Wildlife Rehabilitation DRAFT
Earthfire Institute is state permitted through Idaho Fish and Game for small Mammal wildlife rehabilitation and release. We take in native injured and orphaned wildlife native to Idaho.
If you have found an animal who you believe needs help, please contact us at 208-456-0926.
When you encounter a wild animal that appears to need help, whether from injury, disease, or has been orphaned, please consider these issues before picking it up to bring for help:
First, emotions can run high when we see an animal in need but it is essential for the animal’s well-being to remain calm and assess the situation before taking any action. Who is around? How many humans and animals are involved? Are you safe?
Second, does this animal really need your help? Nature is intelligent and resilient, often providing better solutions than what we humans can offer. If you decide that the animal does need your help, be sure to have all necessary information about the animal, specifically species, estimated age, location, the injury/issue, a detailed description of what happened (to the best of your ability), and what its current status is. Be prepared to tell us your name, number, and what you are willing to do for that animal (whether you can bring it to us or one of our veterinary partners, or hold it until we can pick it up). Thank you for your concern for the being you are calling about.
Please note, there are certain animals we cannot take in without special permission from Idaho Fish and Game, such as:
Skunks
Foxes
Raccoons
Wolves
Mountain lions
Grizzly bears
Black bears
Wild cervids (mule deer, elk, white-tailed deer, moose)
Wild bovids (mountain goat, bighorn sheep)
Wild antilocaprids (pronghorn)
Raptors*
Water Fowl, migratory Birds (Songbirds, Crows, Ravens, etc.)**
* If you find a raptor that you believe needs help, please contact the Teton Raptor Center’s Injured Raptor Hotline at 307-203-2551.
** If you find orphaned or injured water fowl or migratory birds, such as crows, ravens, songbirds, etc., please contact Teton Wildlife Rehabilitation Center at 208-973-8972.
For all other animals on this list, please contact Idaho Fish and Game at 208-525-7290.
FAQ
What is Earthfire’s role as a wildlife rehabilitator?
Earthfire is permitted to rehabilitate and release small mammals through Idaho Fish and Game. Our efforts consist of taking in injured and orphaned mammals within Idaho with the express purpose of rehabilitating them for release back to the wild. Earthfire works hand in hand with local veterinarians to assess the needs and best course of action for each animal. Per Idaho regulations, any wild animal brought in for rehabilitation must either be rehabilitated and released or euthanized if unable to be released. For this reason, it is extremely important that animals are not handled by or accustomed to humans and our staff any more than necessary, as prolonged human contact makes release more difficult.
Where do your rehabilitation animals come from?
Animals brought to us for rehabilitation come to us through various avenues including private individuals and Idaho Fish & Game. The need is great but varies throughout the year and season.
Does Earthfire release all of the animals that come in?
No. We are able to release most of the animals that are brought to us for rehabilitation, but only the ones that have a chance at a full, self-sufficient life in the wild. Earthfire works hand in hand with local vets to assess the needs and best course of action for each animal.
Wildlife Rehabilitation Stories
- Heather Holcomb
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We recently received two starving, orphaned black bear cubs from Idaho Fish and Game. This weekend, they brought us a third. And there are likely more on the way. This...
- Hope McKenzie
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Usually, a phone call comes first: A baby squirrel just fell out of our tree! Or, There’s a baby deer with a broken leg in our backyard! And sometimes, There’s...
- Susan B. Eirich, PhD
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She came to us tiny, cold, and limp, a baby chipmunk barely a few weeks old. Prospects didn’t seem good. But it is amazing what warmth and tiny doses of...