Around a month ago, the co-founder and director of the Wildlife Learning & Conservation Center (WLCC) in Sylmar sent out a message on social media, telling its community that they were in serious financial trouble and were asking for donations to continue their work in caring for trafficked wild animals.
There were even some rumors that the center might even close its doors for good.
“Costs have gone way up and, for a number of reasons, income has gone down, so we were slowly going through our reserves, and it got to be a bit worrisome,” said David Riherd, the center’s director. “We weren’t making plans to shut down, but we had to take action and increase the funds coming in or else it would have been too late.”
It didn’t take long for the community to respond. More than a dozen messages from community members came in, describing the center as an integral part of the community.
One commenter wrote, “You guys do such important work and take care of the animals like they truly deserve. I remember crying on my visit there because I was overwhelmed by the love and care they were receiving and how safe they all looked.”
In less than a week, the center put out another message, saying they received an outpouring of support and were able to avoid a worst-case scenario.
“I was deeply touched,” Riherd said. “It was a heartwarming feeling to know that we mattered to the community, and that the community cared about and supported what we do. That meant so much to us, and the response was greater than we had anticipated.”
The WLCC was founded nearly 30 years ago and was moved to its current location in the Northeast Valley around 15 years ago. Riherd said it all started with his deep interest and passion for wildlife and animals. He would go to elementary schools and give talks to students about wildlife biology, bringing along small animals to gain their interest.
After becoming known for his connection to animals, he was being approached by people asking if he could take in pets they could no longer care for or wild animals, like baby birds, found on the street. Eventually, he started taking in so many animals that he got a large facility to house all of them.
Today, the WLCC is home to more than 100 animals, including foxes, porcupines, sloths, bobcats, snakes, lizards, owls, macaws, frogs and an alligator. Many of these animals were trafficked and abused before they were rescued.
Relocating these creatures back to the wild after they’ve been treated isn’t an option, he added. For starters, they don’t know exactly where they came from, and without that knowledge, there’s only a slim chance they’ll survive.
“A lot of times, these poor animals come in poor condition, which requires extensive veterinary care,” Riherd said. “Everything that goes with operating a full rescue facility like this is very expensive, so we really rely on the public for support.”
To continue their work, the WLCC operates similarly to a zoo, where they provide general admission so guests can watch the animals from a safe distance or, in the case of the smaller, friendly creatures, observe them up close. They also offer private tours, birthday parties and field trips for students.
In their mission to further aid these animals, the WLCC joined the Wildlife Confiscations Network – an initiative led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to provide medical care and housing for animals that have been trafficked.
Every time an animal has been rescued, places like the WLCC, the Los Angeles Zoo and Oakland Zoo are contacted to see if they have space for additional animals to treat and house.
“For example, there was a bobcat they had a difficult time placing because everybody was out of space, and we thought, ‘Well, if we could introduce it to our other bobcat and they can share an enclosure, then that would work great,’” Riherd recounted. “Through a slow, methodical process, we introduced these two bobcats, and they are now inseparable, and they share the same enclosure. We made it work, and we’ve done the same with our primates, too.”
While the WLCC has avoided facing serious financial trouble for now, Riherd still encourages community members to donate whenever possible to keep their work going.
“Any amount really helps because that steady, reliable source of funds makes the biggest difference going forward,” he said. “While $5 or $10 may not be a lot, if we get enough donations, it really helps.”
For more information on the WLCC, visit https://www.wildlifelearningcenter.org/.
