What is the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (NWRA)?
Updated
The National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (NWRA) is a professional association for people who care for injured, orphaned, or displaced wild animals. Its broad purpose is to support wildlife rehabilitation practice and standards, and it serves wildlife rehabilitators along with related professionals in that field. The site at nwrawildlife.org is the association's online home.
Who it serves
NWRA is oriented toward the people who do wildlife rehabilitation work and others connected to that practice. That includes rehabilitators themselves and related professionals whose work touches the care of wild animals. If your interest is in the practice of wildlife rehabilitation as a profession rather than in general wildlife watching or conservation advocacy, NWRA is the relevant type of organization.
What it does
The association's stated role is to support wildlife rehabilitation practice and standards. In practical terms, that means it exists to back the people doing rehabilitation work and to promote consistent, professional standards in how that work is done. The available site information does not detail specific programs, publications, or member services, so it is best to treat those as things to confirm directly on the site rather than assume.
How to use the site
If you want to know what NWRA currently offers, the most reliable path is to visit nwrawildlife.org and review what the association presents there. Useful questions to check against the site:
- What membership categories exist, and what does each include?
- Are there published standards, guidelines, or training resources?
- Does the association list conferences, courses, or continuing education?
- Is there a directory or referral path for finding a rehabilitator?
Because the available page information is limited, treat any specific service, fee, or access requirement as something to verify on the site itself rather than infer.
When NWRA is the right starting point
NWRA is a sensible starting point if you are a rehabilitator or related professional looking for a professional association tied to wildlife rehabilitation practice and standards. If you are a member of the public who has found an animal and needs immediate help, an association is generally not a direct rescue service; look for local rehabilitators or wildlife agencies for hands-on assistance, and use the association's site to understand the professional side of the field.