2021: The Great Rebuild

The Wildlife Center of Virginia has been at its current location in Waynesboro since 1995. During the past 26 years, tens of thousands of patients have passed through the doors and through the enclosures as Center staff have provided medical and rehabilitative care. Similarly, hundreds of thousands of visitors have come to the Center for programs and open houses, or have visited the Center’s website, and have seen dozens of education ambassadors at home in their enclosures. Several of the enclosures that have housed patients and education ambassadors have served their purpose well -- but after years of continuous use, they are greatly in need of a repair and/or a rebuild!

In 2021, through the support and partnership of generous donors, the Wildlife Center of Virginia is undertaking a major project to rebuild critical housing areas for patients and ambassadors. 

Our overall project list can be broken into two main areas: [1] patient care facilities and [2] non-releasable education ambassador enclosures. Join us for a Great Rebuild Tour! 

Patient Enclosures

Each year, hundreds of raptor patients in need of treatment and rehabilitation arrive at the Center. A number of the Center's outdoor raptor enclosures are in need of help -- in some cases, a complete rebuild is in order. In other cases, some targeted repairs will make these enclosures safe to house recovering raptors.

Additionally, two of the Center's outdoor housing for Black Bear cubs are in need of repair; the dozens of cubs that pass through the Center's doors each year are exceptionally hard on these important enclosures! And we need to address the housing needs of recovering reptiles.

A1 & A2 pens

  • Project cost: $5,000
  • Status: in progress!
     

B-pens

  • Project cost: $72,593
  • Status: complete! 


C-pens

  • Project cost: $76,890
  • Status: complete!

 

Flight Pens 4- 6

  • Project cost: $5,000
  • Status: complete! 

 

Deer Runs/Yards

  • Project cost: $13,067
  • Status: complete! 
     

Black Bear Complex

  • Project cost: $32,143.98
  • Status: complete! 
    Donor Commitment: $20,000 -- thank you! 
     

Large Mammal Isolation enclosure

  • Project cost: $1,000
  • Status: complete! 
    Donor commitment: $1,000 -- thank you!

 

Reptile Room and Hold

  • Project cost: $3,500
  • Status: complete!
    Donor Commitment:  $4,000 -- thank you! 

 

Education Enclosures

The Center’s corps of resident education animals are important environmental ambassadors.  Many of these animals are former patients that, because of injuries or behavioral modifications, cannot be returned to the wild.  These animals symbolize the patients that we treat and some of the problems facing native wildlife.  For example, Ruby [Red-tailed Hawk] and Marigold [Virginia Opossum] were hit by cars; Gus [Barred Owl] was kept as a pet; and Sheldon and Wilson [Woodland Box Turtles] had their shells painted. 

The enclosures in which these ambassadors are housed should provide safe and species-appropriate shelter; a space in which these animals may be safely handled and trained; an enclosure in which the resident animal is visible to Center visitors. 

 

Replacement of Ruby/Verlon/Athena enclosures

  • Project cost: $77,203
  • Status: complete! 

Predator Mitigation around Maggie/Rowan enclosures

  • Project cost: $4,547
  • Status: complete! 
     

Repair/Water Mitigation around Rosalie/Gus enclosures

  • Project cost: $19,130
  • Status: complete!