Living in Boulder, we’re no strangers to wildlife. From the deer and elk we find wandering through our neighborhoods year-round to the creatures and critters that we call pets, Boulder’s a bastion for wild friends.
Since 1982, Boulder’s Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center has been dedicated to the rehabilitation of wildlife brought to the Center so those creatures can be released back into the wild. The Center’s main goal is to successfully rehabilitate sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife so they can successfully head back home.
It’s not a place, however, that makes pets out of wild animals. They believe that wildlife belongs in, well, the wild, and between their own rehabilitation efforts and dialogue with the public, they ensure as many animals as possible can rejoin their natural habitat.
Located off Ute Highway between Lyons and Longmont, the Center cares for between 2,000 and 3,000 animals each year and advises the public on the care of many others. The majority of their patients are mammals and small birds, cared for by a staff of specially trained wildlife rehabilitators and the volunteers who generously donate their time to the Center.
Greenwood maintains relationships with other wildlife professionals outside of the Center’s staff. This is so that they can make referrals for animals that are larger then they typically care for (bigger than a coyote) or of types they do not have facilities to properly rehabilitate (like snakes and bats).
Here are a few quick facts about our nonprofit neighbors at the Center:
What types of animals does the Center typically rehabilitate?
Greenwood cares for more than 140 different species, including small mammals (squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, coyotes, raccoons and foxes), songbirds (finches, swallows, flycatchers, warblers, woodpeckers and hummingbirds) and waterfowl (ducks, geese and coots).
What should I do if I’ve found an injured animal?
The Center has a handy online resource for different types of animals. Check there first.
I’d like to help support the Center. What do you need?
You can sponsor an animal, volunteer, shop in their Thrift Shop and Consignment Gallery, donate gently used goods to the Thrift Shop and consign furniture, home décor and jewelry in their Consignment Gallery. All proceedsfrom the stores support the Center’s operations.
You can find information about all types of donations here. They also have a wish list that they update regularly.
How does the Center work with the public to resolve conflicts between wildlife and residential areas?
We’re bound to see conflicts between wildlife and people from time to time. Greenwood has published a quick guide to help the public navigate potential conflicts with wildlife and offer resources to help deal with conflicts in a humane fashion, protecting both people and the animals in an environment.
There’s more to know …
Here at Your Boulder, one of our goals is to make a meaningful contribution to the beautiful, vibrant town we call home. And in many cases, that means supporting our local non-profits by letting you know about vital issues related to the work they do.
In that spirit, we’ll be featuring more articles about the Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center over the next few months. There is a surprising amount of cool information to discover about the wildlife that call Boulder home, and we’ll bring it to you this summer.
