Florida Wild Mammal Association (FWMA) is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of injured/orphaned wildlife.  FWMA is equally dedicated to educating the public on wildlife issues.

FWMA was incorporated in 1994 and is located in rural Wakulla County on 6-plus acres.  The center provides wildlife rescue services and education programs to Wakulla County and six additional rural, coastal counties from Perry to Panama City.  This is a large land mass commonly referred to as the Florida Big Bend.  Each year FWMA makes every effort to expand its services in order to meet the growing number of wildlife patients entrusted to its care and to keep its educational programs up to date.  Development is ongoing at FWMA.  The facility consists of 22 outdoor enclosures, two and one-half acres of deer pens, a small kitchen/animal care room, and a medical room.

In addition to the facilities, our educational programs are constantly evolving.  We have excellent partnerships with Wakulla High School, local colleges, the juvenile justice program, and other student-based organizations.  We work hand-in-hand with these organizations to offer students the unique opportunity of working in a hands-on capacity with their wild neighbors.  Some of these wonderful programs are TOPP (Training Opportunity Placement Program), Project Learning Tree, Project Learn and Serve Grant Program, Environmental Science Classes, Scholarship Program (please refer to “Student Work Programs 2006” for more information).  These programs provide students with many special work days that allow them to help with daily FWMA chores such as cleaning and feeding the animals.  In 2005 FWMA added the OJT Program (On the Job Training) and the Student Work Program which enabled FWMA to employ six students throughout the year.  In addition to the programs listed above, FWMA broadened its Outreach Program.  This program takes education animals (permanent wildlife residents injured too severely to return to the wild) and stories of their adventures to the public – both young and old (please refer to “Calendar of Events” 2006 for this year’s schedule).

Evaluation

Wakulla County and the surrounding counties are being developed at a rapid pace.  Animal interactions with humans increase as the population grows.  Wildlife injuries, such as being hit by cars, caught in fences, caught by cats or dogs, are becoming part of our daily caseload.  Natural disasters such as the wrath of storms that have recently ravaged the Florida Panhandle are just as deadly to wildlife as they are to humans.  FWMA provided care for over 1,000 animals in 2005 and is anticipating a caseload of 1,000 to 1,200 animals in 2006.  The anticipated increase in wildlife patients also increases the challenge to fulfill our mission.  In a meeting of the Board of Directors, five goals were established for this year.

Goals

In 2006, FWMA has established five goals:

1.    Expand The Student Work Program.

2.    Obtain two 10x30 portable buildings.

3.    Obtain operating funds sufficient to provide wildlife services and educational programs to
        the community.

4.    Remodel 660 square feet of the existing facility into a critical care medical room.

5.    Complete otter habitat that was begun in 2005.

FWMA also has a long-range goal to obtain land for educational purpose.  Here the public would have access to view our permanent residents and FWMA could offer nature-based education programs.  This would be a wonderful facility to promote Wakulla County and ecotourism.

Portable Buildings

Additional portable buildings will solve FWMA housing requirements and provide proper shelter for wildlife babies.  Both portable buildings will be used as nurseries.  One building will house songbirds and non-predatory mammals.  This building will also have an animal check-in station.   The second building will house birds of prey and predatory mammals.  By operating two nurseries, we will be able to separate wildlife patients and contain those diseases that can spread between species. 

Student Work Program

In 2005 FWMA added the Student Work Program wherein we were able to employ six students throughout the year.   Our Student Work Program benefits FWMA and rewards the students who participate in them.  The benefit to FWMA is the ability to manage the ever increasing caseload.  For students, the benefits are many.  The students come from a variety of socio/economic backgrounds and are put together at our facility to form a team.  As a team, students must depend on one another to complete assigned tasks and manage responsibilities.  The teamwork environment has created its own mentor system with students guiding and teaching one another.  Although the team environment was structured by FWMA, the mentoring process was not.  It evolved on its own by the students and has been instrumental in changing so many of the young people’s lives.  FWMA has had the honor of watching all of our students develop compassion and respect not only for wildlife but for the other young people and adults with whom they work.  FWMA needs to staff the center year round with students chosen from a variety of partnership programs.  In 2006 our students will be divided into two groups.  The first group will work at the main facility.  Staffing the main facility is required on a full-time basis year round.  It requires 10 to 11 student hours per day.  Duties include maintaining the kitchen, animal room, and medical room; caring for wildlife patients inside the facility; feeding patients in the 22 outdoor enclosures, and cleaning of the same.  The second group of students will work in the “nursery”.  The nursery opens in April and remains active until the end of September.  This period is our busiest time of the year which we call Baby Season.  There is an assortment of orphaned wildlife brought to the center during this time.  Many of those patients are baby birds who require hand-feeding every 20 minutes from sun up to sun down.  Therefore, the nursery remains open from 7am to 7pm everyday until Baby Season ends.  At the end of Baby Season, the nursery is closed.  The nursery requires 13 student hours per day with a one-hour overlap during shift changes.  A paid adult supervisor is on site in the nursery Monday thru Friday from 7am to 1pm.  Operating FundsFWMA will continue to raise funds via special mailings and special events.  Special events include yard sales, Christmas tree sales, and sale of assets which in 2006 include two donated cars, one donated sailboat, and one donated truck.   Volunteers also grow plants and make bird houses and stain glass art that is sold at our education booth when FWMA participates in community events.

Medical Building Renovation

In 2003, FWMA began remodeling a 927 square foot building for wildlife rescue and rehabilitation needs.  To date, FWMA has completed 264 square feet of that building that is being used as a medical room and a small office.  FWMA is ready to renovate the remaining 660 square feet into a critical care room to more effectively treat critical care patients. 

Otter Habitat

Our new otter habitat was begun in 2005.  In 2006 FWMA will complete the habitat.

Project Budgets

Portable Buildings

The purchase price of each building is $3,850.  One building will be fitted with a double door at an additional cost of $300.  The cost includes delivery, set-up and tie-downs.  Each building will need to be outfitted with plumbing, electricity, insulation, wall treatments, flooring, tile, a kitchenette and drains.  The cost to outfit the buildings is an additional $3,500 each.  Total cost is $15,000.
   
Staffing

$64,232.72   Please refer to Student Work Program Payroll Breakdown 2006 – Summary

Operating Funds

$82,800 – please refer to the 2006 Budget section in our FAQs.

Critical Care Room   

In 2006, $12,000 has been budgeted for this renovation.  Total estimated cost of the project is $24,143.

Otter Habitat   

$1,000 has been allocated to complete the otter habitat.

Portable Buildings

Will solve FWMA accommodation requirements for wildlife babies (and keep home and facility separated for Ms. Beatty!)

Student Work Program

Our Student Work Programs have benefited FWMA and have been rewarding for the students who participate in them. These programs give the center the ability to care for more animals than we ever thought possible.  They also allow FWMA staff, teachers, and parents the opportunity to watch these young people learn, grow, become more tolerant of each other and express a side of themselves not typically seen in school or at home. FWMA is not a regular 9 to 5 job. The animals entrusted to our care rely on staff, (volunteers or paid students) for all of their needs.  If not cared for properly and timely, the animals die.  Students chosen for employment at FWMA are selected from a number of our programs such as the Scholarship Program or the Juvenile Justice Program.

Operating Funds

Will allow FWMA to continue daily operations and fulfill our mission to rescue and rehabilitate wildlife preserving their numbers in nature.  FWMA remains focused on creating a peaceful co-existence between humans and their wild neighbors.

Critical Care Room    

The addition of a critical care unit will better assist FWMA in assessing patient care.  With a critical care unit, small operations can be performed on site reducing further trauma to an animal by eliminating the need to transport it to another facility or veterinarian’s office.  For animals seriously traumatized and/or sick, the critical care unit will provide a quiet area for recovery as well as eliminate the danger of exposing other animals to contagious diseases.

Otter Habitat

FWMA is the only wildlife rehabilitation sanctuary in Wakulla and surrounding counties due to the recent closure of St. Joe Wildlife Sanctuary.  In 2005, we began receiving more shorebirds as well as otters and beavers.  The otter habitat will allow us the ability to successfully rehabilitate otters and beavers. 

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