Wildcare

WildCares Terwilliger Nature Education programs provide school and youth programs, as well as family nature outings, which connect over 16,000 children and adults to the Bay areas abundant open spaces and wildlife. Our programs aim to strengthen environmental stewardship and responsibility by teaching an appreciation of nature and a respect for wildlife. Our experiential and academically supportive approach to environmental education attracts participation from more than 130 schools and community organizations for the eight Bay Area counties. Through our scholarship program, WildCare is able to provide our programs to students from disadvantaged and low-income backgrounds, so these students no longer have to miss out on nature discovery opportunities that ignite a sense of excitement about science and foster personal connections to the natural world. Through free family nature outings, our robust scholarship and bilingual programming (Spanish/English) ensure that children and families from diverse backgrounds have equal access to environmental education. This is a non-cash scholarship program. The scholarship is a discount of WildCares normal educational program fees using the percentage of the student body used to establish eligibility under the free and reduced lunch program of each school. In past years, an estimated 34% of students participating in our youth programs received a scholarship.

WildCares advocacy efforts are committed to preventing wildlife injuries, protecting habitat, and promoting understanding of our wildlife neighbors. Our Living with Wildlife Hotline 415-456-7283 supplies advice on safely rescuing injured and orphaned animals and living well with wildlife to over 15,000 callers each year. Our advocacy team speaks out and encourages community action against harms to wildlife including the use of rat poisons, illegal trapping, tree-trimming during wildlife baby season and many more.