News

As one of the world’s leading teaching hospitals for wildlife medicine, the Wildlife Center of Virginia has a core mission to teach the world to care about and care for wildlife and the environment. This news page collects stories of the Center’s expertise in action.


February 15, 2024

During winter, most reptiles and amphibians enter brumation (similar to hibernation) to wait out the cold months, but sometimes, individuals are disturbed and run into trouble. Recently, the Center has admitted several herpetofauna (reptiles and amphibians) whose winter did not go as planned, and they have one thing in common: they are all tiny!

February 13, 2024

Skunks can be found in a wide variety of habitats and ecosystems throughout the state of Virginia, but as nocturnal and generally solitary creatures they don't often come into contact with humans intentionally. The odds of a close encounter do increase during this time of year, though!

February 1, 2024

Each winter, the Wildlife Center experiences what many people refer to as "weird duck season," a time when some of the more unusual species of duck visit our state. This year, it started in January when the Wildlife Center admitted two species of duck that are not commonly seen as patients: Ruddy Duck #24-0052 and Lesser Scaup #24-0057. Both ducks are migratory birds and only visit Virginia during winter months, when they head south from their northern breeding grounds.

January 31, 2024

Groundhog Day -- celebrated each year on February 2 – is a fun tradition that most of us are familiar with. According to folklore, if a groundhog sees its shadow on this day, there will be six more weeks of winter. If not, spring is just around the corner!

This year, the Wildlife Center of Virginia is celebrating by reminding people about the importance of protecting groundhogs and how to live more harmoniously with them as wild neighbors.

January 22, 2024

Research indicates that there are approximately 2 million free-ranging cats in the state of Virginia, approximately 1.2 million of them are unowned. Many of these gather in colonies which represent serious health risks to the community, nuisance to neighborhoods, and have a devastating effect on wildlife--not to mention the serious risks to the health and well-being of the cats themselves. 

January 5, 2024

Ed Clark, President and Co-Founder, is announcing his retirement, after more than 41 years at the helm of the Wildlife Center of Virginia. He will retire from his role as president at the end of March 2024. 

 

January 1, 2024

The Wildlife Center of Virginia has had a landmark year after admitting a record-breaking number of patients in 2023. With more than 4,000 animals receiving life-saving care, the Center has surpassed its previous record of 3,703 patients – set during 2022 -- by approximately 10%, reinforcing its position as a vital lifeline for wildlife in the Commonwealth.

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