Panhandle Wildlife Rescue

08/19/2026

Possums!
We’ve got every stage of rescue life happening over here — the tiny babies, the awkward teens, and the older, wiser ones who’ve seen some things. They’re adorable… until you disrupt their plans. Then you get that fierce hiss and growl that reminds you they’re still wild little warriors.
But goodness, look at these faces.
Every one of them has a story, a personality, and a whole lot of attitude.

08/12/2026

We are so very grateful for our supporters. Without you we wouldn’t be able to treat the 1000’s of patients that come through our doors. The past two seasons we have noticed nearly a 20% increase in patients, likely due to increased development and anthropogenic activity in the panhandle. We are currently treating nearly 150 patients and in taking an average of 6-8 patients per day. This increases our need for species specific formulas, diets, and medical equipment that allows us to monitor local zoonotic diseases, so if you are able to contribute to our mission the wildlife in our care would be so appreciative. Thank you for helping us, help them. It is our absolute pleasure to give back to the true locals of the panhandle.

08/07/2026

This red‑shouldered hawk is blossoming so nicely at Panhandle Wildlife Refuge. He’s bright‑eyed, feisty, and giving us that classic “I run this tree branch” attitude. Every day he looks a little stronger, a little more confident, and a whole lot more ready for the wild.

Here are some fun red‑shouldered hawk facts your wildlife crew will love:
• Gorgeous coloring — warm reddish chest, bold checkered wings, and those stunning translucent crescents in their wings when they fly.
• Forest specialists — they prefer wooded wetlands and river edges, making them one of Florida’s most vocal forest raptors.
• Distinctive call — their loud “kee‑ah, kee‑ah” scream is basically their way of yelling “this is MY territory.”
• Incredible hunters — they perch quietly, then swoop down with laser precision on frogs, snakes, and small mammals.
• Family‑focused — they often return to the same nesting area year after year, raising their young in tall trees near water.

Watching him grow has been such a gift. Soon he’ll be back out there, soaring over the Florida treetops like the majestic little boss he is.

08/03/2026

Our red‑tailed hawk at Panhandle Wildlife Refuge is thriving — strutting around like he owns the place, judging us with those “I have 8x better eyesight than you, peasant” eyes.
He’ll be heading back to the wild soon, probably with a dramatic farewell scream just to let us know he’s still the boss.
Fun hawk facts:
• That red tail doesn’t show up until age two, so yes — they go through an awkward teen phase.
• Eyesight so sharp he could spot a mouse doing yoga from 100 feet up.
• Movie scream? Always a red‑tail. Hollywood said, “We don’t care what bird it is — use the dramatic one.”
• Mate for life — because even hawks have better relationship stability than most of us.
This guy is almost ready to go back to the skies and resume his full‑time job of being majestic and mildly judgmental.

08/02/2026

This gorgeous pelican is still with us at the refuge, rehabbing like an absolute champ. He's eating well, preening, stretching those big wings, and giving us that classic pelican side-eye that says, "I'm fine... but also I'm judging you."
He'll be heading back to the wild soon - stronger, healthier, and ready to glide over the Gulf like he owns the place.
Fun facts about pelicans that make them even more lovable:
• Built-in storage bag — that famous throat pouch can hold up to 3 gallons of water and fish.
• Expert divers - brown pelicans plunge from 60 feet up, hitting the water like feathery torpedoes.
• Team players - they often hunt cooperatively, herding fish together like a little ocean committee.
• Ancient lineage - pelicans have been around for 30 million years, just minding their business and perfecting the art of dramatic fishing.
• Eco helpers — healthy pelican populations are a sign of a thriving coastline.
Watching him heal has been a gift - and soon he'll be back out there living his best salty, sun-soaked pelican life. Second chances ❤️

07/31/2026

Rocky may look like a sweet little cuddle-muffin with those big eyes and tiny hands... but don't let that fool you. This boy is wild, opinionated, and fully committed to living his best trash-bandit life.
But here's the twist - raccoons like Rocky aren't just adorable troublemakers. They're actually incredibly important for the environment. While people often see them as pests, raccoons quietly help keep nature balanced.
Why Rocky (and his wild cousins) are actually
"good" for the world:
• Natural Pest Control - Raccoons eat the critters we don't want hanging around.
• Insects - Crickets, beetles, even yellow-jacket larvae. They'll raid a nest like tiny masked exterminators.
• Rodents - Rats and mice don't stand a chance.
• Snakes - They help keep snake numbers in check around homes and neighborhoods.
So yes — Rocky may act like he's auditioning for a Disney movie, but he's out here doing real environmental work. Cute, chaotic, and surprisingly helpful.
Here's to Rocky: the adorable little liar who pretends to be sweet while secretly running pest control for the entire neighborhood.

07/27/2026

Sedony has been with us since he was just a tiny fluffball, and let me tell you — this Great Horned Owl has grown into a full‑blown personality. Vocal. Sassy. Opinionated. The kind of bird who will absolutely tell you how his day is going whether you asked or not.
He’s been hand‑raised with all the care and respect a future wild owl deserves, and he’s flourishing beautifully. Strong wings, sharp instincts, and that signature Great Horned attitude that says, “I run this place.”
Soon, Sedony will be heading back to the wild — exactly where he belongs.
But for now, we’re soaking up every hoot, every side‑eye, and every dramatic feather‑fluff he gifts us.

Here’s to Sedony: the sassiest little king of the treetops. 🦉❤️🙌🏻

05/27/2026

Many thanks to the Emerald Coast Parrot Head Club for their continued support of our mission here at PWR! Come join the fun at Props Hammock Bay this Friday from 6 - 8:30 PM.

05/23/2026

8:45am. He’s reappeared!!! Just received this msg
Hi! I just drove by the Navy Base and the pelican is sitting on the road on the Navy base side by the corner of Navy Blvd and 98 right before the turn to go on the bridge. It’s still there and looks like it needs help 😞
*****
UPDATE. 5/24/26. 8am. She just made a loop around the base looking. Nothing. Someone on base may have picked him up. 🙏

5/23/26. 11/30am. Help!

I don’t really know what to do but there is a pelican on the Navy base that is lost and disoriented. It also sits down every few feet. FWC transferred me to a rehabber but they are not taking in animals. Was wondering if maybe you could get the word out. Thanks

05/20/2026

Good Morning, Friends. This beginning of baby season is like nothing I've ever seen in my almost 20 years in the field. Since the beginning of April PWR has been caring for 200+ patients on average, a feat that usually doesn't occur until peak season which is end of June/beginning of July. We currently have around 100 baby opossums, 20 raccoons, 50 squirrels, 15 young raptors, baby skunks, baby armadillos, baby foxes, and an amalgamation of fledgling birds in care along with our other adult critical care patients and we are going through formula, prey items, and produce at an astonishing (expensive) rate. If you were ever thinking about donating to give wildlife a second chance, this is the time! Our biggest needs are fox valley formulas (raccoon, opossom, squirrel, skunk, fox, and 32/40), frozen rats/mice/chicks, live mealworms/crickets, baitfish and bait shrimp, fruits/veggies, yogurt, hard and soft cat/dog food, and eggs. All donations go directly towards animal care here at PWR and we have zeffy (no fees), paypal, and a venmo. If you would rather directly purchase items and have them shipped we use the fox valley animal nutrition website and henry's for formula, rodent pro for prey items, flukers for live insects, and walmart for produce/pet food.

At Panhandle Wildlife Rescue, we fight every day to safeguard and rehabilitate our wild neighbors. We run a full service trauma hospital and provide top-quality care to over 1000's of patients that come to us.Every donation helps us rescue and rehabilitate native Florida wildlife in trouble.Your gen...