Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation

Description

Since accepting its first animals for treatment in early 2004, we have quickly grown to be one of the largest wildlife rehabilitation centers in northern Illinois, treating over 2,500 animals annually. Our phenomenal growth has resulted from a number of factors. First, we have witnessed the elimination of services at two publicly funded facilities and the elimination or reduction of services at several privately-funded facilities. Trailside Nature Center and Spring Brook Nature Center, both publicly funded, closed their rehabilitation centers during 2006. Private centers lost capacity for a variety of reasons such as the out-of-state relocation of Safe Haven Wildlife. Second, we are seeing increased demand due to the opening of Northerly Island. Many birds that previously had no place to go or had to travel to distant suburban locations are now getting help due to the convenience of Northerly. Third, we receive a growing number of animals from private and public agencies due to our excellent reputation and cooperative relationships with many fine organizations.

Because we receive no government funding and cannot yet afford to hire full-time licensed rehabilitators for Northerly Island, the location is currently a triage center focused on stabilizing critically injured birds. Any birds that cannot be released the day of treatment are transported back to our Barrington facility where they, like all animals at our Barrington facility, receive round-the-clock medical care.