Orange Beach Wildlife Center Offers Free Training in November for Volunteers to Rescue, Transport Injured Animals

ORANGE BEACH, Ala. — The Orange Beach Wildlife Center is looking for community members to help injured and distressed animals reach care, and it is offering free training this November to get them ready.

The center is recruiting volunteers for its wildlife transport network. Volunteer transporters play a key role in the center’s rescue work by safely capturing animals and bringing them to the facility for treatment. The training is open at no cost to organizations and to individuals 18 and older.

What volunteers will learn

The session will be held at the Orange Beach Community Center, 27235 Canal Road. Participants will learn:

• Proper techniques for capturing injured or distressed wildlife
• What to assess during a wildlife rescue
• How to partner directly with the Orange Beach Wildlife Center on future rescue calls

The center says the training is designed to give participants the skills to handle rescue situations safely and effectively, both for the animals and for themselves.

Why transport volunteers matter

Wildlife transport volunteers are vital to the center’s rescue operations. When an injured bird, turtle or mammal is found, getting it to trained caregivers quickly can make the difference in whether it survives. Having trained volunteers spread across the community expands the center’s ability to respond quickly when animals are found hurt or in danger.

Wildlife rehabilitation centers often handle a steady stream of calls, from birds tangled in fishing line to animals struck by vehicles and young animals separated from their parents. Staff members cannot be everywhere at once, so a network of volunteers who can safely pick up and deliver animals helps the center reach more of them.

A busy coastline for wildlife

The Alabama Gulf Coast is home to a wide range of wildlife, from shorebirds, pelicans and herons to turtles, raccoons, opossums and other small mammals. Orange Beach and the surrounding area also lie along a major migratory route for birds that pass through in the spring and fall.

Development, traffic and recreational fishing bring people and animals into frequent contact. Severe weather can add to the need: storms such as Hurricane Isaias, which struck the region earlier this month, can displace or injure wildlife and increase calls for help.

Safety first

Wildlife experts generally advise people who find an injured animal not to handle it without guidance. Even small animals can bite, scratch or carry diseases, and well-meaning efforts can sometimes cause further injury. People who find injured wildlife are encouraged to contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitation center for instructions, keep pets and children away, and avoid giving the animal food or water unless told to do so.

That is part of what the training is designed to address, by teaching volunteers how to approach, contain and transport animals correctly.

How to get involved

Organizations and individuals 18 and older interested in becoming wildlife transport volunteers can contact the Orange Beach Wildlife Center for the training date, time and registration details.

If you go

• What: Wildlife transport volunteer training
• When: November 2026; contact the Orange Beach Wildlife Center for the exact date and time
• Where: Orange Beach Community Center, 27235 Canal Road, Orange Beach
• Who: Organizations and individuals 18 and older
• Cost: Free