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Wildlife Center & Management Program
For Injured or Orphaned Wildlife
- Inside Orange Beach city limits, call Police Dispatch at (251) 981-9777
- For domestic animals, please contact Police Dispatch
- Outside of Orange Beach city limits, call 1-844-303-WILD (9453)
- For dolphin and whale stranding's (live or carcasses), call 1-877- WHALE-HELP (877-942-5343)
- For manatee stranding's (live or carcasses), call 1-866- 493-5803
- For Sea turtles, call 1-844-SEA-TRTL
Report manatee sightings to DISL’s Manatee Sighting Network at https://manatee.disl.org/
If an animal is injured, please do not offer it any food or water as they might not be physically fit enough to process the food offered. Please get the animal to the closest licensed wildlife rehabilitator.
How do you know if an animal needs help?
Oftentimes, an animal does not actually need human intervention. If the animal in question does not have an obvious injury and can successfully evade capture, then we legally cannot intervene. Please be mindful that even an injured animal can harm you and be sure to always wear safety equipment if attempting to capture an animal yourself. Please call us for guidance regarding capturing an animal. If the animal is a baby, please follow the charts below to determine if the animal is actually in need of intervention.
Is it okay to feed wildlife?
No, you should never feed native wildlife. Feeding wildlife leads to the disruption of their natural behaviors and dependency on humans for food. This in turn becomes a dangerous situation for the animal as it puts them in harm's way (for example, feeding a fish to a pelican and then it becomes entangled.) Feeding wildlife can also result in a dangerous situation for humans. For example, feeding an alligator (or the ducks, fish, and turtles) in a pond can lead to an imprinted alligator, which is very dangerous for people. It is better for them to hunt naturally and eat their wild diet.
Further Information
Please see our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Section on this page to answer more specific questions about our program and wild animal behaviors. If you cannot find the information you seek there please email Melissa Vinson.
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Melissa Vinson
Coastal Programs Coordinator
- There are baby animals in my yard, but I have cats. Can you come get the babies?
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No, we ask that you keep all domestic animals away from native wildlife as this is their home. Please keep cats and dogs inside. We do not want to kidnap a baby animal from its mother due to the risk of it potentially becoming injured.
- Do you offer volunteer opportunities?
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Please email Melissa Vinson for volunteer information.
- How can we support your mission?
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We have an amazon Wishlist and a donation link below. Please also follow us on social media. We appreciate the support!
- Do you offer internship opportunities?
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Please check the Texas A&M Wildlife job board for internship postings by searching "Wildlife Care Intern."