Who cares for injured wildlife?

Lisa Miller and Phoenix, a red shouldered hawk.



A look at the dedicated volunteers that nurse injured wildlife back to health


Ever wonder what to do if you found an injured bird, turtle or squirrel? As we edge closer to spring, this could be the case, as sometimes young are found abandoned, or a baby bird has fallen from a nest.
It is comforting to know that there is help available, and there are two groups in the Walton area that are able to nurse the animal back to health.
Wildlife Rehabilitators Partnership of Northwest Florida is a full-time volunteer organization that has been rehabilitating injured wildlife in the Niceville area since 2005.
Founding members Lisa Miller and Kim Henderson operate an all-volunteer network of animal rehabilitators, and are certified by State of Florida and U.S. Fish and Wildlife to handle rehabilitation of animals.
Miller harbors many of the injured or abandoned wildlife at her home, which a large portion of, been converted into a sanctuary.
“We have the ability to watch over the animals 24/7,” Miller explained.
“Our mission to rehabilitate and release. The animals that are not able to be released, we incorporate into our educational program.” Miller continued.
The group gives interactive presentations about wildlife to groups as a service to the community.
Wildlife Rehabilitators can be reached at 850.678.6584 or 850.974.6584, or 850.729.0197.
For more information about Wildlife Rehabilitators, go to: http://wildliferehabilitatorspartnership.com/
I visited with the Lisa Miller and her partners at a recent event. Below is a portion of one of their demonstrations:





Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge (ECWR) is another facility to call if you are in need of assistance. For more than 13 years, the ECWR has cared for a variety of wildlife – from stranded dolphins to injured eagles, to orphaned foxes.
Patrick Gault with a barred owl.



Supported mostly through the donations of local residents and businesses, the ECWR is also involved in education, conservation and rehabilitation of natural fauna.
The ECWR is located in Destin at 406 Mountain Drive. To contact ECWR, call 850.650.1880, or visit their website at www.ecwildliferefuge.com
I took a visit over to the refuge and met with Patrick Gault, the assistant director of the refuge. Gault and two volunteers, Lisa Werenskjold and Paul Brachcolmb showed me some of the residents and guests at the refuge.
Here is a video of some of the residents at ECWR:





Venture Walton is a feature column for outdoor enthusiasts in Walton County, Florida.
Lori Ceier is the publisher of WaltonOutdoors.com, and can be reached via email at info@waltonoutdoors.com