History of the FWRA

In 1988, the FWRA was formed by a group of wildlife rehabilitators who saw the need to network with others in the field. At the time the vast majority of rehabilitators were one-person operations having little or no contact with each other. Sharing skills and knowledge would benefit everyone, especially the wildlife needing care. This became the foundation of FWRA.

In the course of their work, most of our Members have come to believe that public education is the key to minimizing unnecessary intake of animals at our facilities caused, directly or indirectly, by humans and our infrastructure. To this end many are involved in educational presentations to numerous schools, summer camps, community groups and environmental centers throughout Florida, promoting conservation of natural areas and our native wildlife. FWRA’s goal is to provide our Members with the knowledge necessary to both practice wildlife rehabilitation and educate the public in how to mitigate impacts upon wildlife.

The FWRA provides networking and educational opportunities for rehabilitators, thus enhancing the general level of wildlife care. The annual FWRA Symposium offers basic and advanced training courses as well as expert speakers on a variety of topics such as specialized care of unusual species, laws and regulations, organization management, wildlife restraint, feeding and nutrition, reptile handling, seabird husbandry & medication, fund raising for nonprofits, and much more.