Sick, injured or orphaned wildlife

You should always attempt to contact a local permitted rehabilitator or rehabilitation center before attempting to handle or move a wild animal.

If you decide to rescue a sick, injured or orphaned wild animal and take it to a rehabilitator, you may not have the animal in your possession for longer than 24 hours, and a citizen without a permit may not attempt to rehabilitate a wild animal on their own. 

Not all sick, injured, or orphaned animals require human intervention or rehabilitation. 

Your desire to “rescue” wild animals might be strong, however there is no animal worth risking your life or the lives of those who might have to rescue you. You should always attempt to contact the local rehab center before moving a wild animal. They can give advice on whether the animal should be removed from the wild and the best way to do so for your safety and the safety of the animal.

While it is sometimes difficult to witness life and death in nature, a dead wild animal is an important part of the food web. Rarely does an animal carcass go to waste. Many species of wildlife rely on sick or injured animals to feed themselves and their young.

The links below will help you determine when to contact a local rehabilitation clinic or let nature take its course. Note: The Minnesota DNR does not have the staff or resources to respond to most injured or distressed wildlife reports.

What to do for sick or injured wild animals 

It is important to minimize human impacts on animal populations. This often includes limiting human intervention during natural causes of animal injury or death (depredation, disease, storms, etc.).

Interrupting food-web dynamics may result in cascading impacts on wildlife communities and ecosystem health. Dead or dying animals provide an important food source for many species of wildlife. Only healthy animals are returned from rehab. Those that are too far gone, often need to be euthanized, and while euthanizing an animal may seem more humane than letting nature take its course, that animal is not returned to the food web and can no longer be food for predators and scavengers—which can increase scarcity for them.

To help you determine whether a sick or injured animal should be rescued, please review the following:

What to do if you find a sick or injured wild animal

• You should always attempt to contact a local permitted rehabilitator or rehabilitation center, before attempting to handle or move a wild animal.

• Observe the situation carefully - is the animal really sick or injured? Some animal species will behave oddly at different times of year or during different times of their lives. In many cases, this is a healthy animal simply doing something unexpected. Let some time pass to determine the situation accurately.

• Examine the environment carefully - is it possible and safe for anyone to attempt to rescue the animal? If the animal is in a dangerous or difficult to access location, leave them there. No animal is worth risking your life or the lives of those who might have to rescue you. Sometimes an injured animal is just not accessible and unfortunately nothing can be done for them.

• Also take note of how much the animal is still capable of movement. If an animal is still moving around vigorously and is able to flee when approached by a human (especially flying or swimming wildlife) it is best to leave the animal alone. A prolonged struggle or chase will often put both animal and human rescuers at greater risk.

• Before you decide to rescue an injured animal, a good phrase to keep in mind is, “If you care, leave it there”. Keep in mind that rehabilitation can be difficult, expensive and has varying degrees of success. Often, the only ethical course of action for severely injured animals is to euthanize. While unsettling, leaving a dying animal in place and allowing nature to take its course, may allow other predators or scavengers a greater chance for survival.

Issues of disease must be carefully considered:

• Could disease spread from wild animal to humans, pets or livestock? Even a healthy-looking wild animal can carry disease. When moving any wild animal, it is always best to limit your exposure, wear personal protective items such as gloves and masks and wash/disinfect any items that came into contact with the wild animal.

• Could disease be spread if I move the animal from its current location? Rehab centers may be in different cities or counties from where the animals was found and from where you live. Moving the animal between multiple locations could turn a local disease issue to a regional issue. This is especially true for deer due to Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). Always contact a wildlife rehab center before moving deer.

• Could this animal with a highly infectious disease cause issues for the rehab center? While rehab centers are capable of handling most sick animals, some diseases are more infectious than normal, such as High Path Avian Influenza (HPAI) The rehab center may want you to take extra precautions before bringing the animal to the center or may turn animals away to prevent a highly infectious disease from spreading. Wildlife rehab centers are never obligated to take in a wild animal.

What to do for orphaned wild animals

If you care, leave it there.

What to do if you find an orphaned wild animal:

• Examine the situation carefully, is the animal really orphaned? Many animal species will leave their young unattended for long periods of time (several hours). Often letting some time pass will reveal that the parents have returned after a short foray to gather food or other important materials.

  • FULLY FEATHERED YOUNG BIRDS are commonly encountered on the ground or in shrubs in early summer while trying to fledge. This is normal! The parents are typically close by and will continue to feed and protect the fledgling bird until it is ready to be on its own. However, if the bird seems injured or still has pin feathers, intervention may be necessary. Calling your local rehab center may help determine the best course of action.

  • YOUNG RABBITS are also often found left unattended. This is normal! The mother rabbit often makes trips away from the nest to forage for food, sometimes leaving the young for several hours.

  • YOUNG SQUIRRELS are often “abandoned” by adults. This is normal! Adults may leave young to lead predators away while in the process of being moved. They will return for the “abandoned” baby. Squirrels usually have three to four nests and move their young from one nest to another frequently.

  • YOUNG DEER (fawns) may be left alone for as long as three days. This is normal! Young deer should be left where found, in most cases, the mother deer (doe) will be nearby, even if she is out of sight. A doe with fawns may be aggressively protective - stay away from them for your own safety, and keep your pets away, too.

  • YOUNG TURTLES should be left where found; they are capable of finding their way to preferred habitat. Not all hatchling turtles overwinter in water! Learn more about helping turtles.

• If after observation, you feel the animals are truly abandoned, you should always attempt to contact a local permitted rehabilitator or rehabilitation center before attempting to handle or move a wild animal.

• Remember, even a young animal may have diseases that can be transmitted to humans, pets and livestock. When moving any wild animal, it is always best to limit your exposure, wear personal protective items such as gloves and masks, and wash/disinfect any items that came into contact with the wild animal. Young wild animals can also cause harm when trying to protect themselves by biting and scratching. For your children’s safety do not let them pet or hold wild animals.

• If you decide to rescue an orphaned wild animal(s) and take it to a rehabilitator, you may not have the animal in your possession for longer than 24 hours.

What to do if you encounter dead wild animals in your yard

As the snow melts, you may find an unwelcome surprise: dead wildlife in the yard.

This is not unusual — not all wildlife make it through winter. Snow and low temperatures can also hide and slow down the decomposition process for animals hit on the roads or succumbing to natural causes. The result is a somewhat stinky spring

Don't want a dead animal in the yard? We get it. Here are your options:

• Remove it yourself. DIY is totally acceptable. The DNR recommends wearing disposable gloves, double-bagging the animal, and placing it in the trash. This will prevent attracting other animals to the carcass.

• Don't want to do it yourself? For a fee, you can have a wildlife control operator do it for you. Several companies are available to contact online.

If you are experiencing reoccurring issues, such as birds hitting windows, dead animals in window wells, etc. or if there are unusual circumstances the DNR can offer advice. The DNR does not offer wildlife removal services and does not have the staff capacity to do so.

Contact the DNR, if you find five or more dead wild animals in the same spot and which appear to have died around the same time. This could indicate a disease outbreak, poisoning, or other issue that may require investigation. You can contact local DNR Nongame Wildlife staff, area Wildlife Managers, or area Fisheries Managers. Additionally, for five or more dead wild birds of any kind found in one location during the same timeframe please review what to do on our avian influenza page

Contact a permitted wildlife rehabilitator

Wildlife rehabilitation involves acquiring and caring for orphaned, sick and injured wild animals. The purpose of wildlife rehabilitation is for the release of animals back to the wild. Nearly all wild animals are protected by state law, meaning they cannot be possessed without a permit or license. Anyone wishing to engage in wildlife rehabilitation in Minnesota must obtain a wildlife rehabilitation permit from the DNR. Rehabilitation of migratory birds also requires a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in addition to the Minnesota DNR permit.

You should always attempt to contact a local permitted rehabilitator or rehabilitation center, before attempting to handle or move a wild animal. They will be able to give you the best advice on what to do and what not to do if you decide to attempt rescue.

List of Permitted wildlife rehabilitators by county (PDF)

Please review the information on this page about sick or injured animals) and orphaned animals. Additional information may be found on Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota's FAQ page. 

Wild animals may bite and scratch and pose a risk to humans (physical injury and/or exposure to disease). Use caution and never put yourself in a situation that is dangerous. 

Additional information

• Wildlife rehabilitators are not required to accept animals from the public. If a rehabilitator does not have an address, phone number or email address listed, they do not accept animals directly from the public. Please do not attempt to contact them.

• Prior to contacting a local wildlife rehabilitator, take careful note of where the animal was found. Whether to direct retrieval personnel in finding the animal or to tell the clinic where it was found if you drop the animal off. Animals will need to be returned to the location where they were found or in a safe location nearby. Rehabilitators may not have retrieval staff on hand, so they may request you voluntarily bring in the animal.

• All wildlife rehabilitators and rehab centers rely on donations to support rehab costs. They do not get state funding. Please consider a donation to help them in their cause.

• The DNR does not have the staff or resources to respond to most injured or distressed wildlife reports. The public is encouraged to contact local permitted rehabbers or let nature take its course.

• Citizens interested in wildlife rehabilitation or assisting in transport of orphaned, sick, or injured wild animals should volunteer with permitted wildlife rehabilitators. More information on obtaining a wildlife rehabilitation permit may be found here.

• It is unlawful to possess or transport wildlife for greater than 24 hours without a permit. You cannot rehabilitate wild animals without a permit, and permits are not issued to keep wild animals as pets. Trying to rehabilitate a wild animal without training can be extremely harmful to the animal. Rehabilitators often report receiving:

  • Animals that were originally healthy, but became severely sick because they were fed incorrect food which caused digestive or skeletal problems. Cow’s milk or hamburger meat is rarely good for a wild animal’s diet long term.

  • Young animals improperly rehabilitated with other species or accidentally habituated to people. While it may be cute seeing predators, prey, and pets playing together on social media, in reality, this behavior is not natural. The necessary instincts to flee or hide from threats are no longer as strong, and they become a danger to themselves, pets, and people. Animals that become too habituated may no longer be releasable. Additionally, wild animals may carry disease, which can put you and your pet at risk.

  • Young animals that had been held for weeks or months as pets (purposefully habituated). Not only is this illegal and makes the animal non-releasable, but wild animals do not make good pets since they:

    • often have unpredictable behavior,

    • may have transmittable diseases,

    • usually turn more aggressive once they hit sexual maturity,

    • have behaviors that make them unsuitable for living in a house, and

    • can become a nuisance to other humans (like your neighbors).

How you can help prevent injuries and illness in wild animals around you

Minnesota's wildlife and a changing landscape. It is probably no surprise to Minnesotans that our landscape looks very different today than it did years ago. Much of the wildlife habitat in our state is now more fragmented and urbanized. This increased fragmentation and reduction of habitat leads to an increase in human-wildlife interactions, some of which result in injury or death to wildlife.

Although we may enjoy seeing wildlife in our backyards, many human-wildlife interactions in the modern landscape have had negative outcomes (death or injury) and resulted in the decrease or elimination in certain species, like large predators.

Yet, these changes in food-web dynamics have resulted in many populations of herbivorous animals such as deer, rabbit and squirrel to undergo population expansions, which allows them to thrive. Likewise, many species of medium-sized predator such as raccoon, striped skunk and coyote have experienced similar increases in abundance, due in-part to this increase in prey species combined with their superb ability to exploit human waste.

What can you do to be a good neighbor to the wild animals living nearby?

• Be wildlife aware while driving. Keep your eyes on the road! Road mortality is a serious threat to many wildlife populations, especially long-lived species such as turtles (including threatened species such as Blanding's turtles and wood turtles). Learn more about what to do if you find a turtle in the middle of the road.

• Prevent domestic pets from harming wildlife. Every year rehab centers receive wild animals injured or killed by domestic animals. Songbirds are particularly impacted by free-ranging domestic and feral cats. You can protect wildlife by restricting dogs from potential wildlife interactions, especially in the spring, and keeping cats indoors. Not only is it better for the birds, but cats kept indoors usually live longer, are less likely to contract diseases and parasites, are protected from traffic, and are protected from dogs and urban coyotes.

• Keep pet food indoors. Do you put bowls of dog food or cat food outside? Pet food placed outdoors can attract skunks, raccoons, opossums, foxes and coyotes at night. These wild animals can carry rabies, distemper and mange, which could infect your pets with a possibly fatal disease. Feeding stations also concentrate wild animals, which can further spread disease in the wild communities as well. Additionally, the attraction of these wild predators can become a nuisance to you and your neighbors. Always place dog and cat food bowls indoors or in an enclosed location that is not accessible to wild animals.

• Clean your bird feeders. Moldy birdseed and unclean bird feeders can cause birds to become sick. In wet weather, it is common for mold or bacteria to form on wet birdseed in the feeder or on the ground. Mold can cause fatal avian diseases. Keep birds healthy by regularly cleaning bird feeders!

• Do not feed waterfowl. While many people enjoy feeding waterfowl, supplemental or artificial feeding of waterfowl can create conditions that are detrimental to waterfowl health. Waterfowl need a diverse diet in order to survive and supplemental feeding may reduce the intake of high-quality natural foods. In addition, increases in waterfowl density may result in contamination of feeding areas and increase bird-to-bird transmission of disease. To learn more about this issue, visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services’ factsheet, the City of Bloomington’s Handout and New York's Stop Feeding Waterfowl webpage.

• Extermination of mice and other pests: Rodenticides kill mice by causing them to bleed internally or paralysis, but they don’t just work on the rodents you target. Each year, thousands of non-target wildlife species such as squirrels, opossums, skunks, raccoons and foxes are killed when they directly or indirectly consume rodenticides.

  • What you can do:

    • Limit use of rodenticides and other poisons used to kill rodents.

    • Carefully consider placement if they are used.

    • Consider nonpoisonous alternatives, especially in areas where other animals may access the poisons, or where the mice may leave with the poison and die where they could be eaten by other scavengers.

  • Alternatives include:

    • Prevention (lock up food sources)

    • Exclusion (seal against rodents)

    • Natural deterrents (like certain essential oils such as peppermint or eucalyptus or plants like garlic, onion, mint and daffodils)

    • Mechanical traps (snap or live traps).

    • Not only are alternatives safer for wildlife, but they are usually safer for your pets and children. To learn more about this issue, visit the National Park Service website and U.S. FWS website.

• Herbicides, pesticides and insecticides: While herbicides, pesticides and insecticides can play a valuable role in controlling weeds and insects, they can also unintentionally harm wildlife. Use these chemicals sparingly, always carefully follow label instructions and if possible try more organic alternatives. Not only is it safer for wildlife and pets, but healthier for you and your family. The EPA website has more information and tips for reducing pesticide impacts on wildlife around your home and farms.

• Ground squirrels and pocket gophers: Minnesota has several species of ground squirrels and pocket gophers including one that is listed as threatened, Northern pocket gopher and one that is listed as special concern, Richardson’s ground squirrel. Ground squirrels and pocket gophers can create extensive underground tunnels, which can extend into lawns and gardens. While they can be quite damaging, there are some techniques to modify, exclude or humanely remove them to manage or prevent damage as an alternative to killing them.

  • Alternatives include:

    • Remove attractants such as pet food

    • Lock up garbage cans

    • Remove bird seed

    • Clean up under fruit and nut trees

    • Remove waste fruits and vegetables from gardens

    • Create barriers around gardens and flower beds with above ground fencing and by burying the bottom barrier at least 12” underground.

    • Use plant deterrents (garlic, onion, daffodils, hyacinth) and other natural deterrents (pepper spray, castor oil, coyote urine).

    • Products that haze or scare the animal such as ultrasonic deterrents, motion activated sprinklers/lights/sounds, hawk/owl decoys may work, but the animals can become habituated to them over time.

    • Trap and relocate the squirrels or use other humane removal techniques.

• Soccer netting and owls: Owls and sometimes hawks can be severely injured and killed by becoming entangled by soccer nets. Soccer fields attract mice due to the abundant snack food dropped by attendees. Owls, especially young ones, hunting the mice and can become severely entangled in the nets since they are not easy to see, even with their excellent night vision. To protect the owls, when not in use move nets indoors, remove them from frames or cover them with tarps.

• Reduce, reuse and recycle wisely. When throwing away trash consider how it may directly or inadvertently harm wild animals.

  • Always remember to cut plastics used to hold 6-pack beverages and other products to prevent entanglement and wildlife injury or death.

  • Do not discard old or unused fishing line, sinkers, hooks, or other materials at your favorite fishing spot. These items can entangle or poison wildlife and are frequently the underlying cause of injured wildlife reports.

  • Always follow all local and state laws regarding waste disposal for things like used compact florescent light bulbs, batteries (including small commonly used AAA and AA batteries), automobile fluids, etc. are not safe to put in your regular trash. Please find a local household hazardous waste facility near you to dispose of the items properly.

  • In addition, use only wildlife-friendly erosion control products (PDF) on your property to prevent entanglement.

• Wildlife-friendly ammunition and fishing tackle. Lead shotgun shot and rifle ammunition is toxic to wildlife when ingested (directly or in gut piles of field-dressed game). Since 1987, the M.N. Dept. of Natural Resources banned the use of lead shot for waterfowl hunting. In 1999, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service prohibited the use of lead shot on all WPAs in Minnesota. Fortunately, there are many effective and affordable alternatives. To learn more, see the DNR's Nontoxic Shot Advisory Committee Report (PDF).

• In addition, there is cause for concern regarding the use of lead fishing tackle. The MN DNR's Get the Lead Out Project hopes to educate the public about the risks lead tackle pose for wildlife. Each year, hundreds of birds are killed by lead poisoning. Some of the most common reported species impacted by lead poisoning include trumpeter swans, common loons, and bald eagles. More information may be found on The Raptor Center’s website regarding lead toxicity in eagles and other avian scavengers.

Facts about wildlife rehab

Facts and commonly asked questions about Wildlife Rehab in Minnesota:

• Citizens may NOT attempt to rehabilitate wild animals on their own. It is also unlawful to possess or transport injured wildlife for greater than 24 hours unless permitted to do so. If you are interested in wildlife rehabilitation, volunteer at permitted rehab centers or partner with a permitted rehabilitator to transport orphaned, sick or injured wild animal(s) (Rule 6244.0400). Find out more about permitting requirements.

• The purpose for wildlife rehabilitation is for the release of animals back to the wild. Wildlife rehabilitation involves acquiring and caring for orphaned, sick and injured wild animals, often primarily birds and mammals, for the purpose of releasing such animals back to the wild.

• Education centers, zoos and sanctuaries. Very few wild animals meet the strict criteria that would make them good candidates as ambassador animals for education centers or zoos. A candidate animal undergoes rigorous screening prior to placement—by the rehabber, their veterinarian, the USFWS (for migratory birds) and the MN DNR. Animals that will not survive in the wild are not sent to sanctuaries, they are euthanized. Caging wild animals is very stressful to them, and most do not do well long term or have had injuries that will impact them for life. Usually only young animals that are not releasable are allowed for placement.

• Permitted wildlife rehab centers. At any given time, there are approximately 50 to 100 permitted wildlife rehabilitators. Most of the permit holders reside in the seven-county metro area. All wildlife rehabilitators and rehab centers rely on donations to support rehab costs. They do not get state funding. Please consider a donation to help them in their cause.

• Thousands of wild animals are handled by rehabilitators each year in Minnesota. The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (WRC) in Roseville, MN alone handles over 21,000 animals each year! They are one of the largest rehab centers in the country. Other large centers may admit a few hundred to a few thousand animals. Small centers usually rehabilitate under a hundred animals.

• Approximately 200 different species of animals are rehabilitated in an average year. Generally, about two-thirds of the animals rehabbed are birds, and the rest are mostly cottontail rabbits, gray and fox squirrels, and raccoons. The Raptor Center (TRC) alone admits over a thousand birds of prey annually. Some Master Rehabilitators are authorized to rehabilitate threatened and endangered animals, and animals such as Blanding's turtles are regularly rehabilitated and returned to the wild.

• Release back to the wild. Of all animals received by individual rehabilitators, unfortunately, only about 50% are ultimately released back to the wild. Most of the rest are euthanized, often after initial examination to prevent further suffering. Rehabilitators try to set high standards to reduce or prevent further suffering of the animals, which includes the stress of being captured and caged. By the time an animal can be caught and brought to a rehabilitator, it may be suffering from starvation and disease in addition to its original injuries or it is too young and would not thrive away from its mother.

Releasing animals into the wild and non-native animals

Releasing animals back into the wild, even after a short stay in captivity can be risky! Disease and non-native species are significant problems facing wild animal populations in Minnesota today.

Releasing Animals into the Wild

• Improper rehabilitation of wild animals and returning them to the wild after being held in captivity. Animals maintained or rehabilitated improperly in captivity may appear healthy but can harbor disease or parasites that can be fatal. Released of these animals can then transmit diseases or parasites to otherwise healthy wild individuals putting wild populations at significant risk. Tests for many wildlife diseases are available, but must be used to be effective and can be expensive. Zoonotic diseases are also common. These are diseases that can be passed on to you or your children.

• Do not attempt to rehabilitate wildlife yourself. Turn wild animals over to permitted wildlife rehabilitators who have gone through the necessary testing and training to ensure they know how to properly handle and care for wildlife. If you are interested in becoming a wildlife rehabilitator go to our permitting pages for more information.

• Releasing wild animals after being held in captivity or releasing captive bred native animal pets. Wild animals may not be captured from the wild to keep as pets. To possess a wild animal, you must have a permit, and the DNR does not issue permits for possession of wild animals as pets. Not only do wild animals not make good pets, but they can carry disease which can be passed on to you, your children, or your pets. Remember, even a young wild animal may carry diseases or parasites. Wild animals can also cause harm when trying to protect themselves by biting and scratching. For your children’s safety do not let them pet or hold wild animals.

Do not return wild animals held in captivity to the wild, turn the animals over to permitted wildlife rehabilitators who can properly assess them before release to the wild. Please note: amphibians and reptiles are very susceptible to disease from captivity, and can transmit that disease to wild populations.

While a captive bred native animal sometimes can be purchased and possessed as a pet, the DNR generally discourages the practice. Domestic animals have had thousands of years of selective breeding to remove undesirable traits. People often are not aware of the differences in keeping non-domestic animals until after the animal reaches adult/breeding ages when aggressive and non-compatible traits start to manifest.

If you purchase a captive bred native animal, please keep in mind:

1. You should keep your receipt as proof that it is not a wild caught animal. Not only will this help if stopped by the DNR, but veterinarians will not see native animals without verification that it was legally obtained.

2. Not all local jurisdictions allow for non-domestic animals as pets. Check with your city or county regarding ordinance restrictions on pets.

3. If you no longer want the animal, you cannot release it to the wild. It would be unlikely to survive, and if it does, it would become a pest to neighbors and a danger to itself since it would not fear humans. Captive bred/habituated wild animals must be turned over to someone allowed to take them, such as an education center, zoos, wildlife rehabilitator, game farm, humane society, etc.

Non-native animals

• It is unlawful to release non-native animals in Minnesota! See Minnesota DNR invasive species laws for regulations related to non-native animals.

• It is unlawful to release prohibited, regulated, or unlisted species into the wild. Unlisted non-native species are those that are not prohibited, regulated, or unregulated.

• Red-eared Slider Turtles and Mute Swans are examples of regulated species, and they may not be released into the wild.

• Occasionally, endemic invasive species, such as house sparrows are brought in for rehab. House sparrows, starlings, and pigeons are classified as unregulated non-native species. While the DNR does not promote their rehabilitation, we leave the rehabilitators to make the decision to accept them or turn them away. We recognize that the few brought into rehab each year will not impact the population already present in the state and regulations do not prohibit their release.

• American Bullfrogs are not native in Minnesota except for Fillmore and Houston counties. Release in other counties is discouraged.

• Learn more about invasive species.

Minnesota wildlife laws and MN DNR's role in wildlife rehabilitation

An unlicensed citizen may NOT attempt to rehabilitate a wild animal on their own. It is also unlawful to possess for transport sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife for greater than 24 hours unless permitted to do so. If you are interested in helping, you can volunteer or partner with rehabilitation permit holders to help coordinate transport or help care for wild animal at their facilities. If you are interested in becoming a wildlife rehabilitator go to our permitting pages for more information.

DNR's role

Unfortunately, the DNR does not have the staff or resources to respond to every injured or distressed wildlife report. While the Nongame Wildlife Program does administer the permits required for wildlife rehab, the DNR staff does not rehabilitate wild animals directly. The public is encouraged to contact local wildlife rehabilitators, or let nature take its course when an injured, sick or orphaned animal is encountered. If you have questions or concerns that are not met by these resources, please contact your local DNR wildlife staff (DNR's Nongame Wildlife Program or area Wildlife Managers).