Rescue & Rehabilitation
The California Raptor Center (CRC) is dedicated to the rehabilitation of injured and orphaned raptors. The CRC and the UCD Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH) together receive about 100-200 injured or ill raptors each year from concerned people in the community who care enough to take action when they encounter an injured bird. Many of the raptors treated are admitted due to adverse contact with human activity. Through care and rehabilitation about 60% of these birds are released.
Our goal is to provide the best medical and husbandry care within our resources. The birds are evaluated and treated for critical medical care at the VMTH. Afterwards they are transported to the CRC for continued care and rehabilitation. While at the CRC, they recover from their medical problems and regain strength through progressive flights in a specially designed enclosure before they are eventually released. Recovery and rehabilitation can take several weeks to several months. Volunteers provide about 7,000 hours of work per year at the CRC educating the public, caring for the grounds and for the birds.