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 pelican fish and then it getting entangled in fishing line.) Feeding wildlife can also result in a dangerous situation for humans. For example, feeding a gator (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 (FAQ) Section on this page to answer more specific questions about our program and wild animal behaviors. If you cannot find the information you seek here please email Melissa Vinson.