Source: Worcester Magazine
Wildlife rehabilitators across Massachusetts play an important role in caring for sick, injured, and orphaned animals while educating the public about living alongside wildlife. About 200 licensed rehabilitators operate statewide, often balancing volunteer animal care with jobs and family responsibilities. Their patients include bats, squirrels, opossums, reptiles, birds, and turtles, many injured because of habitat loss, vehicle strikes, window collisions, and other human-related causes.
Rehabilitators must pass a state exam, complete continuing education, meet species-specific requirements, and work with a licensed veterinarian. Capacity remains a major challenge, forcing some rehabilitators to turn away animals when resources are stretched.
Facilities such as the Tufts Wildlife Clinic provide medical and surgical treatment for cases requiring advanced care. The clinic treated more than 4,400 birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians in 2025, and intake continues to rise. Despite emotional and financial challenges, rehabilitators remain focused on their primary goal: returning healthy animals to their natural habitats.