How to Become a Wildlife Rehabilitator: A Step-by-Step Guide

Published on: April 2, 2024

Wildlife rehabilitator caring for a sloth.

While zookeepers often work to provide animals with the care and enrichment that they need for a full and happy life in captivity, wildlife rehabilitators work with animals who have been sick or injured in hopes of reintroducing them to their natural habitats. Wildlife rehabilitation is incredibly important to preserving the local ecosystem, and as a result, there is increased demand for skilled and thoughtful wildlife rehabilitators around the world.

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What Is a Wildlife Rehabilitator?

According to the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association, or NWRA, a wildlife rehabilitator is a skilled professional who works with temporarily displaced animals who are sick or injured. The goal of wildlife rehabilitation is to care for an animal until they are fully recovered, and then reintroduce them to their indigenous habitat in the future.

The Role of a Wildlife Rehabilitator

There are a wide range of jobs and opportunities for skilled wildlife rehabilitators, and the roles and responsibilities for a specific position will vary based on the location and season of the job. The NWRA notes that many wildlife rehabilitation specialist positions are seasonal, and most jobs are available in areas that have a high human population.

Some of the top roles and responsibilities of wildlife rehabilitators include:

Caring for temporarily displaced, wild animals that are sick or injured. This may include feeding animals, caring for an injury, transporting animals or maintaining a temporary habitat for the animal.
Collaborating with other wildlife rehabilitators about the next best steps for the animal. In some cases, wildlife rehabilitators must make the difficult decision to euthanize an animal that may not fully recover.
Compiling data and maintaining reports about the animals being cared for at the rehabilitation center.

Creating public presentations to raise awareness and increase knowledge about the importance of wildlife rehabilitation efforts.
Developing and implementing fundraising campaigns to generate revenue for the rehabilitation facility.

How Do You Become a Wildlife Rehabilitator?

There is not a single career pathway toward becoming a wildlife rehabilitator, with many rehabilitators taking several steps to become qualified for their position. While some people begin their careers as a veterinarian or another animal care professional, others simply begin gaining hands-on experience with animal care before developing a passion for rehabilitation.

These are the steps that you can take to become a wildlife rehabilitator.

Cultivate Essential Qualities and Skills

As you begin to consider a career in wildlife rehabilitation, you will want to begin to cultivate the qualities and skills that will be necessary in this dynamic field. Some essential qualities and skills include:

A love of animals. Naturally, this position requires you to work directly with animals, most of which are sick and injured. This can be challenging and emotionally draining, and it's incredibly important that you have a passion for these creatures.
An interest in science. Wildlife rehabilitation, at its core, is a scientific endeavor. Not only are you working directly with animals, but you are actively trying to preserve the local ecosystem.
An understanding of the wildlife rehabilitation field. Again, the purpose of wildlife rehabilitation is to help animals avoid a life in captivity. Rehabilitation efforts require you to work thoughtfully to help the animal recover and re-adapt to their natural habitat.

Gain Hands-on Experience

One of the most important steps that you can take on your path toward becoming a wildlife rehabilitator is to gain hands-on experience. One of the best ways to do this is to begin volunteering at animal organizations, such as wildlife rehabilitation centers or even animal rescues.

The NWRA states that there are many benefits to volunteering to gain hands-on experience, such as:

Learning more about what the field of wildlife rehabilitation is all about. By shadowing other wildlife rehabilitators and assisting them each day, you will begin to develop a deeper understanding of the field.
Developing an understanding of the best practices in wildlife rehabilitation. Volunteer work helps you to quickly realize what works and what does not work when it comes to wildlife rehabilitation, giving you unique insight into the job roles and responsibilities.
Networking with other wildlife rehabilitation specialists. This is one of the best ways to begin to grow your professional network and make connections in the field. Ultimately, it's this type of networking that can lead to your first position as a wildlife rehabilitator.

Pursue Education and Training

In addition to gaining hands-on experience, you also will need to pursue education and training opportunities. The NWRA recommends that anyone interested in entering the field first pursue an undergraduate degree in a related area, such as biology or ecology. Particularly, a biology degree is beneficial because the curriculum covers a wide range of topics relevant to wildlife rehabilitation.

After earning a bachelor's degree and gaining hands-on experience, you can continue to specialize as a wildlife rehabilitator by pursuing an undergraduate certificate. For example, at Husson University, we offer a Wildlife Care and Rehabilitation Undergraduate Certificate that provides a comprehensive overview of the skills needed to care for wild animals. Topics discussed as part of the curriculum include animal behavior, wildlife care and management and designing captive wildlife experiences.

Finally, you will need to review the state law where you live to find out if you need an additional permit to practice as a wildlife rehabilitator. Most states require wildlife rehabilitators to be licensed or to obtain a permit to practice.

Understand Legal and Ethical Considerations

All wildlife rehabilitators must work in accordance with federal and state law, but they also must operate in accordance with the industry's code of ethics. The NWRA Code of Ethics encourages wildlife rehabilitators to:

Adhere to the highest standards of animal care.
Remain responsible and dedicated at all times.
Abide by all federal and state laws.
Solicit the help of a veterinarian when appropriate.
Respect all rehabilitators working to help an animal.
Prioritize animal care over personal gain.
Provide humane care for animals at all times.
Solicit community support.
Maintain an attitude of stewardship.
Remain professional and polite at all times.

The Importance of Wildlife Rehabilitation

Wildlife rehabilitation plays a critical role in our modern world, particularly as more animals are being impacted by human migration and movement. Per the Association of Avian Veterinarians, wildlife rehabilitation is important because:

It improves overall animal welfare and allows animals to receive the humane care that they require.
It benefits public health as well by removing sick animals from natural areas where disease can transmit to humans.
It enhances conservation efforts by protecting the local ecosystem and ensuring that as many animals as possible can be reintroduced to their natural habitats.

Develop the Skills Needed to Become a Wildlife Rehabilitator at Husson University

The undergraduate certificate programs available at Husson University allow you to enhance your skill set and carve out a niche within your field. By pursuing a Wildlife Care and Rehabilitation Undergraduate Certificate, you can develop the specialized skills necessary to work with animals and help them rest, recuperate and fully recover.

Request more information about our online undergraduate certificate programs today.