OHIO WILDLIFE CENTER

WILDLIFE REHABILITATION:CARING FOR ILL, INJURED, AND ORPHANED WILDLIFE WITH THE GOAL OF THEIR HEALTHY RELEASE BACK INTO THE WILD IS THE PRIMARY MISSION OF OHIO WILDLIFE CENTER. IN 2024, THE CENTER ADMITTED OVER 9,000 ANIMALS FOR CARE, WITH PEAKS OF 25-60 ANIMALS ADMITTED PER DAY IN MAY AND JUNE. THE CENTER PARTNERS WITH ITS TEAM OF VOLUNTEERS AND LOCAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS TO PROVIDE CARE FOR ADMITTED ANIMALS OFFSITE. PATIENTS REQUIRE REGULAR ONGOING FEEDING, QUIET SURROUNDINGS, AND CARE. THE CENTER'S PRE-RELEASE FACILITY REPLICATES NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS FOR ANIMALS ON THE LAST LEG OF THEIR JOURNEY. STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE BASIC NEEDS LIKE FOOD AND MONITOR ANIMALS FOR KEY BEHAVIORS TO ENSURE THEY ARE HEALTHY AND CAPABLE OF BEING RELEASED BACK TO THE WILD.WILDLIFE & CONSERVATION EDUCATION PROGRAMS:OHIO WILDLIFE CENTER STRIVES TO INSTILL A GREATER APPRECIATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF WILD ANIMALS AND CAN HELP PREVENT HARMFUL INTERACTIONS THUS REDUCING THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS ADMITTED TO ITS DONATION-BASED ANIMAL HOSPITAL.OHIO WILDLIFE CENTER OFFERS EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR ALL AGES. PROGRAMS ARE OFFERED BOTH ON AND OFFSITE WITH A FOCUS ON REDUCING COMMUNITY WILDLIFE CONFLICTS THROUGH AN APPRECIATION OF NATIVE SPECIES. IN 2024, OVER 300 PROGRAMS WERE CONDUCTED THROUGHOUT CENTRAL OHIO.ALL PROGRAMS ARE SUPPORTED BY OVER 60 ANIMALS AMBASSADORS REPRESENTING MANY OF OHIO'S NATIVE SPECIES. ALL OF THE AMBASSADORS WERE FORMER PATIENTS OF THE WILDLIFE HOSPITAL AND BECAME AMBASSADORS WHEN THEY WERE DIAGNOSED AS NON-RELEASABLE, EITHER DUE TO A PERMANENT INJURY THAT AFFECTS THEIR ABILITY TO HUNT SUCCESSFULLY OR BECAUSE THEY HAD ALREADY BEEN INHABITED TO HUMAN CARE. THESE ANIMALS ARE PERMANENT RESIDENTS OF OHIO WILDLIFE CENTER AND ARE CARED FOR EVERY DAY BY THE EDUCATION STAFF AS WELL AS ROTATING INTERNS FROM OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH OTTERBEIN UNIVERSITY.