Wildlife Rescue

The goal of the Texas State Aquarium’s Wildlife Rescue Center is to rehabilitate and, whenever possible, return the animals to their natural environment.

Call Before Taking Action

Wildlife Rescue Center: (361) 881-1220

Available everyday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Please call before approaching or moving an animal so our team can provide guidance based on the situation and species involved.

A person wearing black gloves gently handles a sea turtle lying on a black surface in what appears to be a veterinary or rescue facility.

Important Safety Guidelines

Do not approach or attempt to capture wildlife. Even injured animals can behave unpredictably and may cause serious injury.

Keep a safe distance and limit activity around the animal.

Follow instructions from wildlife professionals before intervening.

A person in a wetsuit and gloves holds a sea turtle above the ocean surf near a sandy beach, preparing to release it into the water under a clear blue sky.

Wildlife Rescue accepts:

Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles: Dolphins, Otters, Sea Turtles

A person wearing gloves gently holds a sea turtle above a clear water tank outdoors, with blue sky and buildings in the background. The turtles flippers are spread wide.

Before Bringing an Animal

Contact the Wildlife Rescue Center at (361) 881-1220 during operating hours before bringing an animal to the Aquarium. If the animal is outside the species we are permitted to accept, visit the Texas Parks & Wildlife website to locate a licensed wildlife rehabilitation facility near you.

A modern building with white and blue walls labeled “Texas State Aquarium Center for Wildlife Rescue” stands behind a grassy area with young trees and a dirt pathway under a cloudy sky.

Birds and Avian Influenza

Due to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) detected in Texas, the Texas State Aquarium Wildlife Rescue Center is not currently accepting avian patients from the public.

These birds include:

Shore birds: Egrets, Oystercatchers, Pelicans, Plovers, Sandpipers, Skimmers, Spoonbills, Stilts, Terns, Sea gulls.

Raptors: Eagles, Falcons, Hawks, Owls. We are not currently accepting avian patients.

If you find an injured bird in the Coastal Bend, contact: Texas Sealife Center at (361) 589-4023

If you are unsure what kind of bird you have found, call (361) 881-1210 for assistance.

Texas Sealife Center

A great horned owl with bright yellow eyes and mottled brown and white feathers perches inside a wooden enclosure, gazing forward.

Protected Wildlife Notice

Birds are protected under federal and state law. It is not legal to keep a bird unless you hold the required permits. For the bird’s safety and well-being, and to comply with the law, birds should be transferred to licensed wildlife professionals as soon as possible.

A young osprey with fluffy, mottled brown and white feathers stands on gravel between wooden boards, looking directly at the camera with bright yellow eyes.

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