Pacific Wildlife Care's Latest News, plus Many Memorable Stories

Pacific Wildlife Care Names New Executive Director

February 1, 2021

Christine Johnson named as the nonprofit’s inaugural Executive DirectorMorro Bay, CA The Board of Directors of Pacific Wildlife Care (PWC) is pleased to announce the selection of Christine Johnson as its first-ever Executive Director. Johnson will take the lead at the nonprofit organization that is recognized as one of the premier wildlife rehabilitation centers in…

In Memory of Fiona

February 18, 2019

Fiona, the Red-shouldered Hawk who has been with Pacific Wildlife Care for more than 12 years died earlier this month. Fiona has lived with PWC volunteer Kelly Vandenheuvel since she was a baby. Fiona laid her first eggs in the spring of 2008. She sat on her infertile eggs diligently for almost two months. Kelly…

A Nearly Impossible Rescue

October 22, 2018

As I was paddling my SUP (standup paddleboard), checking up on wildlife in the San Simeon Cove, I noticed a very young deer on a hidden beach that is almost impossible to climb out of (steep and fragile)…I call it ‘paddler’s beach’ and have had many animals get stuck there or claim it during the…

Senator Monning Names Pacific Wildlife Care as 17th Senate District Non-Profit of the Year

June 9, 2018

SENATOR MONNING HONORS PACIFIC WILDLIFE CARE June 06, 2018 (SACRAMENTO, CA) – Today, Pacific Wildlife Care was honored as the 17th Senate District Nonprofit of the Year by Senator Bill Monning (D-Carmel). Pacific Wildlife Care is the only licensed rehabilitation center in San Luis Obispo County that cares for injured birds, mammals, and reptiles. “Pacific…

Young Filmmakers: A Contest Just For You

May 25, 2018

In March an 11-year-old from Oregon Won the First Annual Youth Film Competition ‘The Wild World We Love’ Sponsored by Pacific Wildlife Care PWC is partnering again with the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival to sponsor another wildlife film contest in 2019, calling for an original short, or animated film, as part of the Film…

The Outside the Oalm Theater at the showing of The Cat that Changed America

The Cat That Changed America – From The Mustang Daily

March 27, 2018

“The Cat That Changed America” brings awareness of human and wildlife interaction to San Luis Obispo by Emma Kumagawa (An article from Cal Poly’s Mustang Daily) In 2012, Los Angeles’ Griffith Park received a visit from an unexpected guest: a mountain lion. As P22’s story began to circulate, people began to learn about his journey…

Pacific Wildlife Care

21 hours ago

Freedom Friday! This Anna’s Hummingbird came into our clinic very lethargic after being trapped indoors. She was given a formula designed for hummingbirds and warmed up. She then started to improve dramatically. After a day in our care, she was ready to go back to her wild home.
Hummingbirds are fascinating animals with even more fascinating metabolic demands. Their wings can flap around 70 times a second and their heart can beat over 1,000 times a minute. In order to sustain all of this, they need to eat almost every half hour which is why most people always see them feeding. In times when they can’t feed, like at night or during a storm, they will go into a state of torpor which is essentially an energy saving mode where their temperature drops and their metabolism decreases.
We wish this female hummingbird a second chance at life and many more nectar filled flowers. 🌸🌷🌺

Thank you to volunteer, JoAnn S., for releasing this bird and to Sarah R. for the video. 🙂

#wildlife #hummingbird #annashummingbird #wildliferelease #freedomfriday #homesweethome ... See MoreSee Less

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That was great!

You all are amazing.

Is this the hummingbird from a Paso Robles winery vacation rental house?

So cute!🌸

Back you go, dear friend! 💚

Rhonda Sims

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Pacific Wildlife Care

2 days ago

If you have a travel trailer, horse trailer, boat, or camper please read this shared advice to help save nesting wildlife. 🐣 ... See MoreSee Less

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Pacific Wildlife Care

4 days ago

PWC has received several calls recently about a fox at Cloisters Park in Morro Bay. The Cloisters area is normal habitat for foxes. Grey foxes, especially the young ones, are curious and do not tend to have a great fear of people like other wildlife do.

PWC volunteers have checked on the fox and report that, other than the possibility of a mild case of mange, the fox appears healthy and is not currently in need of rescue by PWC.

Please do not engage with the fox in any way and avoid the fox if possible, in order to ensure wildlife stays wild and does not become habituated to humans which often has unintended negative consequences for wild animals.

For more information about wildlife, please contact Pacific Wildlife Care directly at 805-543-WILD (9453). ... See MoreSee Less

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Yes! Please give it space! Our friendly fox was euthanized in Arroyo Grande. Leave them be.

All wildlife needs to be left alone! People keep doing stupid crap that ends up getting the animal killed! Let them be free and happy!

This means do not feed them for those that do!

What a beautiful creature ! Kinda looks like a cross between a dog & a cat !

Just leave it be.❤

The is photo of Fox someone posted. Does the mange go away on its own?

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Pacific Wildlife Care

1 week ago

Freedom Friday! A special wildlife release and story by one of our volunteers...

Extraordinary Hawk of an Extraordinary Age

On a cold winter morning, four PWC volunteers gathered at the edge of a field for a big event in the life of Red-tailed Hawk 2681: release back to the wild. We set down the carrier, opened the gate, and stood back, silent, excited, and tense. This bird was enormous, the 747 of hawks, and there wasn’t the slightest breeze to help with lift.

On arrival at PWC two months earlier, this bird was far from enormous. The gender couldn’t even be determined. At only 890 grams, was this a male or a very skinny female?

Another mystery: the federal band on the hawk’s leg. Following regulations, veterinarian Shannon Riggs reported the band information to the USGS Bird Banding Lab at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center through their website. The lab responded with information that the bird had hatched in Solano County in 1999. From then on, everyone at PWC referred to #2681 as “our elderly bird.” However, given the extraordinary age of the bird based on the band information, the lab was initially dubious about the correctness of the information provided. Official recognition of the band’s information as legitimate was received recently on March 19.

The bird was emaciated, severely dehydrated, and depressed. Test results revealed parasitism and and liver dysfunction, but little information about the cause of the bird’s poor health. With so little evidence, Dr. Riggs says, it’s “hard to know what’s right for the bird,” but it was important “to give the bird a chance.”

Two weeks later, after fluids, medications, a blood transfusion, and a healthy diet, the hawk was “still very thin” but “snippier,” Dr. Riggs reported. In a raptor, snippy is good.

Three weeks after that, the bird had gained weight and responded well to treatment. Dr. Riggs called in the Creance Team to check flight ability and provide conditioning. (The word creance, from French, refers to the line to which the bird is attached for exercise.) Now at 1,680 grams (clearly a female), Red-tailed Hawk 2681 would have been challenging to handle out on the exercise field if she hadn’t been so cooperative. On all ten flights in this session and two subsequent sessions, she flew beautifully, with strength and perfect form. Our elderly hawk was cleared for release.

On the cold, windless day of her release, she weighed 1,740 grams. The huge bird emerged from the carrier . . . and stumbled. There was a sharp intake of breath from four anxious humans. But then the bird planted herself firmly on the ground and paused before lifting off. She flew low across the open field. Nearing the far side, like a 747 reaching the end of a runway, she pulled up just in time—and rose to the top of the highest tree.

Story by Pam H.
Video by Morgan N. and Kathy S.

#freedomfriday #redtailedhawk #wildlife #backhome #elderlybird #homesweethome #wildliferelease #wildliferehab ... See MoreSee Less

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I, too, recognized Pam's writing before I saw her name at the end. Pam isn't on FB, but I'll tell her we recognized her work!

Wow, 22 years old. Great job getting her back home.

interesting account.

Great post, thank you.

I could watch this on repeat all night!! May we all aspire to clear the tallest tree like a soulful 747, just as lucky RT 2681 has.

Amazing

Beautiful!!

Pam H.- I recognized your writer’s voice. Thank you for the wonderful story!

Just wonderful!

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Pacific Wildlife Care

1 week ago

We are thrilled to announce--with our friends at Oak and Otter Brewing Co.--a new brew starting in April: Keeping It Wild IPA! $2/pint will be donated to PWC to support our work to keep SLO County wildlife wild! Pouring now until the beer runs out. 🍻 Cheers! 🍻 ... See MoreSee Less