Give Care Share

story by Greg Alexander photos provided by Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge

As human beings, we have people and places to care for us in times of injury and trauma. We go to hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, and we do physical therapy. Consider that wildlife creatures along the Emerald Coast have those same rehabilitation needs from injury or trauma and be inspired that there is a place for them to recover. Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge does just that and so much more for the animals who are currently unable to live in their natural habitats.

Seeing a child’s face light up when they see a hawk up close for the rst time or understand the concept of an orphaned or injured animal being fully rehabilitated and released back into the wild are some of the rewards that the folks at ECWR experience each day. Seeing animals go home after being on the brink of death justi es and ful lls all of their diligent efforts.

ECWR rescues, takes in, rehabilitates, and treats local wildlife and they involve community members as much as possible. Some citizens are even more involved by being volunteers with ECWR, but many are one-time helpers by bringing the animals in so that they can be treated. Some of those who found and brought in the animal even get to come back and release it once it has nished its rehabilitation.

The Refuge does more that rehab and treat animals, they educate through various means, both onsite and off for children and adults by working with schools and community organizations to provide the best animal care services for the community.

Learn more about Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge by visiting them at 3051 Clopton’s Circle in Navarre. Check them out on the web at EmeraldCoastWildlifeRefuge.org.

Interview with Crystie Baker, Executive Director and Denise Song, Assistant Director Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge

What is the mission of Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge?

Education, conservation, and rehabilitation for the welfare of Florida’s natural fauna. Geographically, we serve from Escambia to Walton and occasionally Bay counties. How is the organization funded?

We are mostly dependent on the generosity of the public and granting organizations for funding. We consistently fundraise by selling bird feeder kits, having raf es on our Facebook page, and more. The community is who truly allows us to continue doing what we do and when they come to visit us, donate on our website or Facebook, or book an education program, they are helping us keep our doors open. We have received some very generous grants including one from our local Impact 100 groups and Sunday’s Child which allowed us to purchase equipment for our medical clinic, like our new x-ray machine to better treat our rehab patients. Is there a staff and are there volunteer opportunities? Crystie: We have a very small staff, all wearing many hats. Normally, we have opportunities for new volunteers, but because of COVID and how slowly we’ve been able to train and bring in new volunteers, there is currently an extensive waitlist for animal care volunteers. Denise: We do have volunteer opportunities for community groups, military, and business teams to help us with projects at the Refuge: land-clearing, garden planting, habitat building, or education lming programs. These are wonderful team-building activities and help our organization grow. How did you become involved with ECWR? Crystie: I reached out to have my wedding rehearsal dinner there. We were looking for something non-traditional and had a great time. Right after that, the Executive Director position was posted and I immediately applied. Denise: I knew about the Wildlife Refuge from networking events and from meeting Stormy Anderson, the now-retired Executive Director of ECWR. I had lost my position with another not-for-pro t due to the COVID shutdowns and was looking for the right arena. I love animals, care deeply about our native animals, conservation, and environmental issues, so this position with ECWR was a perfect t. What are some obstacles and triumphs facing the organization? Crystie: Like everyone else, COVID has been a challenge. We opened this new facility in Navarre, planning on the revenue generated from being open to the public for the rst time to sustain us and help us grow. Not only were we closed for some time, but walk-in visitors have been relatively slow. Don’t get me wrong – We’re glad to have ANY visitors! I think that our volunteer response to this challenge and COVID, in general, is a huge triumph. We have an incredible group of volunteers that give so much time, effort, and energy to our organization and the animals we are trying to help. They have really rallied over the past few months, and now that baby season has started, there’s a whole new level of dedication we are seeing from them. Denise: One of the biggest obstacles we face, even before COVID, is educating the community about what the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge and Marine Mammal Stranding Team really do and how important we are to our communities. For example: our Marine Mammal Stranding Team is permitted to respond to stranding from the Alabama/Florida Coastal line to just past WaterColor in Walton County. This team made up of our Marine Biologist Stranding Coordinator and trained volunteers has helped whales, dolphins, and turtles untangle from shing nets and shing line, or administered medicine to them, while the animals were in distress, but still in the water. However, if an animal does not make it, we now have a new on-property lab to perform a necropsy (animal autopsy), providing answers to questions as to what caused the mammal to perish. The research gathered from these necropsies is a game-changer for our organization and the marine science environment. Describe a situation working with the organization that really stood out and touched you.

This has to be the release of Mira, a Great Horned Owl, just released at the beginning of March. When Mira was rst brought to us, it was thought that she would have to become one of our Animal Ambassadors, due to her wing injury. Animal Ambassadors are animals that remain in our care because they would not be able to care for themselves in the wild for a variety of reasons. However, Mira was showing signs to her caregivers that she would be able to return to the wild, so after almost two years of rehabilitation, Mira was released in an unpopulated area in North Santa Rosa County. There was not a dry eye in the group of people allowed to witness her release. You may view her March 19 release on our Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge Facebook page. Is ECWR involved in any upcoming events?

We are open and available to host and attend other events over the rest of the spring and the summer, such as birthday parties, summer camps, school presentations, and VIP Tours. If you would like to have an event, host a group volunteer day at the ECWR, or support the mission of ECWR, please call 850684-1485.