WAYNESBORO, Va. (WHSV) -In 2023, The Wildlife Center of Virginia admitted over 4,000 animals into the center. This is the most admissions the center has seen since it has been operating.

“Like a lot of other issues that revolve around wildlife and the environment there really is no single answer, it is a combination of factors,” said Alex Wehrung, Public Affairs Manager, Wildlife Center of Virginia.

One of the factors can be a rise in the Bald Eagle population.

“Today there are more Bald Eagles in the United States and in Virginia then there ever have been since we started keeping track,” said Wehrung.

The center did admit the most Bald Eagles than they have ever seen this year, which statistically makes sense, said Wehrung.

Another factor could be that someone rescued an animal and transported it to the facility for the first time. “It is entirely possible that they rescued an animal and transported it to the facility when the year before they would not have,” said Wehrung.

If there is no eye witness to an animal being injured, it is hard to tell what that injury could have been. Wehrung said for the injuries that had eye witnesses, most of the injuries were caused in some way by human activity or behavior.

“People leaving litter or food waste behind near roadways. Wildlife looking for an easy meal get hit by a car. That could include letting their pet cats outdoors and prey on those smaller species or even things that seem smaller in scale like using glue traps as a form of pest control,” said Wehrung.

Wehrung said the high number in patients is not a good thing and they are hoping to not break in the coming year.” We are hoping to never break this record again,” said Wehrung.

If there is a silver lining, we have increased the amount of information that can keep animals in the future from becoming patients, said Wehrung.

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