LATEST NEWS & BLOG FROM CWC
Wildlife Rescue Calls
If you give a squirrel a cookie…Each day we receive a variety of calls and we never know where they might lead. While many make us smile or laugh, some are emotional. These calls remind us that behind every rescue is a person who stopped what they were doing to help an animal in need. That gives us hope.
November 4, 2025/by Saras VenkatramHighlights from a Wild 2025 Marine Stranding Season
2025 will go down in the record books as a year of many challenges. Yet, with challenges come growth and shining moments of success! Things started off slower than in 2024, but that quickly changed. By the second week of January, devastating wildfires forced us to evacuate. Response operations shifted to a remote staging location.
November 4, 2025/by Saras VenkatramRising Again: Successful Wing Fracture Repair and Flight Recovery
On August 22, 2025, an adult female Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) was brought to the center by a good Samaritan after being found grounded and unable to fly in Los Angeles.
November 4, 2025/by Saras VenkatramAffects of Light Pollution on Wildlife
Today, we have the technology to illuminate the night with brilliant electric lights. While modern day lighting is helpful, it can become extremely dangerous ‘light pollution’ for the night-active animals that share the world around us.
August 27, 2025/by Saras VenkatramThe Story of Orange
Each year, during the months of March-May, our Marine Mammal Rescue team at CWC receives a high volume of calls regarding stranded Northern Elephant Seal pups on the beaches in Malibu. Each pup that comes in for rehabilitation receives a second chance at life, which was the case for patient #25-097.
August 27, 2025/by Saras VenkatramA New Chapter at CWC
It is with deep gratitude and great excitement that I introduce myself as the new Executive Director of California Wildlife Center. Stepping into this role is both a profound honor and a heartfelt responsibility - one I do not take lightly.
August 27, 2025/by Saras VenkatramTaxidermy Exhibits
The reality of working at a wildlife hospital is, despite our best efforts, some animals don’t recover. In these cases, they may be held or necropsied to assist with law enforcement investigations, determine their cause of death, or be preserved for research
May 19, 2025/by Saras VenkatramRehabilitating Adult California Sea Lions affected by Domoic Acid Toxicity
The California Wildlife Center’s marine mammal rehabilitation program turned 13 this year. During the 2013 “Unusual Mortality Event” affecting California Sea Lion pups (less than 1 year of age) we transitioned from a rescue and transport program to one that includes on-site rehabilitation of young Northern Elephant Seals and California Sea Lions. Each winter, spring, and early summer, the majority of rescued marine mammals in Malibu are early weaned or severely malnourished seals and sea lions.
May 19, 2025/by Saras VenkatramA Tail of Survival
California Wildlife Center recently treated an almost 8-pound bobcat who was rescued from a burn area in Sierra Madre after the Eaton Fire. On January 29, the bobcat was admitted to Pasadena Humane emaciated, with burns on her paws and singed fur on her backside.
May 19, 2025/by Saras VenkatramThe Littlest Dove
Every Spring brings hundreds of young animals to our center in need of care. They come to us for a variety of reasons including losing their mother, being injured, or being ill. One of the first species we see in the Spring is the Mourning Dove. These quiet little birds are a common visitor to many urban backyards and are known for their tell-tale cooing that is reminiscent of a sorrowful call.
May 18, 2025/by Saras Venkatram