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EnglishWhat Is the Wildlife Center of Virginia?
Updated
The Wildlife Center of Virginia is a teaching and research hospital for native wild animals, located in Waynesboro, Virginia. It treats injured, sick, and orphaned wildlife, and its stated mission is to teach the world to care about—and care for—wildlife and the environment. The organization describes itself as one of the world's premiere teaching hospitals for wildlife and conservation medicine and has been operating since 1982.
What the Center Does
The Center's work falls into three connected areas:
- Wildlife medicine — providing expert care to native wild animals that are injured, sick, or orphaned.
- Teaching and training — preparing future wildlife professionals and sharing lessons learned in conservation medicine.
- Public engagement — inspiring individuals to take action for wildlife and the environment.
These aren't separate programs so much as one cycle: clinical cases generate knowledge, that knowledge trains professionals and reaches the public, and greater public awareness supports the care of more animals.
Who It Serves
The Center works with native wild animals rather than pets or exotic species, and its audience extends well beyond Virginia. Its self-description as a teaching hospital signals that education is central to its identity, not a side activity—the "Our Impact Since 1982" framing on its site points to decades of accumulated clinical and training experience.
For members of the public, the practical takeaway is that the Center is a resource for wildlife-related questions and for supporting conservation medicine, whether through donations, sponsorships, or learning from its published material.
Ways to Get Involved
The Center's site lists several participation routes, each suited to a different level of commitment:
| Route | What it involves | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Newsletter sign-up | Receiving updates by email | People who want to stay informed with minimal effort |
| Donations | Financial support for animal care and training | Those who want to contribute directly |
| Estate planning | Including the Center in long-term plans | Supporters planning lasting gifts |
| Caring for Critters sponsorships | Sponsoring care, with academic-year options for classrooms | Teachers and classrooms |
| In-kind donations | Donating cleaned acorns, chestnuts, and hickory nuts for patient food | Local supporters with access to these items |
The site also promotes a children's book, Dr. Karra to the Rescue, and a companion book tour—useful entry points for families or educators introducing wildlife care to children.
A Note on Timing
Some items on the site are dated and time-limited. The academic-year sponsorship discount, for example, was advertised as half off through September 21 at noon, and the nut collection is framed as a fall and winter need. If a specific offer matters to you, check the current status on the site rather than assuming a past promotion is still active.
Bottom Line
If you're asking "what is wildlifecenter.org," the answer is a long-running wildlife hospital and teaching institution in Waynesboro, Virginia, focused on native wild animals. If your interest is practical—supporting its work, finding classroom materials, or staying informed—the newsletter, sponsorship, and donation options above are the most direct ways in.