Wildlife Inc. Rescues More Than 150 Animals After Hurricane Ian

BRADENTON BEACH, FL — Since Hurricane Ian battered Southwest Florida, Wildlife Inc. Education & Rehabilitation Center in Bradenton Beach has been more active than ever.

In the days that followed the powerful Category 4 storm made landfall near Fort Myers, the organization took in more than 150 wild animals in need of assistance, volunteer Gale Tedhams told Patch.

“Usually, we take in eight or nine a day, so it was a lot,” she said. “We usually get about 70 in a week, so that’s maybe three times more than normal.”

• Stay up-to-date by viewing all Hurricane Ian coverage on Patch here.

Leading up to the hurricane, thinking Manatee County’s barrier island beaches might take more of a direct hit, Wildlife, Inc. volunteers did what they could to prepare. This included releasing as many animals as they could back into the wild.

“As many as were ready to go, like our seabirds,” Tedhams said. “They could do better on their own, especially if this place was going to blow away. Hopefully, they’d find shelter, but they know what to do.”

Volunteers also relocated two gopher tortoises, taking them to a drier area ahead of the heavy rains.

When Hurricane Ian shifted its path to hit further south, Gale Straight, the organization’s director, decided to stay at the rehabilitation center with the animals.

“She didn’t move all the animals off once we saw the storm was going south, but we were ready to evacuate, if need be,” Tedhams said. “We had no power for four days. Everyone had head lamps onto feed the animals and we were running generators to keep the food. It was pretty hair there for a few days.”

Even with no power and no phone service, people knew they could turn to Wildlife, Inc. with the injured animals they found in the storm’s aftermath.

“I can’t imagine what we would have had those first few days if the phones were working,” she said. “It was kind of amazing.”

Some people brought baby squirrels from as far away as North Port and Port Charlotte – both areas hit harder by the storm

“In some ways, this was something they could do to help people save something that was injured during that storm,” Tedhams said. “It gave them a little joy to be able to.”

As the storm hit during squirrel nesting season, the organization found itself inundated with baby squirrels thrown from their nests. Volunteers are still caring for more than 50 squirrels and hand feeding them. Other animals brought to Wildlife, Inc. after Ian’s hit include three skunks, raccoons and several bunnies.

In recent days, six weakened pelicans were brought to the rehab center.

“I don’t know if it’s disorientation or if fishing is screwed up for them, but they’re very weak,” she said. “Just the whole animal world went through the same kind of trauma that humans went through.”

Tedhams added, “But we're trying to save as many as we can, and we've had everybody all hands on deck for feeding.”

Learn more about Wildlife Inc.’s work and how to volunteer with or donate to the organization, here.

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