SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care, Inc. is once again caring for wild animals as of February after a three to four month halt wherein California Department of Fish and Wildlife relocated animals due to permitting issues after the previous permit holder left their position at the center.

According to the CDFW, LTWC executive director, Catherine Mendez, now holds a permit issued in February, allowing the facility to care for and rehabilitate certain native wildlife.

Mendez told the Tribune at an April fundraiser that the facility was experiencing a 34% increase in patients compared to the same time last year. That fundraiser was the ‘Born to Be Wild’ fundraiser, which raised $5,000 in its second year. An update in May revealed wildlife admissions up more than 48% compared to the same time last year. 

Wildlife patients have been keeping the center so busy that LTWC put out an urgent request for towels in early June, also calling pillowcases, flat sheets, blankets, fleece, stuff animals and aquariums.

The center’s social updates since February reveal treatment of bats, squirrels, rabbits, a Steller’s jay, hummingbird, Cooper’s hawk, more than one owl, and an American goshawk.

Some success stories include releasing the American goshawk after its recovery from colliding with a kitchen window. The Cooper’s hawk also returned to the wild after being found grounded along Highway 395, unable to fly. A barn owl that was hit by a car again took to the skies after 33 days of care at the facility. A great horned owlet found alone next to a deceased sibling was treated and reunited with his parents.

The center hasn’t been without its challenges since receiving animals. On May 19, three separate fires were deliberately set between 100 and 250 yards from the facility’s animal enclosures, spurring volunteers and staff to prepare for evacuations. Responding crews quickly contained the fires and no wildlife was harmed or had to be relocated.

LTWC accepts wildlife intakes each day from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. The center’s hotline, 530-577-2273 (CARE), is available during these hours. The center asks to call ahead before bringing in an animal.

While the center is again caring for and receiving wildlife, it is not yet permitted to rehabilitate black bears, something the facility conducted previously.

The Tribune has inquired whether LTWC plans on further pursuing permitting to care for black bears but has received no response at the time this article was published.

If you do find an injured bear, you can call CDFW’s North Central Region hotline at 916-358-2917 or report online at CDFW’s Wildlife Incident Reporting System.

There are currently three permitted wildlife rehabilitation facilities around the state authorized by CDFW to temporarily possess and rehabilitate black bears cubs and some juvenile bears. The closest center is the Gold Country Wildlife Rescue in Auburn, Calif. Others include the Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue in Petaluma, and the San Diego Humane Society-Project Wildlife in Ramona, San Diego County.

CDFW encourages Tahoe residents and visitors to be “BearWise,” and visit bearwise.org to learn more.

More information on native wildlife rehabilitation is available at CDFW’s website: wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Laboratories/Wildlife-Health/Rehab.