Anonymous
Source: SBWCN
The Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network expected a drop in intake numbers of wild animals in need this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff and volunteers have been surprised to see the very opposite; more animals have been brought in this Spring Baby Season than ever before.
Patient #3000 of this year, a baby band-tailed pigeon, was just admitted into the care of the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network on July 10th. Usually patient #3000 will come in between August and November. This patient is one of 448 wild animals currently receiving care at the Wildlife Care Network’s center in Goleta. Many of these patients are orphaned babies that are growing up in care.
The increase in patients may be attributed to a number of causes:
– Citizens with increased time on their hands are spending more time outside, thus finding more animals in distress.
– Outreach efforts from Wildlife Care Network personnel have reached wider audiences
– More animals are experiencing displacement, loss of habitat, and scarcity of food due to increased urban development and climate change.
Last year the Wildlife Care Network cared for 4,025 animals at their center in Goleta — the most animals ever cared for in a single year by the organization. This year they expect to care for even more.
Donations to support wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and release in Santa Barbara can be made at www.sbwcn.org/donate
