Tehachapi Volunteer Wildlife Transport

05/29/2026

Mr. Owl The Great Horned owl from Lebec, on his way to The Ojai Raptor Center thank you to the finders for helping Mr. Owl. Thank you Rhianna Doe for the meet-up

05/28/2026

Thank you Wrightwood Raptor Center for the assist. We appreciate you.

05/28/2026

Big transport from Palm Plaza Pet Hospital to The Ojai Raptor Center. Bunch O' Birds. Thank you for always trusting our team with your precious cargo. ❤️🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅

05/27/2026

05/27/2026

Protecting wildlife sometimes means choosing not to interfere .

Respect • Protect • Coexist

05/26/2026

TVWT was called for assistance on both of these Mallard Drakes and both were accepted for care by Pacific Wildlife Care. Thank you to our amazing transporter Ashley Singer! Thank you to our reporting parties Kami and Jeanette!

The tiny 3-day-old drake was abandoned by his family because he physically could not keep up.
The juvenile drake had a damaged wing and was being actively attacked by other ducks while also being targeted by feral cats.

Both were in immediate danger.
Neither situation was a case of “just let nature take its course” in a safe environment.

Here’s what the public should know about wild ducks in California:

• Wild ducks are protected migratory birds under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

• In California, you generally CANNOT legally keep, relocate, transport, or rehabilitate a wild duck without proper authorization or transfer to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.

• “I was trying to help” does not automatically make possession legal.

• Healthy ducklings should not automatically be picked up because they appear alone. Parent ducks often separate temporarily while moving brood locations or foraging.

• A duckling that is:

* alert,
* mobile,
* vocal,
* warm,
* and still within range of adult ducks
usually needs monitoring first, not removal.

• Intervention becomes appropriate when there is:

* visible injury,
* inability to walk or swim normally,
* confirmed abandonment,
* cat or dog attack,
* entanglement,
* collapse/lethargy,
* or immediate predation risk in an urban environment.

• Domestic and feral cats are a massive threat to juvenile waterfowl. Even tiny puncture wounds can become fatal from infection.

• Relocating healthy ducks to another pond “for their safety” is usually illegal and often harmful. Waterfowl imprint on territory, flock structure, food sources, and migration patterns.

• Unauthorized relocation can also spread disease between waterways, including avian influenza and botulism.

• Wildlife transport volunteers are not wildlife rehabilitators. The role is emergency stabilization and lawful transport to licensed care facilities.

• Keeping a wild mallard long term in California — even if hand-raised — is generally illegal without permits.

These two boys were not taken because they were cute.
They were moved because they were actively failing in the environment they were found in, TVWT was contacted, and placement had already been approved through a licensed rehabilitation

Wildlife rescue should always begin with one question:

“Does this animal truly need intervention… or do I simply want to intervene?”

05/25/2026

We are very happy to give you an update on the ducklings that were brought to us by Tehachapi Volunteer Wildlife Transport on Saturday, after the ducklings were left behind after a photoshoot. The ducklings are happily settling into their new home and the one duckling with bumblefoot is getting proper treatment and will make a full recovery. Thank you again to Tehachapi Volunteer Wildlife Transport for making this possible.

05/25/2026

Even a domestic button quail gets a ride. Forgot to post this last week. She was found in a backyard in cal city, she now has a good home and safe. She's pretty cute. Thank you Jamie Jenkins

05/24/2026

Thank you Jennie Valadez Settelmeyer for calling us about James & Clarice, they are in good hands with a licensed rehabber ❤️❤️❤️ also thank you for contributing to the ⛽️

05/24/2026

*** SOUND UP*** Maria, the hawk was released back to Mother Nature yesterday. You can hear her people calling back to her.