Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center

The Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center (WWCC) is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of injured and orphaned native wildlife. WWCC is capable of rehabilitating over 1000 animals at a time. We reponded to local emergencies including fire victims and unusual mortality events with seabirds.WWCC is a primary participant-managed facility with the Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN) and is designed to care for up to 400 oiled birds in the event of an oil spill in Southern California.Our 2,625 square-foot Butler building contains areas for bird intake, holding, washing, drying, and recovery, as well as a series of six large and four small pens with pools for bird recovery.Under the supervision and authority of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, abandoned Western Snowy Plover eggs are captive reared at our facility and then released into the wild. The Western Snowy Plover is a threatened/endangered species.WWCC is 1 of only 2 permitted Hummingbird rehabilitation facilities in all of Orange County, CA. More than 600 Hummingbirds come in annually with a release rate higher than the national average. With intensive training and oversight by our species specialists, qualified volunteers provide home care for Hummingbirds. Through telephone counseling, we educate the public about trying first to re-nest or reunite fledglings rather than rescuing them when they might not need to be rescued.In the spring of 2024 WWCC took in 260 starving pelicans. The warming ocean water near the surface has caused the fish to swim deeper than the pelicans can dive after. Once a pelican is stabilized, it costs WWCC $45 per day to feed it.