Archive Patients

On April 11, a private citizen in Augusta County saw a young Black Bear cub in a tree near a residential area. Following a period of observation, no adult bears were seen in the area. The concerned citizen captured the cub on their own, fed the cub an unknown amount of cow’s milk, and began driving with the bear toward the Wildlife Center for assistance. While en route, the rescuer contacted the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources for further guidance.

On February 27, a private citizen observed a Bald Eagle on the ground and unable to fly near the side of a busy road in Chesterfield County. Wildlife Center Front Desk staff coordinated with permitted rehabilitators at Tidewater Wildlife Rescue to locate and rescue the eagle, which was transported to the Center the following morning.

On March 1, Center staff received a call about an injured beaver in Lyndhurst, Virginia. The caller reported that the beaver had a significant limp and crawled underneath a vehicle. Usually, the Center relies on the public to bring in injured wildlife, but the beaver's location was only a five-minute drive from the Center, so front-desk supervisor Michael Adkins and wildlife rehabilitator Ben Cole drove to the scene, contained the injured mammal, and brought it back to the Center for an exam. 

On February 20, the Center admitted a rather uncommon patient – a juvenile American Beaver! The beaver was found motionless, but still breathing, in the middle of the road in Rockbridge County. The rescuer used gloves and a blanket to carefully contain the injured mammal and transported it to the Center.

On June 4, a young Bald Eagle was spotted on the ground in a Virginia Beach neighborhood.  Permitted rehabilitator Lisa Barlow rescued the bird -- she examined it but couldn't find any injuries.  The following day, a release attempt was made -- but the young eagle didn't fly very well.  The bird was recaptured and, at the direction of VDGIF, brought to the Wildlife Center on June 9.  Prior to the release attempt, biologists at the Center for Conservation Biology banded the bird [band letters are KS].  They also took measurements and determined that the young eagle is a female.

On February 13, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources biologists were conducting a field research and banding project on Golden Eagles in Bath County. One of the eagles encountered during the project had a large, abnormal mass on the left side of its beak. A DWR biologist safely captured the eagle, and the bird was transported to the Wildlife Center of Virginia later that same day.

On December 28, a resident in Wintergreen Resort, Virginia was startled by commotion inside their grill after turning it on. They immediately turned the grill off and opened it up to look inside. To their surprise, an adult opossum was hiding under the grate! The opossum had been using the grill for shelter and was injured when it started to heat up. After contacting Center staff, the citizen contained the opossum inside the grill and brought the entire grill to the Center, where staff safely removed the opossum.

In late December, a private citizen in Harrisonburg, Virginia saw an adult male Virginia Opossum displaying erratic behavior, along with blood on his face. An animal control officer set a live trap and brought the opossum to the Wildlife Center of Virginia on December 28, 2022. Upon examination, Dr. Olivia, one of the Center’s veterinary interns, found a laceration on the opossum’s ear. Veterinary Technician Rachel drew blood from the injured opossum and ran a lead test, which came back positive, with high levels of lead.

On December 2, a Black Bear cub was found on the side of the road in Augusta County, unable to move. The bear was admitted to the Wildlife Center that same evening. 

On November 20, an officer with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service discovered an injured Bald Eagle in the woods in Accomack County. The eagle was captured by a local permitted wildlife rehabilitator, and taken to an animal hospital for radiographs, which revealed a closed left humeral fracture.