Stanislaus Wildlife Care Center

Stanislaus Wildlife Care Center The Stanislaus Wildlife Care Center cares for injured and orphaned wild animals so they can be released back into their natural environments.

We are supported entirely by donations. Ask us about volunteering at [email protected]!

08/29/2026

The pelican is doing much better. By the time you see this, he will be in an outside aviary. He is still having problems with one leg, but his appetite has returned. To relieve the boredom of being stuck in a hospital cage, we toss fish to him.

Notice the way he flutters his neck as he swallows. It is amazing how he manages to position the fish for swallowing. Most animals would use their tongues to help with positioning food and swallowing, but his tongue is only half an inch long – pretty useless for much of anything.

For more information, please visit our website: https://www.stanislauswildlife.org

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08/24/2026

This is a young white pelican. It will be a year or two before his beak turns orange.

He was shot. The bullet went all the way through him. We think it missed any organs like liver or intestines, but it did damage his air sacs.

Bird lungs are quite different from mammal lungs. They don’t have microscopic air sacs that the air goes in and out of. Instead, they have tubes. Air flows in one direction, and blood flows in the other. That extracts the maximum amount of oxygen from the air. And the air flows through the lungs in the same direction whether the bird is breathing in or out.

To do that, the bird has several air sacs that manage airflow. These are made of very delicate transparent tissue. The bullet put holes in at least two air sacs. So air is leaking under his skin and who knows where else.

It also damaged the nerves to one leg. He can move the leg, but it is very weak. We are hoping that the air sacs will heal, his leg will recover, and he doesn’t get a massive infection.

This will probably be a long recovery. If it looks as if he will live, we will probably transfer him to another center that has much better pelican facilities than we do

For more information, please visit our website: https://www.stanislauswildlife.org

Venmo:.

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Sometimes it can be difficult or even impossible for us to determine precisely what is wrong with an animal. This great ...
08/21/2026

Sometimes it can be difficult or even impossible for us to determine precisely what is wrong with an animal. This great egret isn’t doing well, so we did some lab tests to see if they would enlighten us.

First, we X-rayed the bird. That was not very illuminating. Everything looks pretty good.

Then we did a little blood work, a PVC and a smear. The PVC, or packed cell volume, tells us how much of his blood is made up of red blood cells. In this case, he is a little anemic, but that is not the main problem. The upper part of the tubes, the plasma, should be clear or slightly yellowish. Instead, it is full of fatty material. This is called lipemia, or fat in the blood. Some birds will have a little fat in their blood after they eat, called post-prandial lipemia, but this is excessive.

So we did a blood smear. That wasn’t normal either. For those of you who look at blood smears, this is not the result of poor slide preparation or blood collection. For those who don’t know what you are looking at, I will explain.

The pink cells with a purple center are red blood cells. In humans and mammals in general, red blood cells are round with a clearer center. In birds, they are oblong with a purple nucleus in the center. The nucleus should all be the same darker purple. The light ones are abnormal.

There are many other odd things in this slide, including that the only kind of white cells I could find were basophils.

For more information, please visit our website: https://www.stanislauswildlife.org

Venmo:.

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The mystery squirrels from a few days ago are eastern fox squirrels. The shape of the face suggested that, but the reddi...
08/12/2026

The mystery squirrels from a few days ago are eastern fox squirrels. The shape of the face suggested that, but the reddish tint now visible on the tail confirms they are fox squirrels.

And, we just got in another pair of mystery squirrels. These are only a day or two old. They have a few injuries, but I think they will recover.

I think they don’t look old enough to be born, but most rodents are born at this stage of development.

We are well past baby bird season. Most of our baby birds have been released, are in pre-release aviaries, or are just waiting to get a little older so they can go outside. The raccoons, coyotes, opossums, and so forth are outside and getting ready for release. All the spring squirrels were long ago released. But tree squirrels also breed in the fall.

So we are just starting baby tree squirrel season.

For more information, please visit our website: https://www.stanislauswildlife.org

Venmo:.

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This young osprey fell or took his first flight from his nest and landed on the ground. It is not unusual for birds to l...
08/11/2026

This young osprey fell or took his first flight from his nest and landed on the ground. It is not unusual for birds to leave the nest before they can fly well. But his nest is on a phone pole in the middle of an empty field. If we could get him up on something, another tree or building roof, the parents would probably continue to feed him. But there isn’t anything remotely close enough.

It wasn’t safe to leave him on the ground, so he was brought to us.

Unfortunately, ospreys are one of the most difficult birds to care for. It is extremely rare for them to eat in captivity, no matter what is offered. And they are stressed by just about any disturbance.

You cannot raise a baby until it is a strong flyer if you have to force-feed it several times a day. And ospreys eat fish, which are low in calories, so it takes a lot to meet its needs.

We are looking for another wildlife center that has an osprey. Sometimes they will eat if they have a companion.

For more information, please visit our website: https://www.stanislauswildlife.org

Venmo:.

Paypal – please visit our website https://www.stanislauswildlife.org/

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08/04/2026

And to top the day off with three posts, here is a little video of two more mystery squirrels. I think they are Eastern gray squirrels. I will have to wait a few days to be sure.

For more information, please visit our website: https://www.stanislauswildlife.org

Venmo:.

Paypal – please visit our website
https://www.stanislauswildlife.org/

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This is what they said about us. Tonight, it is the Stanislaus County Fish and Wildlife Committee’s privilege to recogni...
08/04/2026

This is what they said about us.

Tonight, it is the Stanislaus County Fish and Wildlife Committee’s privilege to recognize an organization whose compassion, dedication, and unwavering commitment have made a lasting difference for the wildlife and natural heritage of Stanislaus County. It is my honor to present the 2025 Stanislaus County Environmental Group of the Year Award to the Stanislaus Wildlife Care Center.

For decades, the Stanislaus Wildlife Care Center has served as a lifeline for injured, orphaned, and displaced native wildlife. Every year, countless birds, mammals, and reptiles are given a second chance because of the tireless efforts of its volunteers, rehabilitators, veterinarians, and supporters. Their work extends far beyond treating injured animals—it restores healthy populations, strengthens local ecosystems, and reminds us that every living creature has value.

The Center also plays a vital role in educating our community. Through outreach programs, public education, and guidance for residents who encounter wildlife, they foster respect, understanding, and responsible stewardship of our natural world. Their message is simple yet powerful: when people learn to coexist with wildlife, both nature and our communities thrive.

The Stanislaus Wildlife Care Center has also demonstrated that conservation is built on collaboration. By working with wildlife rehabilitation organizations across California, they ensure animals receive the specialized care they need and contribute to a statewide network dedicated to protecting native species. Their willingness to partner with others reflects a commitment that reaches well beyond county lines.

Perhaps most inspiring is the spirit of volunteerism that defines this organization. Thousands of hours are donated by individuals who ask for nothing in return except the opportunity to make a difference. Their generosity reflects the very best of Stanislaus County—a community that cares deeply about preserving the natural beauty and biodiversity that enrich our lives.

Environmental leadership is measured not only by protecting land and water, but by protecting the living creatures that depend upon them. The Stanislaus Wildlife Care Center has exemplified that leadership through compassion, education, and service.

On behalf of our community, thank you for your extraordinary dedication, your countless hours of service, and your enduring commitment to California's native wildlife. Your work has inspired others to become better stewards of our shared environment and has left a lasting legacy for future generations.

Please join me and the members of the Stanislaus County Fish and Wildlife Committee in congratulating the Stanislaus Wildlife Care Center, as the recipient of the 2025 Stanislaus County Environmental Group of the Year Award.

On July 21, I posted a picture of a tiny baby squirrel that didn't have enough fur to make a positive ID. As happens, li...
08/04/2026

On July 21, I posted a picture of a tiny baby squirrel that didn't have enough fur to make a positive ID. As happens, life gets busy, and I never followed up.

Here is a picture of the squirrel a few days later, making it obvious that he is an Eastern fox squirrel. Today, he is much bigger and has friends. He is still nursing, but doing fine.

For more information, please visit our website: https://www.stanislauswildlife.org

Venmo:.

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The Stanislaus Wildlife Care Center has just received an award from the Stanislaus County Fish and Wildlife Committee. I...
07/27/2026

The Stanislaus Wildlife Care Center has just received an award from the Stanislaus County Fish and Wildlife Committee. It is so nice to be recognized for our efforts.

The Stanislaus County Fish and Wildlife Committee allocates funds for wildlife conservation and preservation. They also organize events to promote wildlife conservation. Each year, they honor a conservation or wildlife organization in Stanislaus County. We are rather proud that they chose us.

For more information, please visit our website: https://www.stanislauswildlife.org

Venmo:.

Paypal – please visit our website https://www.stanislauswildlife.org/

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07/27/2026

Jackrabbit update. Unfortunately, she didn't make it. I was not able to prevent her diarrhea from getting progressively worse. As anyone who rehabs baby rabbits knows, they are prone to fatal diarrheas. Sometimes the cause is obvious and avoidable, but too often the cause is a mystery, and treatments seldom work.

Address

1220 Geer Road
Hughson, CA
95326

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+12098839414

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