Keep Our Wildlife Wild

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Old Forge, NY
Keep Our Wildlife Wild

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Our Story
In August 2024, a tragic incident unfolded in Old Forge, NY, where a mother bear and her two cubs were euthanized by state officials.

The bears had become habituated to human food sources, leading to increased interactions with people. Despite efforts by some community members to deter crowds and protect the bears, the situation escalated, resulting in the bears being deemed a threat and subsequently euthanized.

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident, and we aim to minimize the risk of similar outcomes in our region moving forward.

This heartbreaking event galvanized local residents, wildlife advocates, and visitors alike, highlighting the urgent need for proactive measures to prevent such occurrences. In response, Keep Our Wildlife Wild was established to honor the memory of these bears and to promote harmonious coexistence between humans and wildlife in the Adirondack region. Our Mission
Our mission is to:
Educate the public on the importance of not feeding or approaching wild animals
Implement community-based initiatives to secure garbage and reduce attractants
Advocate for policies that protect wildlife and promote responsible human behavior
Collaborate with local authorities, businesses, and residents to create a safer environment for both humans and animals
Plans for the future include an emphasis on the rehabilitation of bears through partnering with other organizations or creating our own center

By fostering understanding and respect for wildlife, we aim to prevent future tragedies and ensure that the natural beauty and biodiversity of the Adirondacks are preserved for generations to come.

09/19/2026

THANK YOU - THANK YOU - THANK YOU!

I hope you all know how much this means to us and Adirondack Wildlife!

09/19/2026

Less than 1hour left to help us raise money for ice water rescue suits to save stranded loons that get iced in as well as larger wildlife that fall through the ice.

On behalf of Keep Our Wildlife Wild, we appreciate you so much!!!

I’m ready to support Keep Our Wildlife Wild on September 18, 2026 during Mohawk Valley Gives 2026. Learn more about Keep Our Wildlife Wild and all the other organizations participating in Mohawk Valley Gives 2026.

09/18/2026

The link is now live to donate!!

09/17/2026

Starting tonight at midnight until 9pm tomorrow is the big day for ❤️🐻Keep Our Wildlife Wild 🐻❤️

We are participating in the 5th annual “Mohawk Valley Gives,” a community-wide giving day to benefit nonprofit organizations serving the Mohawk Valley.❤️

Keep Our Wildlife Wild is raising money to:
1. Purchase ice water rescue suits (used when loons get iced in or when animals fall through)
2. Replace garbage infrastructure in Old Forge and surrounding areas.
3. Purchase electrified mats & fencing
4. Help support local organizations that take in and rehab Adirondack animals.
5. Operating costs

FYI: WHAT TIME you donate could help us win even more money.

There are bonus prizes we can qualify for based on timing, number of donors, dollars raised, and even a little bit of luck.

Here's a chart that can help your donation go even further!

12:00 AM SHARP — First Things First
$250
First 4 organizations to receive an online donation after midnight win

12 AM–6 AM — Raise the Roof
$250
1 organization randomly selected from those receiving a donation during this time

8–9 AM — Rise & Shine
$250
4 organizations randomly selected from those receiving a donation during this hour

12–1 PM — Power Lunch
$250
4 organizations randomly selected from those receiving a donation during this hour

5–6 PM — Happy Hour
$250
4 organizations randomly selected from those receiving a donation during this hour

Throughout the day — MV Gives Express
$250
The organization receiving the 918th donation of the event wins

Closest to 8:59:59 PM — Beat the Buzzer
$250
The last 4 organizations to receive a donation before giving closes win

First-year organizations — First Act
$250
3 first-time participating organizations randomly selected

Animals category — Furry Friends
$250
3 organizations in the Animals primary cause area randomly selected

First-year organizations — Rookie of the Year
$1,000
New organization in each size category raising the most online dollars wins

All day — Most Dollars
$2,000
Organization in each size category raising the most online dollars wins

All day — Most Donors
$2,500
Organization in each size category with the most unique online donors wins

09/16/2026

SOMETHING BIG IS HAPPENING FRIDAY.🐻

This Friday, September 18, Keep Our Wildlife Wild is participating in Mohawk Valley Gives, and we've set a goal to raise $15,000.

Because of this incredible community, we reached our Phase One goal and broke ground on our black bear cub rehabilitation facility last month!

Now we're looking to the equipment and resources needed that will allow us to respond when wildlife needs help.

Where will this $15,000 go?

🧊 Ice-water rescue suits for our trained team to safely respond when wildlife is stranded on the ice.

🗑️ Bear-resistant garbage solutions for Webb and surrounding communities, beginning with high-traffic areas — helping remove the easy food sources that draw bears into populated areas.

⚡ Electric fencing and deterrent mats that can be loaned to residents when a bear begins repeatedly visiting their property.

🐻 Operating costs for the KOWW center as we prepare for what's ahead.

Every one of these things has the same goal:
1. Preventing human/wildlife conflicts before they escalate.
2. Giving wildlife a better chance to stay WILD.

Mohawk Valley Gives runs from midnight until 9 PM FRIDAY — just 21 hours.

❤️ DON'T DONATE YET ❤️
You can donate now, however, there are more perks and prizes if you wait until Friday Midnight - 9pm.

We'll post the link when it's GO TIME.

Whether it's $5, $25, $100 or simply sharing our posts Friday — it ALL moves this mission forward. 🐻❤️

Thank You!
On behalf of Keep Our WILDlife WILD,
Kelly Hunkins, Don Andrews, Kurt Gardner and Michelle Bartlett

.

08/28/2026

🐻 WE REACHED OUR PHASE ONE GOAL! 🐻

Thanks to all of you, Keep Our Wildlife Wild has raised the initial $200,000 needed to break ground on the black bear cub rehabilitation facility!

Every raffle ticket you bought. Every donation you made. Every event you attended. Every post you shared. Every person you told about what we’re trying to accomplish — YOU helped get us here.

What started as an idea is about to become a place where orphaned black bear cubs can get the care they need and a second chance at life in the wild.

Reaching $200,000 completes Phase One, but our fundraising doesn’t stop here. Once we begin receiving cubs, there will be ongoing costs to operate the facility and provide whatever each bear needs while in our care.

But today, we celebrate.

We raised $200,000.
We reached our Phase One goal.
And Sunday, WE BREAK GROUND!

Thank you. Truly. We did it. 🐻❤️

08/26/2026

We are so excited!!

08/06/2026

The coolest thing you'll see all day.

📽 by Mike Soegtrop

08/05/2026

A mother dolphin was spotted carrying her dead calf through an Australian estuary for days in a heartbreaking display of grief.

The dolphin, named Fraggle, gave birth just 2 weeks earlier. The calf was Fraggle's 4th loss, according to Geographe Marine Research, which documented the encounter in Western Australia's Leschenault Estuary.

Researchers had been monitoring Fraggle and her calf, knowing a winter birth would make survival more challenging. They later observed the calf breathing at an unusually high rate and "knew this day was coming".

Dolphins are known to carry their deceased calves for several days while mourning before eventually letting go to feed and survive.

📽 by Mothership

Address

3032 State Rt 28
Old Forge, NY
13420

Website

http://www.keepourwildlifewild.com/

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