Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care, Inc.

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Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care, Inc.

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We keep wildlife WILD by helping Rescue, Rehab, & Release orphaned & injured wildlife in the Sierra Mountains. Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care, Inc.
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(LTWC) is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization. Our Federal ID number is 94-2799765. We are an independent, nonprofit volunteer organization whose function is to raise, rehabilitate and release orphaned and injured wild birds and animals. LTWC operates under permits issued by California Fish & Game and the United States Department of the Interior & Wildlife Service. No fee is charged for any bird or wild animal brought to the center, nor is any wild animal refused care. From a handful of people in 1978 with an idea to help wildlife in their area, LTWC has grown to an organization that now provides a service to more than nine counties in California and Nevada surrounding the Lake Tahoe region. Please donate to help support LTWC! LTWC relies on donations to care for injured and orphaned wildlife. The link below will take you to LTWC's PayPal page. You do not need to have a PayPal account to donate. https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=6X3HHR98W228U

09/04/2026

Our fawns need fresh browse every day through October!!

Our 3 little fawn orphans are growing quickly and are now weaning off milk. As they make this transition, they are eating an incredible amount of fresh browse, and we desperately need help keeping up with their appetites!

Our team is foraging every day, but we need a steady supply of fresh, non-toxic browse to keep these growing fawns fed through October.

We are currently looking for:

* Bitterbrush
* Mountain whitethorn
* Sagebrush
* Acorns
* Willow leaves
* Apple leaves
* Grapevines
* Fresh oak
* Maple
* Other fruit tree leaves (no citrus)

If you have access to any of these and can donate fresh browse, please reach out to us. We need it daily, and every donation helps.

We will still gladly accept logs for our beaver patient, but right now, our fawns are our most urgent need.

Thank you for helping us keep these hungry little ones fed as they grow stronger and prepare for life back in the wild!!

07/25/2026

Our fawn garden is hungry!!

These three little orphans are growing fast, and that means their appetites are growing right along with them. As they become more active and transition to eating increasingly more natural foods, we’re going through browse at an incredible rate.
We are in need of non-toxic browse such as willow, clover, dandelion, wild strawberries, dogwood, and mountain mahogany.

The more our patients grow, the more food they need. If you’re able to contribute, your donation helps keep these hungry little mouths, and all of our wildlife patients, fed as they heal and grow.

Thank you for helping us care for the wild ones who need us most!

07/11/2026

Wild Wonders starts today!🦇

Join us every Saturday at 1:00 PM through Labor Day for free educational programming at Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care.

Today, meet our Wildlife Educator & Rehabilitator, Lauren, and learn all about bats! Discover the BATS of the Sierras, the injuries we see in rehabilitation, and how our team helps these incredible animals heal and return to the wild.

Join us today at 1:00 PM at 1551 Al Tahoe Blvd, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150. Please note: No dogs are allowed on the property.

07/09/2026

Our American beaver patient, #26‑10, has been on an incredibly long and uncertain journey. When she arrived on January 21st, her injuries were so severe that there were moments we weren’t sure she would make it.

Today we’re finally able to say she has a positive prognosis and is officially on the path toward release. Behind the scenes, her care team has watched steady progress: her weight is holding, her appetite is strong enough to need twice‑daily meal refreshes, and her recent sedation for wound assessment went smoothly.

Many of her wounds are now scabbing over naturally, her back left punctures are healing cleanly without bandages, and her shoulder wound has shown significant improvement thanks to careful cleaning, a hydrocolloid patch, and a thin healing matrix that protects the skin and supports new tissue growth. Light therapy was applied to encourage continued healing, and she has remained comfortable throughout.

After months of intensive care, it’s a joy to see her moving steadily toward the day she can return to the wild where she belongs!

07/08/2026

Our first fawn of the year, #26‑236, arrived disoriented and cold after being found alone on a driveway with no mom in sight for hours. She weighed only 8 pounds on intake, but she has been growing quickly and has nearly doubled in size. She was soon joined by two more orphaned fawns, and with all three growing so quickly, it feels like we’re feeding a whole village!

We are in need of donated browse for these fawns as they transition to natural foods. Freshly trimmed, non‑toxic soft shoots such as willow, clover, dandelion, wild strawberries, dogwood, and mountain mahogany are especially helpful. And for the rest of our patients, we are also in need of acorns and fish!

Any contribution goes a long way in supporting the wildlife currently in our care!

06/04/2026

This adult male Common Merganser was admitted to LTWC after swallowing a fishing hook. He was found trapped in the river, still attached to nearby branches by monofilament fishing line.

Radiographs revealed the hook lodged inside his body, and our team quickly began preparing for surgery. In addition to the hook ingestion, he had significant trauma to his mouth and tongue from the hook and line. Sadly, despite our efforts, his condition declined, and due to the severity of his injuries, he was humanely euthanized.

This is a heartbreaking reminder that discarded fishing gear can have deadly consequences for wildlife. Fishing hooks and monofilament line do not simply disappear over time, and we regularly see patients suffering from hook injuries, entanglement, and ingestion.

If you fish, please help keep Tahoe's wildlife safe:
🎣 Pack out all fishing line
🎣 Dispose of hooks properly
🎣 Pick up discarded gear when you see it
🎣 Encourage others to do the same

A single hook or length of fishing line can cause immense suffering. A few extra moments of responsible disposal can save a wild life.

05/29/2026

Beaver #26-10 UPDATE! 🦫

Over the past several weeks, our medical team has continued performing routine debridements and treatments on both her shoulder wound and hip puncture wounds. We’re happy to report that the hip wounds are showing significant healing, and the “pus pocket” associated with the infection continues to shrink, which is a very encouraging sign that the infection is resolving.

While her recovery has been encouraging, her large shoulder wound remains our biggest challenge. Due to the size of the injury, healthy tissue regeneration has been extremely slow, so our medical team is preparing to take the next step in her treatment with a fish skin graft.

Fish skin grafts have been used successfully in both human and veterinary medicine to promote wound healing and tissue growth. Once placed over the wound, the graft acts as a scaffold that supports the patient’s own cells as new tissue develops.

Because these grafts require specialized processing and materials, they can cost anywhere from $200–$1200 depending on the size needed for the patient.

Despite everything, Beaver #26-10 continues to maintain a ravenous appetite during recovery! We are currently accepting donations of wood, kale, carrots, and sweet potatoes for her ongoing care.

Thank you for continuing to support Beaver 26-10 and follow along with her recovery journey. We’ll continue sharing updates as she heals. 💚

05/28/2026

This Western Bluebird, #26-37, was brought to LTWC after surviving an incredibly traumatic accident. She had been struck by not one, but two vehicles and became lodged in the grill of the second car. Thankfully, the finder was able to safely free the bird and quickly transport her to our hospital for emergency evaluation.

Upon intake, our team diagnosed a left metacarpal fracture and severe head trauma. Despite the extent of her injuries, she arrived in surprisingly stable condition. A body wrap was placed to stabilize the fractured wing, and she was immediately started on fluids and medications to help reduce swelling and support recovery from the head trauma.

Now nearly a month into care, this resilient bird continues to improve. While she has started eating on her own, our staff is still providing supplemental feedings and ongoing physical therapy for her injured wing. She will soon move into a larger flight space to continue rebuilding strength.

Although she still has a long recovery ahead, our team remains hopeful for her eventual release back into the wild!

05/25/2026

Join us and Clearly Tahoe Rentals on May 26 for a special Explorer Takeover benefiting Lake Tahoe’s native wildlife 🦉🛶

Explore the lake by clear kayak or aboard the Explorer boat while connecting with our staff and learn more about the wildlife that calls Tahoe home and the work that goes into rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing wild animals back into the wild.

10% of all Clearly Tahoe earnings on May 26 will be donated to support our work to help protect our wild neighbors!

05/23/2026

Are you passionate about wildlife and making a difference? Join the team at Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care and help protect our local wildlife! Learn More & Apply Today: https://ltwc.org/careers/ 🐻

Address

1551 Al Tahoe Boulevard
South Lake Tahoe, CA
96150

Website

http://www.ltwc.org/

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