International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council

Animal Help Now - Emergency Resource Animal Help Now provides the best wildlife 911 app and helps humans be better neighbors to wildlife. The nonprofit serves the entire United States.

If you find an entangled animal, don't spend a lot of time untangling them and don't let them go - invisible injuries to tendons, nerves and muscles are common in entanglement cases. Get them to a rehabber ASAP! US: www.ahnow.org UK: www.helpwildlife.co.uk AUS: www.fauna.org.au

A bird sitting in its cozy nest with a word bubble that says "Real spiderwebs help strengthen my nest!"

A colorful and unique spider on a web, with a word bubble "Real spiderwebs help me catch food!"

Fake spiderwebs draped over the front of a house and shrubs with a word bubble that says "Fake spiderwebs are dangerous for wildlife and create needless plastic waste"

Fake spider webs draped over trees and bushes with a word bubble that says "Don't try to release entangled animals! Snip the web around them and bring them into care"

Some #halloween decorations endanger #wildlife! Keep wildlife safe and the fun alive by avoiding fake spider webbing and dangling fishing line.

Thank you to Kanyana Wildlife for sharing this timely reminder for #spooky season! Support them here: tinyurl.com/mvta2nvm

#birds #bats #conservation

IWRC Newsletter Out Now! Check your inbox for #wildliferehab news, resources, updates, upcoming classes and conferences, and more!

Not subscribed but want to catch up? Click here: mailchi.mp/theiwrc.org/...

Want to sign up? Click here: theiwrc.org/development/...
#wildiferescue #veterinary #birds

A raccoon shares details about the new online version of IWRC's Fluid Therapy course: This interactive, self-paced course will go over the signs of dehydration, how to estimate the severity of that dehydration, different types of fluids available and how to decide which one to use. You'll learn about different administration methods and practice giving fluids through oral and injectable routes during hands-on labs. You'll practice calculating how much fluid to give and learn what goes into an effective fluid therapy plan. And, because wildlife species often have differing needs and special considerations, you'll learn how to adjust your plan for each species you care for. Mark your calendars and watch this space! Registration opens Monday, October 27! RACE approval is pending for 9.25 hours of Continuing Education.

IWRC's Online Fluid Therapy course will be available on October 27, 2025! Understanding Fluid Therapy is a crucial skill for every wildlife caretaker - nearly every patient arrives dehydrated and treatment is the difference between life and death. #wildliferehab #wildliferescue #veterinary #CE #bird

Join us online for our monthly wildlife seminar Coffee & Tea with IWRC. This month's topic is Cicada-induced vitamin A deficiency in wild birds with Dr Sarah Reich. October 29, 2025, 8pm UTC (which is 1 pm PDT, 4pm EDT, 10pm SAST, 5am JST, 6am AEST). Register at bit.ly/CT1025

Free #wildliferehab webinar with Dr. Sarah Reich! When the DuPage WCC saw an increase in fledgling wild #birds with similar symptoms, they thought they might it might be a new disease. Instead, it was the unlikeliest of suspects: cicadas. Register to hear this fascinating story: www.bit.ly/CT1025

Migration Alert: Over 470 million birds are forecast to fly across the eastern Midwest tonight. Turn off all nonessential lights from 11 PM to 6 AM to keep them from becoming disoriented. More than a 1B birds die in glass collisions every year. Discover ways to help them: bit.ly/stopbirdcoll...

Animal Help Now - Emergency Resource Animal Help Now provides the best wildlife 911 app and helps humans be better neighbors to wildlife. The nonprofit serves the entire United States.

If you find a hurt bird by a window, don't wait to see if they fly away - birds that hit windows can have injuries that don't prevent them from flying, including damaged beak or eyes. Get them to a rehabber ASAP! US: www.ahnow.org UK: www.helpwildlife.co.uk AUS: www.fauna.org.au

Birdcast is an awesome website that shows live images of migration routes and timing in the US: birdcast.info/migration-to...

EuroBirdPortal does the same for Europe! eurobirdportal.org/ebp/en/#home...

Do you know of any other migration websites for other regions? We'd love to see!

Did you know migrating #birds mainly travel at night, and their navigation can get confused by artificial lighting? Going #lightsout and turning off the lights makes a real difference! Help us spread the word to save as many birds as possible this year! Find out more: birdcast.info/science-to-a...

Birds are migrating! Help them get where they're going by going lights out, making sure your windows are effectively treated to prevent bird collisions, and keeping cats inside, on leashes, or in catios so exhausted birds can feed with more safety. #birds #wildliferehab #conservation

YouTube video by theiwrcwildlife Indigenous Perspectives on Wildlife Coexistence Excerpt

Thank you to Dr. Helina Jolly for a fantastic and thought-provoking discussion on Indigenous Perspectives on Wildlife Coexistence! Did you miss it? Don't worry! IWRC members can watch the full recording, and we're sharing an excerpt for everyone: youtu.be/Yjpt8477s8g

#wildliferehab #conservation

Three circles with drawn animals inside; an anteater, a frog, and a songbird. The logo is a fox sitting on a book. Text says What is an Associate Wildlife Rehabilitator (TM)? Associate Wildlife Rehabilitators are just starting out in professional wildlife rehabilitation. They are committed to best practices as they seek more experience in the field. Like a degree, the AWR(tm) title represents having a solid, standardized educational foundation. Show the world you're serious about wildlife rehabilitation. Visit cwrexam.org for more!

Just like a degree, becoming an Associate Wildlife Rehabilitator means you completed foundational education. It shows agencies, funders, and potential employers that it's not just a dream; you mean business. Learn more: cwrexam.org

#wildliferehab #wildlife #wildliferescue #careeradvice

A photo of a scottish wildcat stalking, surrounded by multicolored drawings of the cat. A key says cute, dangerous, nuisance, friendly, wild.

IWRC September Newsletter: tinyurl.com/38wz6dh2

Annual Membership Meeting, Upcoming Coffee & Tea, IWRC Shareables launch, and gut microbiota linked to stereotypic behavior

#wildlife #wildliferehab #wildliferescue #conservation

YouTube video by Helina Jolly Gidiku Vapathu (2020) Trailer

Did you know our speaker for next week's Coffee & Tea, Dr. Helina Jolly, has a fascinating documentary called Gidiku Vapathu? Check it out! youtu.be/dIJrsAeVQzI?...

Don't miss our free #wildliferehab webinar on Indigenous Perspectives on #Wildlife Coexistence next week: www.bit.ly/CT0926

We're so excited to hear from Dr. Helina Jolly on Indigenous Perspectives on Wildlife Coexistence for Coffee & tea this month (register free: www.bit.ly/CT0926) - did you know that Dr. Jolly also has a podcast called Biodiversity Speaks? You can listen here: podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ibios

We offer these resources free to use, regardless of your IWRC membership status. If you find them valuable and want to see us make more, consider supporting us through a donation theiwrc.org/support or by becoming a member theiwrc.org/join

Our hope by sharing these is to take some of the weight off of programs that might not have the resources to create their own communication tools. Each is reviewed and vetted for accuracy based on current best practices. So please - share and use widely!

There are a number there now, including the Best Practices for Wildlife Rehabilitation in Social Media in English, French, and Spanish, and we plan to add more topics and translations regularly. As a bonus for Organizational Members, we also offer co-branding - just reach out to office@theiwrc.org!

IWRC Shareables: A new resource. Free-to-all infographics and handouts on wildlife coexistence topics. Visit theiwrc.org/resources/shareables. A gorgeous kingfisher dives for a fish among blooming lilypads

Happy National Wildlife Day! To celebrate, a new resource for all you rehabilitators and wildlife enthusiasts out there! Download any IWRC digital infographic or printable handout from our website, free: theiwrc.org/resources/sh...

#wildliferehab #wildliferescue #veterinarymedicine #conservation

She has worked with diverse communities— hunter-gatherers in the Western Ghats in South India, farmers in Sri Lanka, and berry pickers of Miawpukek First Nation in Canada on topics ranging from wildlife coexistence, cultural burning, traditional livelihoods, and biocultural food systems.

Dr Helina Jolly is an Assistant Professor at the University of Vermont, where she leads research on traditional ecological knowledge. She is an interdisciplinary environmental researcher, National Geographic Explorer, and documentarian whose work lies at the interface of people and nature.

What if wild animals were not managed, but listened to? In many Indigenous cultures, environmental stewardship is not about control but fostering connections and relationships. These perspectives contrast the dominant conservation approaches rooted in separating humans from nature.

Join IWRC for our free monthly wildlife seminar, Coffee & Tea with IWRC! This month's topic is Indigenous Perspectives on Wildlife Coexistence with Dr. Helina Jolly on September 22, 2025 at 3pm UTC (which is 8am PST, 11am EST, 5pm SAST, 11pm AWST, 12am JST, 1am AEST). Register now! www.bit.ly/CT0926

Join our monthly wildlife seminar, Coffee & Tea with IWRC! This month's topic is Indigenous Perspectives on Wildlife Coexistence with Dr. Helina Jolly on September 22, 2025 at 3pm UTC. Register free now! www.bit.ly/CT0926

#wildliferehab #conservation #indigenous

Don't forget to get your scholarship application in by Sunday (Aug 31 2025)!

We're filling up quick, but we currently have openings at in-person classes in Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, and Ohio, as well as several options for online students. Don't see an in person class in your state or country? Consider hosting next season! Find out more: forms.gle/JL61NU634hoW...

This course fulfills initial and continuing education requirements for permitting, and also can be used as part of the training required for becoming a Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator. It is also RACE approved for you veterinarians and vet techs out there!

IWRC offers a number of topics, including Foundations of Wildlife Rehabilitation - a course that has launched wildlife rehab careers - and helped established wildlife rehabbers keep current - for decades. It's also perfect for any who want to know what quality wildlife rehabilitation looks like.

Fall registration is now open for the IWRC's Wildlife Rehabilitation Training courses! Classes are offered online as well as in person - learn more and grab your spot today! theiwrc.org/courses/ #wildliferehab #wildliferescue

International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council presents Becoming a Wildlife Rehabilitator. An elephant split into three sections - 1/3 Educating the Public, 1/3 Animal Care, 1/3 Administration and Facility Maintenance. Membership: theiwrc.org/join Contact: office@theiwrc.org Donate: theiwrc.org/support

Pitch In: Volunteer or intern with an established wildlife rehabber. Most people start this way; caring for wild animals requires knowledge and skills that can be hard to get in other jobs. Other helpful experiences include birding, animal husbandry, veterinary care, and nature education. Images of a transport/rescue van, a person preparing food, and a bird with a bandaged wing Education and Skills: Standards for Wildlife Rehabilitation and the Wildlife Rehabilitator Code of Ethics (jointly published by NWRA and IWRC) are the foundations of modern wildlife rehabilitation. Degrees in biology or zoology can be helpful, but aren’t enough on their own. Strive to meet the Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator requirements (cwrexam.org); becoming Certified will give you legitimacy. A book of standards for wildlife rehabilitation, scales with code of ethics, and a certification exam with an A grade. Cute little frogs and snakes!

Local Regulations: Governments usually regulate wildlife rehabilitation. These rules are different everywhere, so do your research and understand local requirements. Permitting or licensing processes can require proof you have the knowledge, enclosures, and help you need to provide humane care. Images of a bird inside a flight enclosure, as veterinarian, and a list of rules. Finding Opportunities: Many wildlife rehabilitators are volunteers, but there are also paid positions in the field. The IWRC job board is a good place to start looking! Starting your own wildlife rehabilitation practice is complex, reach out to office@theiwrc.org. We’d love to connect you with a mentor! Images of a computer pulling up the job website, a mentor with students, and a contact us button. More froggies and snakes!

Do you or someone you know want to become a wildlife rehabilitator? The demand for wildlife rehab is growing with our awareness of anthropogenic harm. We need more hands, but it can be tough to get started. IWRC is here to help - here's our initial advice! #wildliferehab #conservation #careers

If you'd like to learn more, Raptors Are The Solution (RATS) does a great job sharing resources and information (as well as a long collection of scientific journal articles on the secondary impacts of poisons) and we recommend checking them out. www.raptorsarethesolution.org