Flooding takes toll on wildlife and the agency charged with helping them

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - TWRC Wild Life Center has been around for 37 years.

"We get over five thousand animals a year," said the centers executive director Roslyn Even.

And all the recent flooding is keeping the non profit extremely busy.

"Animals that are living in the trees and nests are being knocked out by the wind and rain and the animals that burrow in the ground are coming up and are being exposed," Even said. "The floods are displacing the animals babies are being separated from their mothers."

"If they would have been left on the ground it would have been very hard for them to make it," said vet leader Heather Cragun.

These baby pigeons were displaced by the floods. One is less than 24 hours old.

"He was still wet so probably just came out of the egg," Cragun said.

After citizens bring wild animals here to the center they are checked over by a vet.

"Our ultimate goal is to release every single animal back where it came from," Even said.

But before that can happen some of the animals like this injured turtle will spend time with certified rehabbers.

"He's also going to go home to one of our rehabbers," Cragun said.

Before they can be returned to the wild other animals will spend time here at the Centers on site care program.

"I think it's just part of our duty to being good stewards of nature," Even said. "To give back and give help to any wild animal that needs help."

TWRC Wild Life Center is a non profit that depends on donations to help wild animals.
All the flooding has hit the center hard.

"It's taxing our resources," Even said.

In addition to monetary donations the wild life center is always in need of items like food and paper towels.

You can also help by volunteering at the center.

"It's the satisfaction of knowing they helped a wild creature survive and go back to the wild," said Even.