The Conservancy of Southwest Florida unveiled brand new outdoor rehabilitation spaces for local wildlife Tuesday. It's part of a $2.3 million expansion to the von Arx Wildlife Hospital, located at the Conservancy on Goodlette-Frank Road.
The expansion includes state-of-the-art wildlife rehab space, such as a new and enlarged shorebird recovery area and eight small mammal recovery areas.
"If they don't have the space to truly exercise their muscles and gain that strength, they cannot recover properly," said Joanna Fitzgerald, director of the von Arx Wildlife Hospital. "It would mean not being able to be released."
She said that the hospital has been seeing an average of a 10% increase in the number of injured animals brought to the hospital every year since it opened in 2013.
The expansion also includes a viewing pavilion so that guests can see three wildlife "ambassadors:" a bald eagle, red-tailed hawk and eastern screech owl. Due to the severity of their injuries, they cannot be released back in to the wild.
The Conservancy also introduced a new public information campaign, including an injury-prevention tip sheet and web page that offers ways to prevent wildlife injuries. Collier County will also be placing "pelican protection" signs at fish cleaning stations at county boat launches.
"I am inspired and motivated by the willingness of so many facets of our community to come together in support of preventing injury to wildlife," said Rob Moher, the Conservancy's president and CEO.
