Category Archives: Uncategorized

THANK YOU TO OUR BIRDIES FORE BIRDIES SPONSORS!

Thank you to our sponsors for our Birdies fore Birdies Golf Tournament!

Wish List

Click on the link below [Wish List] to see the top items we need:

Wish List

 

WSLS/NBC Bobcat Cam

We are soo very excited to announce WSLS (NBC) has added a 24-hour livestream camera to our center! You can watch these bobcat kittens at any time on WSLS’s website here, until they are released in the Spring!

These orphaned siblings arrived at our center in August 2023. They were just over a week old and full of worms. Luckily, they have made a remarkable recovery! We estimate the cost of their care to be in the thousands. So, if you find it in your heart to show them some love this Valentine’s Day, you can make a donation for the duo here.

Eagle PSA in USA Today

USA Today article regarding Bald Eagle patient we received on Christmas Eve:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/12/26/american-bald-eagle-shot-wing-euthanized/72035047007/

Our official statement on this case:

“It was a very sad Christmas Eve – we admitted this immature Bald Eagle from Max Meadows who had been surviving by eating deer carcasses for a week prior to her capture by a Conservation Officer and was transported to our facility by Appalachian Wildlife Management. Images of this eagle’s wing are too horrific to be shared on social media, but we have provided an x-ray of her injured wing to show how badly her wrist was severed. Our worst fears gave way to horror when we realized that this bird had been shot. Sadly, due to the severity of the injury, there was nothing that could be done. This bird, even in a true miracle scenario, would never be able to live a painless and stress-free life. It was an inhumane act that led this beautiful bird to suffer for over a week out in the elements with no hope of recovery.
It’s been a hard year. This is the kind of news nobody needs right now. But we tell you this story for two reasons: we hope that with exposure, we will be able to find the person who shot her and get them to face justice. The eagle was found near the intersection of Major Grahams Rd & Red Hollow Rd in Max Meadows – if you have any information on this situation, you can contact the Department of Wildlife Resources crime line at: 1-800-237-5712, at wildcrime@dwr.virginia.gov or go to: https://dwr.virginia.gov/conservation…/wildlife-violation/ to submit a tip to law enforcement.
Second, we would like everyone to reflect just how fragile our natural resources are. Bald Eagles were still an endangered species thirty years ago. Bald Eagles only came off of Virginia’s list in 2013. Conservation efforts like ours worked extremely hard to bring these birds back from the brink, and their recovery is just barely in the rear-view mirror. And this is how we treat them? Our national symbol, that we worked tirelessly to save for future generations? We can do better than this. We SHOULD do better than this. If we don’t, who will?”

Bobcat Kittens!!!

Bobcat Kittens Trimmed

Disclaimer! Please be advised that this video contains an absurdly overwhelming and unbearable amount of cuteness! Watch at your own risk as we are not liable for tears, smiles, and/or the sudden urge to donate!
These Bobcat kittens arrived just a couple days ago and we suspect they were just over a week old upon arrival! Rehabilitating these 2 will present some very difficult challenges like:
-They currently need to be fed specialized formula every 2 to 3 hours around the clock just like a newborn baby.
-We will have to wear a mask, or sometimes a leopard print pillowcase, in order to prevent these 2 from becoming habituated to humans during feedings. At such a young age they could easily imprint, and once they associate humans with food they could no longer be safely released.
-Given their young age and being so late in the summer we will have to overwinter these 2 and they likely won’t be released until sometime next May.
This will be a long and very expensive rehab, so please consider making a donation today at 👇 ❤️🐯

Name Our Next Ambassador!!!

VOTING HAS ENDED!

The VOTES ARE IN!!! Pecan, Peanut, and Nutter Butter have made it to the final round of voting! Thank you to everyone who helped us get this far by voting on Facebook and Instagram.
NOW, it’s time for the final vote on our website where you will see these nutty names + Baldwin (thanks to an anonymous donor) listed ✔❤️🐿
We invite everyone to participate!! Each vote will cost $5 and you can vote as many times as you like! Your votes don’t just help name this cute fella – the proceeds will help support our continued mission of saving wildlife too!
🐿 And of course please share with your friends and family – so everyone can join in on the fun! Voting will end on March 7th at 9 p.m.

First Bobcat Kitten of the Year!!!

We recently received our first Bobcat of the year from Giles County yesterday. The kitten is currently recovering from severe neurological trauma and her prognosis is guarded.

She was found dazed and circling on the side of the road in Giles County. Given the location she was found and the severe neurologic symptoms we suspect she was most likely struck by a car.

It is highly unusual to see such a well developed Bobcat this early in the year. Usually, Bobcats have offspring in April or May but given this mild winter we aren’t entirely surprised. She weighs 2.4kg and when not sedated is still rather feisty, which is a good sign! X-rays were negative for any fractures, and is on medications for pain, swelling, fever and neurological trauma. Bobcat Kitten Eating Feg 2023

First Bald Eagle with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Found in our area!

Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke recently received a Bald Eagle from Carvin’s Cove that tested positive for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. This is the first Bald Eagle with this disease in Southwest Virginia.

January 10th, 2022 — The Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center received a Bald Eagle on December 8th, 2022 from Carvins Cove. Unfortunately, the eagle was found deceased in the cove. After a thorough examination by our veterinarian and medical team we still couldn’t identify the cause of death and contacted the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) and requested further testing. DWR, had us send it to the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine where it was confirmed to have Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). According to the state biologist at DWR, this is the first known case of HPAI in a Bald Eagle in southwest Virginia. 


9959_1857-2022_3_s0.jpg

X-ray of Bald Eagle from Carvins Cove

Background: Given the unusual circumstances of this case our first concern was that the eagle was shot or had high lead toxicity and succumbed to its injuries in the water. However, after X-rays, no fractures or additional signs of trauma were noted. The necropsy revealed that its organs appeared normal and there was no internal bruising or bleeding. At this point, HPAI was suspected and the eagle was sent to the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine for further testing. After conducting a PCR test they were able to confirm the presence of HPAI on December 19th, and additional samples were sent to National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) who provided a second positive confirmation. NVSL was also able to specifically tell that this particular eagle was infected with a strain found predominantly in geese.
 
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) is a highly contagious H5N1 influenza virus that causes significant illness and death in domestic poultry, avian scavengers (gulls, ravens, crows), upland game birds (turkey, grouse, quail), and raptors (eagles, hawks, falcons, owls). Generally, most waterfowl do not show any signs of illness when infected, however, when raptors and scavengers feed on these birds they then become infected with HPAI. Because of this, we expect to see these cases along migratory routes used by waterfowl such as geese, ducks, gulls, and other shorebirds. Many of the infected birds will show no signs of illness until they die; some people have reported seeing them simply fall out of the sky.

“If the public finds dead wild upland game birds, avian scavengers, (crows, raptors, owls, etc) or find 5 or more dead waterfowl, shorebirds, or seabirds in the same area with 1-2 days please notify the Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) at 855-571-9003.” -DWR.
Contact Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources

Signs that a bird may be infected with HPAI include:

  • Lack of muscle control or coordination
  • Head tilt
  • Difficulty walking or flying
  • Nasal or eye discharge
  • Coughing or sneezing
  • Sudden death
  • Lack of appetite
  • Diarrhea
  • Swelling
  • Purple discoloration

**At this time we are not admitting vultures (Turkey or Black) unless witnessed being struck by a car. Due to their scavenging nature they are the most likely to come in contact with HPAI. To date, there has been no reported HPAI-related human illness in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers the risk to the general public from HPAI infection to be low.

***The 2023 migratory return north will start soon. We encourage those who live along major migratory routes with at home flocks to create heightened biosecurity measures.