Humanely managing a Wildlife Society

The Suisun Wildlife Center is a nonprofit organization filled with hardworking individuals who are passionate about nurturing the animals in our community. One of those people is Ms. Kris Reiger, who serves as the Wildlife Care Director. She is responsible for the care of all wildlife at the Center. She also “trains all volunteers in wildlife care, interfaces with the public, and coordinates with city/county humane agencies and other wildlife centers to provide reciprocal assistance,” according to (suisunwildlife). It can be a very busy job. The Center rescues, cares for, and eventually releases injured wildlife. Over 16,000 birds and animals have been returned to the wild when possible, with annual release rates as high as 71% in 2015, the website says.

The 17-acre property, adjacent to the Suisun Marsh, was first established in 1977, later in 1983 and 1993 expanding public access trails and a portion of tidal wetland and recently underwent a devastating fire. They offer self-guided trails through the marsh and host a variety of animal wards, examination rooms, lobby, and environmental education.

The Wildlife Center, with Ms. Reiger’s help, loves to educate people about these animals and decided to start an environmental education program. That means she has been part of the impact for over 300,000 people ranging from children to adults who have taken this program. This year, COVID-19 has impacted the amount of donations and memberships coming in and Ms. Reiger has been working hard to meet the challenge. Volunteers are always welcome, although the minimum age is 18. To find out more about volunteering and working with Ms. Reiger, go to https://suisunwildlife.org/volunter.html.