Conservancy's wildlife hospital provides second chances

On a recent morning at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida’s von Arx Wildlife Hospital, a bell rang and the front door swung open to admit a man carrying a mesh dog crate that contained a large, badly injured pelican. “Hold on,” he said to reception desk volunteer Sally Lam, who hastened to help him get the frightened bird inside. “I’ve got another one.” 

The pelican rescuer — a regular volunteer “Critter Courier” — had driven from Marco Island to the Conservancy’s campus in Naples with the birds, both injured after becoming tangled in fishing line. 

These birds are just two of about 4,000 injured, sick and orphaned animals from hundreds of native species that will be treated at the von Arx Wildlife Hospital this year, according to Lauren Barkley, manager of wildlife rehabilitation at the Conservancy. She, along with Reneé Stoll, communications director, welcomed several visitors for a late-August tour of the facility.  

During the two-hour tour, the front doorbell rang nine times, with each chime announcing the arrival of another rescuer bearing an animal needing help to survive. 

Located toward the back of the Conservancy’s 21-acre campus off Goodlette-Frank Road on the Gordon River, von Arx Wildlife Hospital — named for lead donors Sharon and Dolph von Arx — receives about 11 animals a day on average and treats them with the help of one veterinarian, Dr. Kendall Carlin; five other hospital staff; six interns; and more than 100 volunteers.  

The wildlife hospital has an operating budget of close to $2 million, which the Conservancy said is funded 100% through philanthropy. 

A majority of the injuries treated at von Arx are due to “interactions that involve humans,” according to the Conservancy, including vehicle strikes, domestic pet attacks, window collisions, gunshots and fishing line or hook injuries. About 10% of patients are reptiles, 40% are mammals and 50% are birds. 

To date this year, almost 2,300 animals of 129 different species have been treated at the hospital, including three bobcats, six bald eagles, two coyotes, four white-tailed deer, 65 gopher tortoises, 37 brown pelicans, 29 burrowing owls and 393 eastern cottontail rabbits. 

For permitting reasons, the hospital does not accept alligators, venomous snakes or non-native species. Staff members suggest people call first and then text a photo if they are not sure if they have a native species. Staff also can help callers determine what to do with an animal that the hospital does not accept. 

From hospital intake to release in the wild 

The mission of the hospital’s treatment and rehabilitation program is for the animals to be returned to the area where they were found, which Barkley said contributes to not just the welfare of the animal but to the ecosystem of which it is a part. 

“Our goal is always to release animals back into the wild and be able to give them a second chance,” Barkley said. “Most of the reasons they are getting admitted to the hospital is because of human impact: If we [humans] weren’t here, I don’t know how many animals would actually be injured and coming into the hospital. So, our goal is to rescue and take care of as many native wildlife as possible and get them back into the wild.” 

Stoll said returning animals where they were found helps preserve the ecosystems that the Conservancy’s mission is to protect. 

“Wildlife isn’t just there for us to view,” Stoll said. “It’s all part of the ecosystem, meaning that the hawks we rehab and release, they help with the rat population and rodent control. [Rehabbed] bats eat about 1,000 mosquitoes in an hour, so it’s mosquito population control. These animals all have a purpose in our ecosystem other than just being really amazing for us to look at.” 

On the recent facility tour, Barkley and Stoll walked visitors through the steps that an animal goes through upon being admitted, from the initial exam to treatment and rehabilitation, to being re-oriented for release. 

Upon arrival, each rescuer fills out a form containing their name and contact information, location where the animal was found and details on the observed injury. Barkley explained that all this information is required for regulators at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

“Any animal that comes in, we have to release them back where they came from,” Barkley said. “Even if it isn’t a good [safe] area, we have to find something similar so that we’re putting them in the proper habitat.” 

Barkley said information from the forms goes into a database that can help detect trends such as high numbers of illnesses from red tide or bird flu, or birds tangled in fishing lines in certain areas. 

She said rescuers could possibly be contacted for more information as the animal progresses through treatment. But as a rule, Barkley said, due to limited staff, the hospital does not provide updates on the animals in its care, even though they are often requested. 

“We get around 11 animals a day, and to call everyone back would take time away from our patients,” Barkley said, “so we really prioritize patient care.”  

While von Arx staff does not provide individual updates to rescuers on the progress of animals in their care, Stoll said social media posts from the Conservancy provide frequent updates and highlights of the releases when they take place throughout the week. 

In addition to accepting animals every day at the hospital, the staff also stays busy “triaging” with rescuers over the phone who have questions about animals before they bring them in. It is illegal in Florida to possess sick, injured or orphaned wildlife without appropriate state and federal permits, so rescuers are encouraged to transport found animals as soon as they can safely do so. 

When animals arrive, a visual exam by medical staff helps determine the severity of injury or illness. 

“If it’s not super-severe, we’re going to put them in one of the incubators that has supplemental oxygen and heat and give them time to rest,” Barkley said. “What people don’t really realize and understand is that the whole process through capture to getting here is very stressful and that it could actually cause them to die, because they see us as predators. They don’t realize that we’re here to help them.” 

After being given time to rest from the stress of being caught and transported, animals are assessed, including by X-ray if necessary, to determine the extent of injury or illness and the need for pain medication, and then a treatment and rehabilitation plan starts to take shape.  

That includes a nutrition plan designed for each species, facilitated from a well-stocked “cafeteria” that includes supplies of fish, rodents, fruits, vegetables, grains and other essential foods that will help each animal regain its strength. 

Treatment areas — including a nursery for baby animals and a quarantine area — are separated so that predators and prey are never in the same rooms, with cages covered to minimize the stress inherent in the process for animals not accustomed to being confined. Each cage replicates the animal’s natural environment as much as possible, with branches or wooden platforms to simulate trees for birds, for example.  

Outdoor enclosures — including a large screened-in pool — are designed to help different species reacclimate to a more natural environment as their release date nears. 

Release rate averages 40% 

The average length of stay for an animal depends on the severity and extent of the injury, Barkley said, but it is typically a month to two months, with a transition period in the outdoor enclosures to help facilitate the animal’s return to the wild. 

In terms of release rates, about 40% of the animals admitted to von Arx Wildlife Hospital are released back where they were found, Stoll said. Approximately 60% do not survive during the rehabilitation process, due to either the severity of their injuries or being humanely euthanized because they could not safely be returned to the wild. 

Stoll said the 40% release rate is in line with the national average for wildlife rehabilitation organizations. 

“When you tell people 40%, they might be discouraged to even bring us animals when they say well, only 40% make it,” Stoll said. “And we don’t want people to be discouraged because a lot more of them would die if they didn’t come [to the wildlife hospital].” 

Barkley said some animals can’t be released back to the wild because doing so would make them vulnerable as prey for other animals or unable to survive on their own. 

“If you have a young raptor with an injured eye, that bird might not be able to be released because that eye needs to be spot-on for hunting,” she said. “There are guidelines that we have to follow to make sure that we are providing them with the best possible outcome when they’re released.” 

Stoll said the hospital encourages people who have found sick or injured animals to call with questions that can help determine the best course of action. 

“They can either text a photo or the hospital staff will triage over the phone and say, ‘OK, this is what you need to do,’” Stoll said. “Sometimes saving the animal is humane euthanasia and saving it from suffering. And that sometimes is the best option for the animal.” 

Conservancy of Southwest Florida von Arx Wildlife Hospital 

1495 Smith Preserve Way, Naples 

239.262.CARE [2273] 

Phone line open 8 a.m.-5 p.m., seven days a week, 365 days a year 

Animal drop-off: 8 a.m.-6 p.m., seven days a week, 365 days a year 

(Note: The Conservancy’s Nature Center is closed Sept. 2-29 for annual maintenance, but von Arx Wildlife Hospital remains open.)  

Average costs per animal 

Diagnostics — $50 

Medications — $100 

Care for gopher tortoise hit by car — $250 

Care for a bald eagle — $300 

Care for raising a baby otter — $600 

Getting involved 

• Volunteer opportunities include animal care; front desk reception and administrative tasks; and “Critter Couriers” for emergency rescue and transport. 

• Donations of food and vitamin products, medical supplies, batteries and other items are accepted at the hospital. Towels in good condition are always needed, especially during hurricane season. 

• Additional information on volunteer opportunities and ways to donate can be found at conservancy.org 

 Source: Conservancy of Southwest Florida