By the time you read this column, many baby animals will already have been born in the Upper Delaware River region. Some will end up orphaned or injured and in need of skilled care if they are to survive. If they are lucky, they will find their way to the Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (PWRC) in Stroudsburg, PA, where they will receive life-sustaining skilled support from staff and volunteers. But vital supplies are required to meet their needs, and time is of the essence as baby wildlife season is currently underway.

The Pennsylvania certified and licensed center, which serves 10 counties in the state, including Pike, Wayne, Monroe and Lackawanna, has already received its first babies of season 2026. “We are doing everything we can to prepare for the influx of tiny, fragile lives,” notes PWRC in a recent Facebook post. 

Bracing for that influx includes stocking up on the critical supplies needed to care for newborns and juveniles. “Baby animals require around-the-clock feedings, specialized formulas, incubators, heating support, medications, syringes, substrates and species-appropriate diets as they grow. Many of them arrive dehydrated, injured or compromised, and being prepared can quite literally mean the difference between life and death.”

When a baby animal arrives in a distressed condition, there is no time to order supplies later. “Preparation is everything in wildlife rehabilitation. We have to be ready the moment they come through the door. Proper nutrition, correct temperatures, sterile equipment and safe housing are not luxuries, they are necessities.”

As a 501(c)(3) organization, PWRC relies solely on donations from individuals and businesses to meet its mission to rescue, rehabilitate and release the animals that come into their care. “We’re determined to make a positive change in the world by promoting humane and compassionate treatment of all living species,” asserts PWRC. “Every dollar helps provide formula, medical supplies and the time needed to raise them properly so they can return to the wild where they belong.”

How can we help? Donations of any amount are vital, stresses PWRC, which also keeps a wish list of items on its website at www.poconowildlife.com. In addition, PWRC encourages spreading the word by sharing its Facebook posts. “Awareness brings support, and support saves lives.” 

Follow www.facebook.com/PoconoWildlife or call 570/402-0223 for additional information.