The Center receives more than 5,000 animals in the Wildlife Hospital each and every year. A large majority of these animals arrive during the spring and summer, meaning a tremendous number are also released in the late summer months. The sheer number of animals released presents a logistical challenge for the Center. Each animal has specific requirements that allow it to be released, and even when an animal is healthy enough to return to the wild the challenge of finding placement begins. Several supporters of the Center allow us to use their private property to release animals, and most adult animals go back to their home range. This running list highlights the animals we have released recently. We will update this page with new releases as the information becomes available.
- Blue Jay and Snapping Turtle went back to their homes after their Wildlife Hospital stays
- Released several Eastern Gray Squirrels, songbirds, a Cooper’s Hawk and 2 Barred Owls
- Black Vulture admitted in February has been released after a long recovery period
- 4 Virginia Opossums released back to Vinton County
- 14 Mallard Ducks and 2 Canada Geese released on a large privately owned water source, paired with 8 Virginia Opossums in the nearby wooded area
- The week of July 9th we released an adult Snapping Turtle, a Northern Flicker, 8 Mourning Doves, 3 Foxes, 4 Red Squirrels, 2 Big Brown Bats, a Double-breasted Cormorant, and a Northern Cardinal
- The week of July 21st we released 2 Minks, 1 Carolina Chickadee, 2 Blue Jays, 6 Virginia Opossums, 3 Wood Ducks, 2 Foxes, several Eastern Cottontail Rabbits, and a Song Sparrow
- Week of July 27th we released 22 raccoons, 25 Mallard Ducks and Canada Geese, 2 adult Eastern Grey Squirrels, 1 juvenile Chipmunk, and lots of Robins who were acclimating to the weather and were ready to get back to the wild
- During the week of 8/12 we released a Toad, Carolina wren, American Robins, Mourning doves, 4 bluebirds, a Red Fox, and 6 more Eastern Cottontail Rabbits
- During the 2 week period from 8/13 to 8/25, Ohio Wildlife Center released an American Crow to Grandview, 2 Mourning Doves to Grove City, 3 Rock Pigeons 2 to OSU and one to Columbus near Pearl Alley, Skunks back to Athens, one Carolina Wren to Grove City, a Northern Cardinal to Columbus, 4 Robins to Lewis Center, Cooper’s Hawk back to Whitehall and released by volunteer Connie, Red-Tailed Hawk back to Columbus near Sharon Woods, a Rose-Breasted Grosbeak, 4 American Kestrels to Gallant Farms Preservation Park, and 4 house sparrows
- During the week of 9/1 the Center released a Ring-Billed Gull back to Westerville from Officer Kim Stambaugh, a Carolina Wren, a Map Turtle and a Woodland Box Turtle back to their home ranges, and a Cardinal back to a heavily forested area in central Ohio.
- Between 9/11 and 9/17 we released an adult Great Blue Heron, a Turkey Vulture who was rescued and released by our volunteer Sam F., a Black and White Warbler, several Virginia Opossums and an American Kestrel released by our volunteer Dave W.
- 9/18 and 9/24 was a short window where we released a Bald Eagle, Gray Tree Frog, 5 Red-tailed Hawks, 2 Cooper’s Hawks, and 9 Eastern Cottontail Rabbits
- During the week of 10/8 and 10/12 we released a Snapping Turtle, Great Horned Owl, and 3 House Finches.
- As Fall begins to wind down, so do the number of animal releases. The week of 11/1 we released Chipmunks to both Dublin and Westerville, a Red-tailed Hawk to Columbus and a shrew and Rock Pigeon to Galloway.
- In the first week of December, we released a Red Fox back to its home range in Dublin after being treated for mange. We also released an American Goldfinch, a Red-tailed Hawk, and a Mallard duck back to their rightful homes in the wild.
- Later in December, around the 10th of the month, we released 2 Great Horned Owls to their home ranges near Marysville and Mt. Sterling, and a Red-tailed Hawk to the Athens area.
- The week of December 17th we released 3 animals back to the wild: an Eastern Bluebird, one Eastern Gray Squirrel and a Cooper’s Hawk, which you can see below.
- Winter is a slower time for releases, but we proudly released a Mourning Dove, a European Starling and an American Robin the first week of February.
- During the week of February 10th, we released a Virginia Opossum and a Mourning Dove back to the property where they were found. Good luck, friends!
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During the last week of February, the weather changed for the better and allowed us a window to release a Red-tailed hawk back home to Westerville, a Greater scaup and one Downy woodpecker.
- Spring weather means better opportunity for releases, including a Cardinal to Delaware, a Goldfinch we were able to return to Columbus and a Carolina Wren back to Granville.
- The last full week in March offered us great weather, so we released 3 house finches, 2 goldfinches, a Gray tree frog, a Red-backed salamander, a Red-tailed hawk and a Mallard duck.
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A Woodcock from our Lights Out program, a house finch back to its home range in Dublin, a skunk, a fox who recovered from mange, and some baby ducks were released the first full week of spring.
