Rehabilitate – the process of treating an injured wild animal in attempts to release it back to its wild home.
Goal of BTN’s Wildlife Rehabilitation
The goal of our rehabilitation process is to provide professional care to the sick or injured wildlife we rescue and better prepare them for a successful release back into the wild. Patients are held in captivity at our refuge’s rehabilitation center only until they are able to live independently in the wild.
Baby Flying Squirrel
Responsibility of Rehabilitation
Rehabilitating an injured wild animal is not always easy. Often times, a wild animal is not as cooperative as a domestic animal. Different kinds of medical care are required for each animal. Our vet is not on site, so most of the medical care and rehabilitation is administered by the BTN staff. In more serious cases, an animal is brought to our vet for check-ups, surgeries, and tests. Our team is dedicated to getting all injured animals the care they need to get them back to their home. This process can sometimes take months.
For example, helping a turtle heal a broken shell can take several months. In some cases, after initial treatment and healing has begun, it can be better for the animal to be released back to its natural habitat to further its healing process. This Florida Snapping Turtle was hit by a car. Most snapping turtles found injured near roads, are females looking for a new area to lay eggs. Support BTN by contributing donations towards our cause.
Injured Florida Snapping Turtle