILITATIVE CARE. DEDICATED HOSPITAL AREAS ARE INTAKE/EXAMINATION, RADIOLOGY, SURGERY, MULTIPLE NEONATE (BABY) ROOMS, ISOLATION, REPTILE, OXYGENATION, AND INTENSIVE CARE WHICH CAN HOUSE SEVERAL HUNDRED PATIENTS AT A TIME. THE HOSPITAL ALSO HOUSES A LAUNDRY FACILITY THAT OPERATES ALL DAY, EVERY DAY, WASHING TOWELS USED IN ICU CAGES AND INCUBATORS. THE CROW HOSPITAL CAMPUS INCLUDES 18 OUTDOOR REHABILITATION ENCLOSURES. ALL BUT 5 WERE SEVERLY DAMAGED BY HURRICANE IAN. MOST ARE SPECIES-SPECIFIC AND ALL MEET, OR EXCEED, FEDERAL AND STATE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS OF SIZE AND MATERIALS INCLUDING FURNITURE, HABITAT, RECIRCULATING POOLS, AND FLOORING FOR SPECIES SAFETY. THESE SPACES ARE CRITICAL TO THE CONDITIONING OF HEALING BONES, MUSCLES AND MORE. HERE ANIMALS LEARN/PRACTICE SURVIVAL SKILLS PREPARING THEM FOR REINTRODUCTION TO THE WILD. OUR STUDENT PROGRAM TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF WILDLIFE PROFESSIONALS. IN 2022, WE HOSTED 23 STUDENTS FROM 36 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS BEFORE WE WERE FORCED TO PAUSE THE PROGRAM DUE TO HURRICANE IAN. POPULAR PROGRAMS - GOLD CERTIFIED BY THE FLORIDA SOCIETY FOR ETHICAL ECOTOURISM - INCLUDE WILDLIFE WALKS, DAILY PRESENTATIONS, SPEAKERS SERIES, LUNCH AND LEARNS, AND CUSTOM PROGRAMS. CROW COLLECTS DIAGNOSTIC SAMPLES DURING THE NORMAL COURSE OF CARE TO TAILOR TREATMENT PROTOCOLS TO THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF THE INDIVIDUAL PATIENT. THESE SAMPLES ALSO CONTRIBUTE NEW FINDINGS FOR CAUSES AND CURES WITH BROADER CONSERVATION IMPACTS EVERYWHERE. MOST RECENTLY WE PUBLISHED THE RESULTS OF A RED-TIDE TREATMENT FOR AFFECTED SEA AND SHORE LIFE. THIS THERAPY SAVED NEARLY THREE TIMES AS MANY LIVES AS PRIOR PROTOCOLS. CROW ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THE FIRST TEXTBOOK COVER NORTH AMERICAN WILDLIFE MEDICINE ON A BROAD SCALE. THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE FOR VETERINARIANS, REHABILITATORS, WILDLIFE HEALTH OFFICIALS, POLICY MAKERS, WILDLIFE BIOLOGISTS AND STUDENTS WITH AN INTEREST IN WILDLIFE HEALTH. CROW'S VOLUNTEER PROGRAM WAS REINSTATED AND OVER 10,000 HOURS WERE DEVOTED BY VOLUNTEERS WHO WORK EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR TO RESCUE WILDLIFE, FEED ORPHANS, CLEAN ENLOSURES, PREPARE PATIENT FOOD, TRANSPORT RESCUES, EDUCATE THE PUBLIC, GREET GUESTS IN THE AWC VISTOR EDUCATION CENTER, STAFF OUR EVENTS, AND FACILITY THAT OPERATES ALL DAY, EVERY DAT, WASHING TOWELS USED IN ICU CAGES AND INCUBATORS.