Orange Beach Wildlife Center

06/07/2026

Our volunteer orientation for today is still on! The rain is supposed to dwindle as the day continues.

We look forward to seeing everyone who RSVP’d!

06/06/2026

Over the past few weeks, we have had several bursts of heavy rain and wind in Southern Alabama. With heavy storms come orphaned and injured wildlife!

Strong winds and rain can cause nests to fail or fall from their secure locations. That is exactly what happened with our newest orphaned raptor patient, OSPR 26-0631!

Early last week, a large wind gust blew this Osprey's nest right off its platform! It took quite a tumble and fell directly into a nearby body of water. Luckily, a good Samaritan witnessed the fall and was able to safely scoop the baby from the water and transport it to our facility.

Radiographs confirmed no fractures, and the baby Osprey has been settling well into care. They are eating great, standing, vocalizing, and showing aversion to human caretakers.

We have been coordinating with another wildlife rehabilitator, and another young Osprey will be transferred to us soon to provide a foster sibling for our current baby!

06/04/2026

You’ve heard of Hungry Hungry Hippo’s… now introducing Hungry Hungry Blue Jays!

These 4 orphans are growing like weeds, and are currently being raised in our songbird nursery. Take this sound, multiply it by 15, and that’s what our nursery sounds like from 8 AM to 8 PM everyday of the week!

If you find injured or orphaned baby birds, call our hotline for further assistance. Remember, please never offer food or water to any orphaned wildlife.

*This video was taken during their scheduled feeding time. No patients were disturbed for this video!*

05/30/2026

Not even being shot could stop him!

Meet our latest released patient, TUVU 26-0543. This Turkey Vulture was admitted from Baldwin County after a concerned citizen found them down on the ground. They quickly contained and transported him to our facility.

Upon admission, 26-0543 had dull mentation, was mildly underweight and dehydrated, and was unable to fly. Once stabilized, radiographs were obtained to rule out any fractures.

Radiographs discovered the cause of his arrival. He had been shot and had not one, two, or even three pellets - but had 6 pellets scattered throughout his body. While sedated, blood was collected to send off for further diagnostics - and rule out any potential lead toxicity.

Luckily, even after being shot, 26-0543 suffered no severe injuries. No fractures were found, and his lead test came back below abnormal levels. He has spent the last few weeks in our clinic improving his body and muscle conditioning, and has been soaring through our flight enclosure.

We are pleased to announce that as of earlier today, he has been released back into the wild! Good luck, and fly free! This case serves as an important reminder that migratory birds are federally protected - and harming or harassing these species is unlawful. While his outcome was a successful return to the wild, many of these cases require humane euthanasia due to the severity of their injuries.

05/28/2026

It's sure been one BIG week here at OBWC.

Tuesday afternoon, we admitted an adult North American Beaver from Daphne. They presented with a large wound on their neck, and a chunk missing from their tail. Weighing in at almost 30 pounds, we suspect they were likely a predator attack or struck by a boat. The wound is extremely deep, and has been surgically debrided and sutured by Schreiber Veterinary Hospital! They are doing well in care, and eating and swimming like normal.

It doesn't stop there! Wednesday evening, we admitted an Alligator Snapping Turtle from Foley. It was accidentally dug up by heavy machinery and incurred mild carapace damage. They are also doing well in care! This GIGANTIC turtle weighs in at almost SEVENTY pounds!

We are optimistic about their prognosis, and both patients should make a full recovery!

05/22/2026

Wow, where do we even start? It is officially time to send off the face behind Orange Beach Wildlife Center, Melissa Vinson.

After many attempts at writing this post, we've decided the best way to start is to just keep it going in one shot. This will be a long read, so grab some popcorn!

Melissa first began at OBWC before it was truly a center. She volunteered relentlessly, investing many hours of blood, sweat, and tears into helping the center take its initial flight. From here, she joined the city as a part-time employee at the wildlife center. This momentum continued until she became the Wildlife Program Manager. This, of course, is the shortened version. Throughout the years, Melissa has transformed our program from a handful of interns and volunteers caring for a few hundred animals a year to a program admitting nearly ONE THOUSAND animals annually, with a consistent 14 yearly resident interns and 3 staff members. She helped guide the center through its transition to a brand new state-of-the-art facility, establised relationships with a plethora of local conservation agencies, trained dozens of interns, and has assisted over 7500 wildlife patients over the course of her career. Her impact on our local wildlife is nothing short of remarkable.

Melissa was arguably the best boss, mentor, co-worker, and friend one could ask for. She never failed to advocate for her team, staff, and interns. Even when it felt like the world was crumbling, and everything that can go wrong, goes wrong - Melissa was always there to provide support. Whether it was to listen to a much needed vent session, provide advice, brainstorm with you, or just give a shoulder to cry on - Melissa was always there for her team. At this point, she could add DIY Therapist to her CV!

Melissa - Thank you for all you have done for OBWC, Coastal Resources, your staff & team, the Orange Beach community, and all of our wild critters. We have big shoes to fill around here - but we will continue to carry on the mission and goals you have established at Orange Beach Wildlife Center. We, along with Jolene and JB, already miss you. Don't be a stranger - this will always be your home!

We will be posting announcements in the near future regarding Melissa's replacement - but for now, please join us in wishing Melissa a very well deserved send off!

05/19/2026

Go and like Friends of the Orange Beach Wildlife Center ! They help support our mission! Go buy a shirt!

We are a 501(c)3 championing the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of wildlife.. All proceeds will go directly back into the community to be used for wildlife rescue...

05/17/2026

We are officially launching our on-site volunteer program!

Join us on June 7th @ 1:30 PM for a volunteer orientation and training. This will last about an hour, and will include insight on our mission, facility, and day-to-day responsibilites for volunteers. It is located at Orange Beach Wildlife Center (address below).

Volunteers will be required to complete one consistent 3 hour time slot a week, for a total of 3 months. This the minimum requirement, but longer comittments are always welcomed! Volunteers will also undergo a background check. We are currently unable to provide volunteer opportunities for minors.

Please RSVP for the volunteer orientation at the following email: [email protected]

We look forward to seeing you there!

05/13/2026

Calling all bird nerds!

Earlier this week, we received an orphaned Killdeer. The little baby is doing fantastic, and we would like to find him some foster parents. While we do a great job raising babies, nature knows best!

We are seeking any information about local Killdeer nests in Orange Beach / Gulf Shores / Foley. An active parent with babies must have been located in the last 1-2 days, and babies must be of similar size to our orphaned little guy!

If you can help provide any information - text Andrew at 251-504-0148. Thank you!

05/08/2026

POV: The face you make when you realize it’s almost the weekend!

Happy Friday from our Rough Green Snake patient!