The Allegheny Woodrat – a nocturnal, solitary rodent roughly the size of an Eastern Gray Squirrel -- can typically be found in Virginia west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. While their population is considered stable within the Commonwealth, the Allegheny Woodrat is categorized as Endangered in several nearby states, including Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.
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.
September 15, 2023
September 11, 2023
On September 5, Wildlife Center President Ed Clark released Bald Eagle #23-0710 [K62] back into the wild at the Berkeley Plantation in Charles City, Virginia. Those familiar with this eagle's unique history of rescue and rehabilitation may remember that she was initially treated and released from the Audubon Florida Center for Birds of Prey located in Pasco County, Florida.
August 23, 2023
It’s official -- classes are back in session for many school systems throughout Virginia! Are you a teacher or educator looking to incorporate lessons about wildlife and the environment into your classroom? Look no further. The Wildlife Center of Virginia offers a robust collection of educational resources, lesson plans, and activity ideas – inspired by the true stories of thousands of wild animals cared for at the Center each year -- that are adaptable to nearly any learning objective.
August 18, 2023
World Photography Day falls on August 19 each year, a day when people from all walks of life are encouraged to share their world through the lens of a camera and celebrate storytelling through photography.
August 14, 2023
On March 31, an adult Bald Eagle was found grounded in Smithfield, Virginia. The eagle was rescued by permitted wildlife rehabilitator Dana Lusher, who discovered numerous wounds and transferred the bird to the Wildlife Center.
July 21, 2023
On June 22, Reese Lukei with the Center for Conservation Biology rescued a juvenile Bald Eagle that had just fledged from its nest in the Little Neck area of Virginia Beach. The bird had never left its nest before, but it had many broken tail feathers. When it leaped from its nest, it did not fly, and instead, just floated to the ground.
July 19, 2023
During the mid-summer months, patient admissions at the Wildlife Center of Virginia start slow down compared to the bustle of spring “baby season”, though overall, the caseload remains fairly high. What kinds of animals are currently at the Center?