South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center

South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Inc.
3308 95th Street (at Indiana Ave)
Lubbock TX  79423
(806) 799-2142

Look for the building on the east side with the large animal mural wall

Need help finding a rehabilitator in your area?
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Information Directory

Vagabond trumpeter swan H99 winters at Wildwood Zoo -- Feb. 15, 2005
Trumpeter Swans Update -- Spring 2004
General Update -- Spring Brings Renewed Enthusiasm -- Spring 2004
Find an Injured or Orphaned Animal?
Wildlife Emergency!
South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center
Internship Program
Donations Needed and Wish List

First three Great Horned Owls of 2003 with surrogate mother.

Trumpeter Swans Update -- Spring 2004

The evening of December 13th, 2003, Texas Parks and Wildlife game warden Mark Collins brought three gravely injured Trumpeter Swans to the Wildlife Center. An entire Trumpeter family of at least five birds was shot with  a shotgun by poachers earlier that day and left to die in a field in Lockney. A pheasant hunter phoned authorities, and Collins showed up with warden Jay Oyler. Two birds were dead, and three gravely injured. It took some ingenuity and Collin’s lasso to capture them. Trumpeter Swans weigh about 30 pounds, and there is never a ‘season’ on them. Protected by state and federal laws, their populations were nearly decimated at the turn of the century because of over-hunting, habitat loss and other causes.

“H99,” had a bright red neck collar and leg bands, and his two cygnets had leg bands. He was hatched in captivity as part of the Iowa Trumpeter Swan Restoration Project in 1999 in West Bend. He was released in March 2000 at Grovers Lake, 7 miles northwest of Spirit Lake, Iowa. At some point he paired up with a wild free-flying female and the pair hatched 4 cygnets and traveled south with them during the 2003 migration. On December 15th, Rob Lee called waterfowl technician Dave Hoffman of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. It was decided that the swans would be returned to Iowa when they were well enough to travel, and placed with swan rehabilitator Linda Hinshaw in Spirit Lake on the Iowa Great Lakes.

Sadly, one of the juveniles had to be euthanized. His leg was shattered, and he would lose part of one wing. Despite surgery, it was decided by all caretakers and the Iowa DNR to relieve the bird’s pain and suffering.

Trumpeter Swans are rarely sighted in Texas, and we’d now focus on the two remaining bird -all efforts would be directed on their survival. Devastated and depressed, they would not eat, and had to be tube- fed several times a day, which was a major undertaking for both the birds and the volunteers that had to corral, hold, and feed them. Additionally, they had to be returned to the clinic for X-Rays, and Dr. Tim Polk also visited the Center for house calls. At last they began eating on their own, and there was finally hope for their survival.

Meanwhile, back in Iowa, Linda Hinshaw sought more information on H99 and his cygnet. Many calls produced nothing. Finally, she called Lisa Innavanea of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Lisa plugged H99 into her computer and learned that H99 and his mate nested for three consecutive springs on a wetland located south of Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. Now they knew he and his mate had bred successfully in the wild and raised a family.

Plans were made to drive the birds back to Iowa. Volunteer Lindi VanHeukelon and her fiancé Joel Butler offered since Lindi was from Iowa, and had conducted tours at the Restoration Project area. They set out New Year’s Eve on their long journey. New Year’s Day they met Dave Hoffman in Des Moines, and turned the swans over to him for the last leg of the trip to Linda Hinshaw’s facility in Spirit Lake on the Iowa Great Lakes. Our photo of H99 is in the April issue of TPWD Magazine (page 17). Stay tuned for an update!

Find an Injured or Orphaned Animal?

Injured or young, orphaned animals should be brought to 3308 95th Street in Lubbock.  If the animal is small enough, transport it in a dark box to keep it calm.  Loud noises, such as the radio, can severely stress a wild animal.  Please call (806) 799-2142 first, if possible.  

Wildlife Emergency!

What to do in a wildlife emergency:  If you find an injured animal, first remember to do no harm.  If catching the animal will involve a struggle, it could sustain further injury.  Frightened animals will thrash about, and may hurt their faces or even break feathers or bones.  Often it is best to wait until the animal becomes weak enough that it will not be difficult to corner and catch.  Take time to plan the rescue of an animal in need:  gather supplies such as leather gloves, heavy tape, vet-wrap, eye protection, nets, blankets, a large box for transport, and extra people!  Do not expose yourself to injuries.  Wild animals will not know you are trying to “help” them, and they may become defensive, and try to bit, poke, kick or scratch.  If you have any doubts, call the Wildlife Center for advice and direction at 806-799-2142, or contact a licensed rehabilitator in your area.  The key words for any wildlife emergency are Warm, Dark and Quiet.  Keep injured animals as warm as possible until they are stabilized and can be transported.  Sometimes, bleeding must be stopped by applying pressure to an open wound, as unchecked hemorrhage can quickly lead to shock and death.  Never feed an animal without first talking with a rehabilitator; there are many special formulas and foods for different avian and mammal species.  Stressed and compromised animals must first be rehydrated with appropriate fluids.  The incorrect milk will very quickly cause problems in deer fawns, for example, and the effects can be irreversible.  Use common sense, and above all, think safety!

South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center

A wildlife rehabilitation and environmental education facility, the South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center cares for orphaned, injured, ill and displaced native wildlife species, with an ultimate goal of release back to the wild whenever possible.  Wildlife is a precious natural resource, and through our work, the Center hopes to instill appreciation and respect for the many wildlife species that share our space.

South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Inc. is an IRS 501(c)3 determined organization.  Founded in 1988 by Carol Lee, the Center is located on 1.6 acres of property at 95th and Indiana Avenues, in Lubbock, Texas.  Carol, the current Director, holds current permits from the state of Texas (Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in Austin) and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service on a federal level.  We also have a Special Purpose Possession permit to hold non-releasable migratory birds as "wildlife ambassadors" for use in educational programs.  In addition, the Center has an Eagle Exhibition permit, and also holds a male Golden eagle for educational purposes.

The Wildlife Center cares for over 1,300 animals annually.  All species of wild birds are accepted for care -- this includes songbirds, waterfowl, and raptors, including an occasional Bald or Golden eagle.  Raptors are 10-12% of our annual caseload.  Mammals, including white-tailed and Mule deer as well as Pronghorn, have been cared for.  The Center also admits approximately 50 reptiles and amphibians each year, including terrestrial and aquatic species of turtles, a few snakes, Texas horned lizards, salamanders, frogs and toads!

No funding whatsoever is received from either regulatory agency, and the organization is 100% volunteer.  Funding is from individual donations, newsletter subscriptions, Environmental Education presentations, gifts, Memorials, and "animal adoptions."

There is an Internship program with Texas Tech University, whereby a student can volunteer and receive credit.  Hands-on experience with wildlife has helped a number of students get jobs in related fields.  Two high schools have also partnered with us, sending selected students to us as part of their experience.  Volunteers must be at least 17 years of age.

The Center publishes four newsletters entitled "The Mockingbird Chronicles" each year.  Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.  Your gifts help us continue to work for wildlife.

Levels of membership include:

ADOPTIONS:

Anyone can adopt these birds!  Adoptive "Parents" receive:

Personalized adoption certificate 
Color photograph of the adopted animal 
Species profile to inform you about your animals' natural history and conservation concerns 
One-year subscription to The Mockingbird Chronicles

Print out our Adoption Form Here.

Mission Statement:

South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization established for a dual purpose:

SPWRC admitted 1,721 wildlife casualties during 2000, up by a whopping 508 admissions over 1999.  It is broken down as follows:  1,296 birds, 396 mammals, 26 reptiles and 3 amphibians.

The SPWRC puts out a quarterly publication entitled "The Mockingbird Chronicles."

Contact Information:

Director: Carol Lee 
spwrc@cox.net
3101 77th Street
Lubbock, TX  79423 
Home: (806) 745-8120 
Wildlife Center: (806) 799-2142 
Debbie Tennyson: On-Site Manager

Permits:

State:  Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Austin, Texas #SPH 0590-011 
Federal:  United States Fish & Wildlife Service PRT 740-138 
Special Purpose Possession:  PRT 765-926

Click here to link the the official SPWRC website 

General Update:  Spring 2004
Spring Brings Renewed Enthusiasm

The winter of 2003 was the busiest ever as the administrative duties of running the Wildlife Center continually increase and often seem overwhelming. Our state and federal records were due January 31st, and of all times, our computer crashed and died. Data entered the previous few months was lost and had to be re-entered when the new computer arrived. Our state and federal permit officers kindly gave me an extension until March 1st. The amount of paperwork seemed insurmountable, but the required wildlife and education records were all mailed February 28th. It was a huge sigh of relief.

This newsletter is behind schedule because of my own computer woes at home, but I’m probably the only one who gets stressed out about it. I try to focus each day on the good things happening around me, namely that the Wildlife Center is truly blessed. We have the support of many wonderful and generous people, and we always seem to have what we need.

So many people were happy that the Wildlife Center was here for the beautiful Trumpeter Swans that we helped in December (page 6). Although a bittersweet story, the ending was happy for two of the birds.

“Thorn,” our Golden Eagle, is showing promise of recovery after a run-in with a porcupine. A Red-tailed Hawk electrocuted in November will soon be released. Another Golden Eagle with visual impairment will be placed - we’re happy we could help him, too. The Roadrunner on the cover of our Holiday issue will be back in the wild by the time you read this. There is much satisfaction every day.

Facilitator Cindy Reinhardt of Lubbock helped volunteers to better understand each other as we worked with her to hone our skills as team members. Primary caretakers continue to meet weekly for an hour to discuss policies, wildlife cases and future plans.

Those future plans are dreams that are coming true, like our long awaited outdoor environmental learning center, that we broke ground on in late February (See page 4). I realized we accomplished so much in 2003 as I updated our Guidestar information. This is a database of some 600,000 charitable organizations making it possible for donors to look at our track record. Of four goals for 2003, we completed three capital improvements. Number 4 is building a mammal enclosure, and that’s presently being planned. Our financial information for 2003 will be updated on Guidestar shortly by our CPA, Pat Harris. (Guidestar.com). 

We’re proud of our achievements and especially the fact that we remain 100% volunteer. We appreciate your support. We work hard, we believe in what we do, and we have definitely made a difference for wildlife on the Texas South Plains.

Internship Program

The Wildlife Center offers many internship opportunities for high school and college students.  This is a great way to earn credit and gain valuable hands-on experience with many species of indigenous wild mammals, reptiles and birds, including raptors.  For more information, please contact Carol Lee at (806) 745-8120.

Donations Needed and Wish List

The Wildlife Rehab Center is in need of items to care for these injured and orphaned animals.  The supplies listed below are in constant demand:

Volunteers! -- Must be 17+ years of age to volunteer

Food:

Linens:

Kitchen Appliances and Supplies:

Office supplies:

Medical/Veterinary supplies:

Cleaning:

Services:

Miscellaneous:

Updated 19 July 2006 .