Contact Information
MEDICAL EMERGENCY
If you have found a wild animal that appears to be sick, injured, abandoned or in danger, please call our emergency hotline number.
310.458.WILD [9453]!
Animal Emergency Information – You can also determine what to do by finding information on the specific species by clicking on any of the names below:
Bat
- Under no circumstances should you handle a bat
- Keep pets and children away
- Call South Bay Wildlife Rehab at (310) 365-5656 for rehabilitation or your local animal control agency in cases of emergency.
Duck
Adult Mallards
- Get a box and line it with a large towel or newspaper on the bottom. Make air holes.
- Throw a towel over the mallard’s face and body. Pick up the mallard by the body and place it in the box. Seal the box.
- Place it in a quiet, dark location (for example, a bathroom) until you reach CWC staff. Do not offer any food or water.
- If you have trouble with uninjured mallards in your pool, please visit http://dfwwildlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/fs_co2_ducks.pdf.
Orphaned Baby Mallards
- It is a Federal Offense to keep native wildlife as pets.
- Baby mallards will need immediate care from a licensed rehabilitator.
- Get a box and line it with a large towel or newspaper on the bottom. Make air holes.
- Pick up the baby mallards by the body and place them in the box.
- Offer them a shallow dish of water and a shallow dish of chopped plain oatmeal.
- Do not let the baby mallards become wet.
- Seal the box. Place the box in a quiet, dark location (for example, a bathroom) until you reach CWC staff. Place a heating pad set to low under the box.
Do not allow baby ducklings to swim. Please make sure they stay as dry as possible because they can quickly get hypothermic (chilled) and die. If you can’t get them to a rehabilitator right away, you can give them water in a shallow lid (like a peanut butter lid) filled with small rocks. This should allow them to drink but prevent them from getting wet.
Deer
Injured/Sick Adult Deer
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- Do not attempt to rescue an injured/sick deer yourself
- From a distance keep an eye on the deer and contact CWC or your local animal control agency immediately
Orphaned Baby Deer
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- Spotted fawns found hiding in the brush should be left alone for 12 hours
- The mother might leave the fawn in one place for up to 24 hours
- Do not attempt to approach the fawn at any time
- If the fawn appears panicked, is crying, looks sick or injured, contact CWC or your local animal control agency immediately
Hawk & Owl
Injured/Sick Adult Raptors
- Get a box and line it with a large towel or newspaper on the bottom. Make air holes.
- Throw a towel over the raptor’s face and body
- Turn the box on its side next to the bird.
- Using a broom or large stick, gently push the bird/towel combo into the box.
- Gently turn the box upright
- Seal the box. Place it in a quiet, dark location (for example, a bathroom) until you reach hospital staff
- Do not offer any food or water
Orphaned Baby Raptors
- It is a federal offense to keep native wildlife as pets.
- Baby raptors will need immediate care from a licensed rehabilitator.
- Get a box and line it with a large towel on the bottom. Make air holes
- Toss a light towel over the bird
- Pick up the baby raptor by the body and place it in the box.
- Seal the box. Place the box in a quiet, dark location (for example, a bathroom) until you reach hospital staff. Place a heating pad set to medium under the box.
- Do not offer any food or water
Hummingbird
Injured/Sick Adult Hummingbirds
- Get a small box and line it with crumpled tissue on the bottom. Make air holes.
- Pick up the hummingbird by the body and place it in the box.
- Place it in a quiet, dark location (for example, a bathroom) until you reach hospital staff.
- Offer the hummingbird a sugar-water mixture of one part sugar to four parts water.
- Use a straw as a pipet. Dip the end of the straw into the sugar water solution, place your finger on the other end to create suction, then offer the straw to the hummingbird.
- The hummingbird will place its beak into the bottom of the straw and drink. Let the hummingbird drink as much as they want every hour until they are transferred to a licensed rehabilitator.
- Do not get any of the sugar water onto the hummingbird’s feathers, and remove all food/ water before transporting the bird.
Orphaned Baby Hummingbirds
- It is a federal offense to keep native wildlife as pets.
- Get a small box and line it with crumpled tissue on the bottom. Make air holes.
- Pick up the baby hummingbirds and place them in the box.
- Place the box in a quiet, dark location (for example, a bathroom) until you reach hospital staff. Place a heating pad set to medium under the box.
- Offer the baby hummingbirds a sugar-water mixture of one part sugar to four parts water.
- Use a straw as a pipet. Dip the end of the straw into the sugar water solution, place your finger on the other end to create suction, then offer the straw to the hummingbird.
- The hummingbird will place its beak into the bottom of the straw and drink. Let the hummingbird drink as much as they want every 30 minutes until they are transferred to a licensed rehabilitator.
- Do not get any of the sugar water onto the hummingbird’s feathers, and remove all food/water before transporting the bird.
Large Predator
Large Predators
- Large predators (Coyotes, Foxes, Bobcats, and Mountain Lions) should only be transported trained professionals.
- If you see a sick or injured predator keep an eye on it from a distance and contact CWC or your local animal control agency immediately.
- If you are in need of guidance in regards to coexisting with Coyotes, please read our Coyote Coexistence Guidelines.
Marine & Shorebird
Sick/Injured Water Birds
- Get a box and line it with a large towel on the bottom. Make air holes.
- Throw a towel over the bird’s face and body.
- Pick up the waterbird by the body and place them in the box.
- Always hold the bird, so the head is facing away from you.
- Seal the box. Place it in a quiet, dark location (for example, a bathroom) until you reach hospital staff.
- Do not offer any food or water.
- Never return a water bird to the water or place them in a tub of water.
- Do not remove any fishing hooks or pull/tug/move/cut any fishing line.
- If the bird is particularly strong or large, contact your local animal control agency to contain this bird.
Marine Mammal
- Do not touch, pick up, harass, feed, or pour water on the animal. Marine mammals can easily cause harm and are easily stressed by humans.
- Do not return the animal to the water: seals and sea lions temporarily “haul-out” on land to rest. Harbor seal mothers often leave their pups ashore while they’re feeding at sea. A beached whale, dolphin, or porpoise should be reported immediately.
- Observe the animal from a distance of at least 50 feet. Keep people and dogs away.
- Take note of any physical characteristics such as size, presence of external ear flaps, and fur color. This information will help the response team determine the species and what rescue equipment is needed.
- Take note of the animal’s condition. Are they weak and underweight? Are there any open wounds?
- Does the animal have any obvious identification tags or markings?
- Determine the exact location of the animal and provide accurate directions. It’s not possible to rescue an animal if they cannot be located.
- Call the Marine Mammal Response Team and provide them with as much information as possible. 310-458-WILD (9453)
Opossum
Sick/Injured Adult Opossums
- Get a box and line it with a large towel on the bottom. Make air holes.
- Throw a towel over the opossum’s face and body.
- Wearing leather gloves, pick up the opossum by the body and place them into the box.
- Seal the box. Place it in a quiet, dark location (for example, a bathroom) until you reach CWC staff.
- Do not offer any food or water.
Orphaned Baby Opossums
- It is a federal offense to keep opossums as pets in California.
- Juvenile opossums are independent of the parent at about 6″ in length from the nose to the base of the tail.
- Orphaned baby opossums will need immediate care from a licensed rehabilitator.
- Get a box and line it with a towel on the bottom. Make air holes.
- Pick up the baby opossums by the body and place them in the box.
- Seal the box. Place the box in a quiet, dark location (for example, a bathroom) until you reach hospital staff. Place a heating pad set to low under half of the box.
- Do not offer any food or water.
Rabbit
Sick/Injured Adult Rabbits
- Get a box and line it with a large towel or newspaper on the bottom.
- Throw a towel over the rabbit’s face and body.
- Pick up the rabbit by the body and place them in the box.
- Seal the box. Place it in a quiet, dark location (for example, a bathroom) until you reach CWC staff. Place a heating pad set to low under half of the box.
- Do not offer any food or water.
- Rabbits die very easily from stress. Limit all talking, loud noises, and handling.
Orphaned Baby Rabbits
- It is a federal offense to keep native wildlife as pets.
- Juvenile rabbits are independent of their parent when they are about 4″ long, have full fur and erect ears.
- Orphaned baby bunnies will need immediate care from a licensed rehabilitator.
- Get a box and line it with a towel on the bottom. Make air holes.
- Pick up the baby bunnies by the body and place them in the box.
- Seal the box. Place the box in a quiet, dark location (for example, a bathroom) until you reach CWC staff. Place a heating pad set to low under half of the box.
- Do not offer any food or water.
Raccoons
- Raccoons should only be transported by trained professionals.
- If you see a sick, injured, or orphaned raccoon, contact your local animal control agency immediately.
- Anyone who has been bitten by a raccoon should notify their physician and public health department within 24 hours, and the raccoon should be held for testing.
Skunks
Sick/Injured Adult Skunks
- Adult skunks should only be transported by trained professionals.
- If you see a sick or injured adult skunk, contact your local animal control agency immediately.
- Anyone who has been bitten by a skunk should notify their physician and public health department within 24 hours, and the skunk should be held for testing.
Orphaned Baby Skunks
- It is a federal offense to keep native wildlife as pets.
- Orphaned baby skunks will need immediate care from a licensed rehabilitator.
- Get a box and line it with a towel on the bottom. Make air holes.
- Throw a towel over the skunk’s face and body.
- Turn the box on its side next to the skunk.
- Using a broom or large stick, gently push the skunk/towel combo into the box.
- Gently turn the box upright.
- Seal the box. Place the box in a quiet, dark location until you reach CWC staff. Place a heating pad set to low, under half the box.
- Do not offer any food or water.
Songbird
Adult Songbirds
- Get a small box and line it with crumpled tissue or a small towel on the bottom. Make air holes.
- Pick up the songbird by the body and place it in the box.
- Seal the box. Place it in a quiet, dark location (for example, a bathroom) until you reach CWC staff.
- Do not offer any food or water.
Orphaned Baby Songbirds
If you find a baby bird during the spring or summer months that is fully feathered, able to perch and grasp with their feet, and able to hop around, then they have likely fledged and will be fed by their parents on the ground. Fledgling birds are learning to fly from the ground up and will flutter around and hide under bushes, while the parents watch and gather food. Leave the fledgling on the ground near where you found it initially. They do not belong in a nest (nor will they stay in one) as it is their instinct to be on the ground. If you are unsure about the bird being a fledgling or notice an injury such as a wing droop or a wound, please contact CWC staff and follow the directions below.
If the bird runs around and is chick-like (covered with short fuzzy down), it may be a baby quail or killdeer. These birds nest on the ground, and the parents fly off when people come near. Leave the immediate area and watch to see if a parent will come back.
It is a federal offense to keep native wildlife as pets. Baby songbirds will need immediate care from a licensed rehabilitator.
The bird needs help and should be brought to California Wildlife Center if:
- The parents are known to be dead.
- The bird is newly hatched, and the nest and nest mates are out of reach.
- They have an injury
- A pet or a child has brought them in from places unknown.
- If someone has picked up a healthy baby bird or a nest-full of babies and has kept it for a day or two, they can still try returning them to the nest site. Please call CWC for instructions.
- Parent birds have home territories and, even if the nest and babies are gone, the parents remain there searching for their babies and will sometimes resume feeding them after an absence of one or two days.
What to do if the bird needs to be brought to CWC
- Get a box and line it with crumpled paper on the bottom. Make air holes.
- Pickup the baby songbird by the body and place them in the box.
- Seal the box. Place the box in a quiet, dark location (for example, a bathroom) until you reach hospital staff. Place a heating pad set to medium under the box.
- Do not offer any food or water.
Squirrel
Sick/Injured Adult Squirrels
- Get a box and line it with a towel or newspaper on the bottom. Make air holes.
- Throw a towel over the squirrel’s face and body.
- Turn the box on its side next to the squirrel.
- Using a broom or large stick, gently push the squirrel/towel combo into the box.
- Gently turn the box upright.
- Seal the box. Place it in a quiet, dark location (for example, a bathroom) until you reach the hospital.
- Do not offer any food or water.
Orphaned Baby Squirrels
- It is a federal offense to keep native wildlife as pets.
- Orphaned baby squirrels will need immediate care from a licensed rehabilitator.
- Get a box and line it with a towel on the bottom. Make air holes.
- Pick up the baby squirrel by the body and place them in the box.
- Seal the box. Place the box in a quiet, dark location (for example, a bathroom) until you reach CWC. Place a heating pad set to low under half the box.
- Do not offer any food or water.