Injured animals that were rehabbed by Wildlife Rescue of New Mexico but cannot be placed back into the wild, such as this great horned owl, are often used by the organization in educational programs. This raptor was photographed last year during a program at the Open Space Visitor Center. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Curbside is now common at supermarkets, restaurants and drugstores – a social distancing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Add to the list Wildlife Rescue of New Mexico.
The organization is still accepting injured or orphaned critters, but only with an appointment, and only from outside the clinic’s front gate.
Founded in 1981, the Wildlife Rescue, at the entrance to the Rio Grande Nature Center on Candelaria NW, rehabilitates wildlife and, when possible, returns animals to their natural habitat, said Ann Zolin, a longtime volunteer and a clinic manager.
Because the Nature Center is closed, the Wildlife Rescue clinic is also closed to people wishing to drop off animals. If someone finds an animal that requires help, they must first call the clinic at 505-344-2500 to leave a message or make an appointment for a curbside drop-off, Zolin said.
Of course, not all animals will be accepted, among them known carriers of rabies or large mammals, including raccoons, skunks, foxes, coyotes, bears, cougars and deer, Zolin said.
To get assistance for these animals, call New Mexico Game and Fish at 505-222-4700, or call the city’s 311 Community Contact Center and ask for the Albuquerque urban biologist.
Wildlife Rescue also does not capture injured or orphaned animals, nor does it capture and relocate healthy wildlife, Zolin said.
During an average year, Wildlife Rescue takes in about 2,000 animals at its clinic, 80% of which are birds, said Penny Elliston, a founder of the organization.
“At this time of the year, people are mostly finding what they think are orphaned baby rabbits,” she said “My message to them is leave them alone, because most of the time, the mother is nearby. If the baby rabbit is clearly injured, maybe from a dog or cat attack, then the animal should be brought in.”
While Wildlife Rescue works with veterinarians who donate their time, it does not have a veterinarian on staff, Zolin said. It has volunteers who rehab animals at their homes, particularly baby animals that need more frequent feedings.
“Our best possible scenario is to rehab and release. That’s our goal,” Zolin said.
When animals can’t be released back into the wild, they are often used in education programs conducted by Wildlife Rescue at the Nature Center, schools, parks, and senior and community centers. Most of these animals live at the home of the volunteers who worked to rehab them.
Animals that are badly injured and can’t be rehabbed must, according to state rules, be humanely euthanized, Elliston said. The specimens are then donated to the Museum of Southwestern Biology at the University of New Mexico,
An all-volunteer nonprofit organization, Wildlife Rescue of New Mexico is funded by donations, as well as some small state grants. To make a monetary donation, go to the organization’s website at wildliferescuenm.org, or mail a donation to P.O. Box 70364, Albuquerque, NM 87197.
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