No COVID slowdown for Blue Ridge Wildlife Center as record number of animals treated in 2020

Blue Ridge Wildlife Center treated a record 2,864 mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, during 2020 at its Boyce hospital and, similar to previous years, it reported a survival rate of over 75% among animals that lived through the first 24 hours of hospitalization. Executive Director Annie Bradfield said that in the past 20 years, since the center was opened, more than 24,000 native wild animals have been treated.

“Each year, as awareness of (the center) grows, so does our impact. In 2020, despite the pandemic, we hit a new record of over 2,800 animals treated, and we expect that number will continue to rise each year,” Bradfield said.

Above, Annie Bradfield is enjoying her first year as BRWC executive director. Below, Dr. Jennifer Riley, director of veterinary services, and Jessica Andersen, BRWC program manager, treat a bald eagle. Courtesy Photos BRWC

The types of animals that wind up at the center include raptors, songbirds, doves and waterbirds. Rabbits (Eastern cottontails) lead the mammal group, followed by opossums, squirrels, foxes, bats and raccoons. Then there are the turtles (209 of them) and 42 snakes followed by a small number of toads and frogs.

The Clarke County-based wildlife center covers 14 contiguous counties including the nearby counties of Warren (267 sourced cases), Frederick (599), Fauquier (285), and Clarke (229).

Treated animals that cannot be released back into the wild serve as “ambassadors”, greeting visitors from a “Wildlife Walk” area adjacent to the administration and hospital building. In addition to wildlife rehabilitation, educational outreach programs were highlighted last year following Bradfield’s arrival on the job.

Four baby killdeer, whose parents were killed in a mowing incident, were raised at the center and successfully released.

In 2020 the center took in $811,083, including contributions totaling $498,462, with $547,367 having been spent in support of operations. Beatrice von Gontard of Warren County heads an eight-person board of directors, while Bradfield’s “team” includes Jennifer Riley, DVM and a staff of five others, plus a wealth of volunteers which contributed almost 7,000 hours last year, as well as 26 interns whose hours added up to 4,453.

Blue Ridge Wildlife Center is located at 106 Island Farm Lane, Boyce. Its hotline is 540-837-9000.

More than 300 opossums were treated in 2020, including this guy!

Juvenile bobcat, victim of predator attack, possibly by an adult bobcat, naps during recovery.

Northern saw-whet owl, the smallest owl species seen in Virginia.

This Eastern copperhead snake was found tangled in garden netting. Homeowner was considerate enough to seek help of BRWC for an animal “so often persecuted for merely existing,” the center observed.