WildCareOklahoma

08/29/2026

A BIG THANK YOU to Cassidy Mudd and all our friends at KWTV - NEWS 9 for shining a light on fall bird migration and how Oklahomans can help birds make this incredible journey safely!

Both spring and fall migration are extraordinary and dangerous for birds. But fall migration brings something especially remarkable: millions of young birds are making their very first long-distance journey. Birds born just months ago above the Arctic Circle, across Canada and the northern United States, and right here in Oklahoma are now taking to the skies, often alongside their parents, beginning their journeys south.

They’ll travel hundreds or even thousands of miles to reach their overwintering grounds in Texas, Mexico, Central America, and South America. Along the way, they face enormous challenges, from habitat loss and predators to window collisions, artificial light, loss of food from pesticide and herbicide use, and other human-caused hazards.

That’s why this coverage matters.

Thank you, KWTV - NEWS 9 for helping WildCareOklahoma spread the word so Oklahomans understand what’s happening in the skies above us and for sharing simple steps we can all take to give these remarkable travelers, especially this year’s newly fledged young birds, a better chance of reaching their winter homes.

Turn off unnecessary outdoor lights at night.
Keep cats inside.
Make windows safer for birds.
Protect native habitat.
And spread the word!

Safe travels, little ones. Oklahoma is rooting for you!

https://www.news9.com/oklahoma-city-news/more-than-8-million-birds-cross-oklahoma-during-fall-migration

More than 8.4 million birds crossed Oklahoma in just one night. Here’s what WildCare Oklahoma says residents can do to help them migrate safely.

08/28/2026

We love partnering with our friends at Lake Thunderbird State Park and sharing our love of Oklahoma’s wildlife!

And what better way to celebrate International Bat Night than by heading out after dark to learn more about some of our most fascinating—and misunderstood—wild neighbors? 🦇

This weekend’s walk is already full, but don’t worry—we have two more Bat Walks coming up September 25 & 26!

Registration for the September walks opens on Sunday, September 6 and will be posted on the Lake Thunderbird State Park page.

We hope you’ll join us for an evening with the bats!

08/26/2026

Tonight is a peak migration night for birds!

Birds are flying from and through Oklahoma on treacherous journeys to their overwintering grounds in the southern U.S., Mexico, Central America, and South America.

Birds migrating at night, use the stars, moon, and even their ability to sense Earth’s magnetic field to navigate. But artificial light can disrupt that journey, drawing birds off course and into dangerous situations.

Streetlights. Stadium lights. Car lots. Porch lights. And even light shining through our windows can make migration more dangerous.

You can help the estimated 267 million birds on the move tonight including Little Blue Herons, Eastern Kingbirds, Black Terns, Great Crested Flycatchers, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, and Baltimore Orioles by taking two simple steps:

1. Turn off exterior lights from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.
2. Close your blinds or curtains to keep indoor light from shining outside.

It takes just a few minutes, but those minutes can make a tremendous difference for birds making one of the most difficult journeys of their lives including all of the babies born this summer making their first migration trips.

You can help protect millions of birds simply by turning off the lights. Tonight, make a difference. Lights out for birds!

📸Paul Rusinko, WildCareOklahoma

08/24/2026

A BIG THANK YOU to our friends at KOKH FOX 25 News, Oklahoma for featuring the work of WildCareOklahoma in their wonderful Living Oklahoma segment.

We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to share our mission and the stories of the wildlife we are privileged to care for with viewers across Oklahoma.

Thank you for helping shine a light on Oklahoma’s wildlife and the people working every day to protect it.

https://okcfox.com/features/living-oklahoma/behind-the-scenes-in-noble-wildcare-oklahoma-rehabs-injured-orphaned-animals

You might have heard of WildCare Oklahoma.They help injured and orphaned animals prepare for a return to the wild.They have a dedicated team who have taken se

08/23/2026

Imagine our surprise! Right in the middle of our Restock the Pantry Campaign, our annual drive for the food, supplies, and equipment our wildlife patients need, someone sent a very different kind of care package: treats for the humans who care for the wildlife.

These boxes arrived filled with thoughtful goodies and encouragement for the staff and volunteers at WildCareOklahoma. In a season when so much of the focus is on caring for the animals, this unexpected gesture of kindness meant more than you know.

To the mystery donor: thank you. Truly. You reminded us that the people behind the work need a little care, too.

Unfortunately, there was no gift receipt, so we don't know who you are! If these boxes of joy came from you, please let us know at [email protected]. We'd love the opportunity to formally thank you.

Whoever you are, you made our day.

P.S. If you would like to support our Restock the Pantry efforts, please follow this link:https://www.wildcareoklahoma.org/wp-content/uploads/Restock-the-Pantry__2026.pdf OR go to our Amazon https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/S5NN8PLP7218/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_1?or Chewy https://www.chewy.com/g/wildcare-oklahoma_b157841354 -list&wishlistsortby=DEFAULT wishlists.

Be sure to include a gift receipt stating that you are the sender so we can thank you!

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08/23/2026

WildCareOklahoma's 9,000th patient of 2026. And it’s only August.

Meet a red-eared slider rescued from a Norman park with a fishing hook painfully lodged in its mouth. Our veterinary team has started pain medication and antibiotics, and surgery is scheduled for Tuesday to give this turtle time to stabilize first.

And heartbreakingly, this was the second turtle brought to WildCareOklahoma today with a fishing hook lodged in its mouth.

Last year, our 9,000th patient didn’t arrive until the end of October. This year, we’ve reached this milestone 60 days earlier.

The pace of wildlife suffering and the demand for WildCare’s services continues to climb.

Please pick up fishing line and properly dispose of hooks. A moment of care can prevent a lifetime of suffering for wildlife.

Behind every number is a wild life worth saving.

📸Madi Long, WildCareOklahoma

08/21/2026

Meet patient 26-8965, northern raccoon.

This raccoon was found abandoned in an apartment bathtub covered in f***s, with no food or water. Someone had taken this raccoon from the wild and kept him for an unknown amount of time before abandoning him. The kind person that found this suffering raccoon took time to clean him off before bringing him to WildCareOklahoma for a second chance. We are so full of gratitude for the kindness this rescuer showed this animal.

He also has an unusual condition called brachycephaly, meaning his snout is shorter than normal, similar to the shortened face of a bulldog. We don't yet know how this may affect his long-term health, but our goal is clear: to rehabilitate him and give him the best possible chance to live a life in the wild.

Sadly, this is not an isolated case. WildCareOklahoma is currently caring for nine raccoons who were taken from the wild by people who decided to keep them as pets and then turned them over to WildCare Oklahoma a because law enforcement got involved or the animal became too much for them to handle (which nearly always happens as wild animals mature).

Taking wildlife from the wild is illegal, and keeping a wild animal as a "pet" is fundamentally cruel. Raccoons have complex nutritional, behavioral, social, and environmental needs that a home simply cannot provide. "Caring" for a raccoon or any other animal based on vibes or information from Google is inhumane. Please adopt cats and dogs from shelters if pets are desired and get orphaned wildlife to licensed rehabilitators.

Our hope is that 26-8965 and the other former “pets” in our care can learn the skills they need to return to the wild where they deserve to be.

📸 Mack Thomas, CWR,

08/20/2026

A caring Oklahoman found Yellow-crowned Night Heron 26-8808 injured and made sure this beautiful bird got the help it needed.

When the heron arrived at WildCareOklahoma our veterinary team found a metacarpal fracture, with a possible coracoid fracture as well. We’re hopeful this special bird will make a full recovery, but as with every wild animal in care, the prognosis is guarded.

Yellow-crowned night herons are fascinating summertime visitors to Oklahoma. Each spring, they migrate north from Central America and the Gulf Coast to breed, with many making their home across the eastern two-thirds of our state.

And because Oklahoma is a long way from the ocean, these adaptable herons have traded their usual seafood menu for something a little more landlocked: freshwater crayfish! Unlike many birds, they hunt at dusk, during the night, and at dawn, which makes spotting one of these beautiful birds a special treat.

For now, 26-8808 is in good hands. Our veterinary and rehabilitation teams will give this heron the care, time, and support it needs to hopefully return to the wild where it belongs.

Go, little heron. We’re rooting for you.

📸 Dr. Kimberly Downing,

08/18/2026

When animal welfare organizations work together, animals across Oklahoma benefit.

A big thank-you to Oklahoma Humane Society CEO Mark Eby for making the trip to Noble to visit WildCareOklahoma for the first time! WildCareOklahoma's executive director, Inger Giuffrida visited Oklahoma Humane Society earlier this year.

While our organizations serve different animals, our missions are deeply complementary. Oklahoma Humane helps cats and dogs through affordable spay/neuter services, veterinary care, fostering, and adoption. WildCare Oklahoma cares for Oklahoma’s wild animals, providing medical treatment, rehabilitation, and a second chance for injured and orphaned wildlife.

Together, organizations like ours form a critical part of Oklahoma’s animal welfare infrastructure by helping animals, supporting the people who care about them, and strengthening the communities we all call home.

We’re grateful for the opportunity to connect, learn from one another, and explore how we can make Oklahoma an even better place for all animals—domestic and wild.

Thanks for coming to see us, Mark!

08/18/2026