von Arx Wildlife Hospital - Conservancy of Southwest Florida

Conservancy of Southwest Florida
Von Arx Wildlife Hospital

Approximately 4,500 injured, sick and orphaned native animals are admitted to the von Arx Wildlife Hospital each year. Most of those injuries stem from interactions that involve humans - including car strikes, domestic pet attacks, window collisions, fishing line and hook injuries, gunshots, and toxicosis. Providing medical care to injured wildlife has been a priority of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida since 1979. Caring citizens rescue bobcats, deer, pelicans, herons, gopher tortoises and many other species of native animals and drop them off at the Conservancy for treatment. The wildlife rehabilitation team and a group of dedicated volunteers provide supportive care with the goal of releasing as many “patients” as possible back to their natural habitats and where they were initially found.

Wildlife patients must have limited exposure to humans in order to survive when they return to the wild. However, humans are the key to the prevention of wildlife injuries. To teach prevention tips, several wildlife exhibit areas are open to the public along with a daily talk about what you can do as a citizen to help local wildlife.

If you find injured or orphaned native wildlife, please contact the von Arx Wildlife Hospital at Conservancy of Southwest Florida at 239-262-CARE (2273). The wildlife hospital is open 365 days a year from 8am to 7pm EST. Learn more about the work at the wildlife hospital and how you can support their efforts here.