FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The South Florida Wildlife Center, a nonprofit founded in 1969, is preparing to move to a bigger home to keep up with animal injuries, mostly due to human-wildlife interactions.
Carolina Montano is the director of the 4.5-acre facility in Fort Lauderdale, which runs a wildlife trauma care hospital and a rehabilitation facility.
The wildlife center’s much larger home in Southwest Ranches was procured in partnership with the town council and the Broward County School Board. Construction starts next year.
“So we do love the space we are in, but we have used every single inch of it, and were excited to be able to just do more and build more,” Montano said, adding there will be costs of $10 to $20 million over the next few years.
The center, at 3200 SW 4 Ave., has already treated about 6,000 animals of 200 species this year -- and about 90% had suffered “human-related” injuries, according to Montano.
“Brown pelicans, which are a year-round patient for us, either they get fishing line injuries or they swallow hooks,” Montano said.
Most recently, there were 400 animals on the property, which has a team of about 30 employees and hundreds of volunteers. Nancy Fuchs is among the center’s regular volunteers. She feeds the animals with food that is donated.
“We take care of not only the four-legged creatures, but we have song birds and raptors and coyotes and foxes and any wild animal that needs assistance,” Fuchs said.
Raccoons make up 25% of the patients.
“They keep everything clean, they keep it healthy, they keep viruses down, and they are our only marsupials, so biodiversity-wise they are extra cool,” Montano said.
The center isn’t allowed to help invasive species such as iguanas, Egyptian geese, Muscovy ducks, and pythons.
“We go ahead and rescue, rehabilitate, and release native wildlife. However, if any animal is in dire need, we go ahead and provide a peaceful passing because we don’t want anyone to suffer,” Montano said.
The move will be possible after a tri-party agreement between the Southwest Ranches council, the school board, and the center, through a 99-year lease of the property near Sheridan Street and Southwest 190 Avenue.
Jeffrey Arciniaco, president and chairman of the SWFC board, released a statement in August asking for the public’s financial support.
“We’ve done so much with our existing facility and are looking forward to expanding and doing even more for the community,” Arciniaco wrote. “With human-wildlife interactions continuing to increase, our work is more critical than ever.”
For more information about the center and how to contribute to the efforts, visit this page.
For donation information, visit this page.
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