Following is a selected project highlight from the Share with Wildlife mission to assist all New Mexico wildlife in need, no matter what species.
Flight pen at the Center. (Ginny Seamster)
Do you live in southeastern New Mexico? Do you want to know what you can do if you find a bird or other animal that appears to be sick or injured? If you live in the Carlsbad area or Chaves, Eddy, Lea, Lincoln, or Otero Counties, then the Desert Willow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center is the place to call to get your questions about injured or orphaned wildlife answered and the place to bring these animals if Center staff so advises.
The Center is located at 512 Fiesta Drive in Carlsbad and has highly skilled staff and enclosures for housing a diversity of wildlife while they are being rehabilitated. The Center is in the process of expanding their facilities for medical treatment of wildlife, which will further enhance their abilities to serve the wildlife rehabilitation needs of southeastern New Mexico. These needs have expanded in recent years as the southeastern part of the state has seen increased development. Upwards of 600 animals typically pass through the Center’s doors in a given year.
Surgery at Desert Willow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. (Ginny Seamster)
Wildlife ambassador Mr. Peabody the pelican. (Ginny Seamster)
The Desert Willow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center is a great place to start if you’ve found a wild animal in the southeastern part of New Mexico that you think may need help, or if you need assistance excluding an animal, such as a bat, from your residence. Center staff will be able to tell you whether it is appropriate to move the animal and bring it to their facility in Carlsbad, or whether someone from the Center can come to you for animal transport. Center staff will perform an examination on any animals brought in to determine what can be done for them and will carefully document all information relevant to the animal throughout its stay at the Center. To protect the animals being rehabilitated, and prevent imprinting on humans by juveniles, members of the public are not allowed to tour the enclosures where the animals are held during rehabilitation.
Pond at the Center. (Ginny Seamster)
Desert Willow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center also provides a multitude of educational opportunities for a diversity of audiences, including school children, interested organizations, and members of the public. They typically bring “wildlife ambassadors”, animals that are not able to be released back to the wild, to inform their presentations. Please contact the Center if you are interested in a wildlife presentation at a local event!