Cape Neddick’s Center for Wildlife gives injured animals a second chance

Cape Neddick Wildlife Center Opens Doors to Families, Highlights Community‑Powered Rescue Work

CAPE NEDDICK, Maine – On a bright September Sunday, the Center for Wildlife turned its 9‑acre grounds into an outdoor classroom, inviting children, families and local residents to watch the day‑long open house that showcases the work of a nonprofit that treats and releases injured wildlife. The event, attended by dozens of families, featured hands‑on animal feedings, a meet‑and‑greet with birds of prey, a guided wildlife‑tracking walk, and a chance to see baby mammals and reptiles being cared for in the center’s care.

“We don’t name them, but when we get big groups of them, we have to paint their little nails to know who is who,” said executive director Kristen Lamb, who has led the center since its opening in 2012. In a demonstration that drew a crowd of curious children, a rehabilitator fed a baby squirrel with a syringe of formula while the animal’s orange claws were briefly marked with a bright neon color for identification. “We do this for the kids, too,” Lamb added, noting that the colorful claws made the lesson more engaging.

The center’s primary mission is to rehabilitate wildlife that has been injured or orphaned, and its annual open house is one way it shares that mission with the community. The nonprofit receives no state or federal funding for wildlife medical treatment or rescue. “There’s no state or federal funding or programing for wildlife medical treatment, or even really wildlife rescue,” Lamb explained. “We rely on the community to keep us running.”

The center receives roughly 15,000 calls a year for treatment of injured birds, mammals and reptiles from Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Staff and volunteers care for up to 200 animals at a time, from songbirds and owls to squirrels and snakes. Many of those animals are not candidates for release, and are housed in a dedicated ambassador area under a blue tarp. Here, visitors can meet Gaia, a great‑horned owl with a permanently deformed right wing, and her male companion Galileo. The two owls serve as ambassadors, teaching the public about the challenges that injured wildlife face in the wild.

Lamb said Gaia was brought to the center after being abandoned at her nest. “In the wild, everything really needs to be working in perfect order for them to survive,” she said. “So Gaia lives with us.”

Among the many animals that the center has helped, a juvenile bald eagle with lead poisoning was recently rescued after a call went out on social media. The bird’s chart now reads, “Attitude improving, getting more feisty and a little jumpy in Eagle Box.” The team remains confident that the eagle will make a full recovery.

Intern Anna Lapadula highlighted the community’s role in the center’s success. “We’re a community effort,” she said. “Residents bring injured animals they find on the road, or donate towels and food. We recently filled freezers with whole fish for that bald eagle after a social media post.” Lapadula, who also cares for a small orange snake named Aglet, noted that volunteers share responsibilities beyond animal care. “Everybody here also does a little bit of everything. I’ll take out trash, but my boss will too,” she said.

The open house attracted a family with four‑year‑old Read, who was eager to learn about wildlife. “Skunks!” he shouted when asked what great‑horned owls eat, correctly guessing the owl’s diet. His mother, Jennifer Junkin, explained that they attend the event because Read loves learning about nature. “Outdoor education is important to our family,” she said. “And going to the Center for Wildlife feeds Read’s curiosity.” Read also has a particular fondness for the peregrine falcon that roosts at the center.

The 9‑acre facility features a large clinic, multiple enclosures, walking trails and an education center. While the center has no state or federal funding, it is sustained through community fundraising, donations, and volunteer labor. The seasonal wildlife conflict agent program—Maine’s first such program in partnership with the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife—has helped reduce the burden on the center, but the nonprofit still handles the majority of wildlife rescue calls in the area.

As the day ended, visitors left with a greater appreciation for the community‑driven work that keeps injured wildlife safe and, where possible, returning to the forest, the sea, and the sky. The Center for Wildlife’s open house was a reminder that protecting animals is a collective effort, and that even a small act—such as painting a squirrel’s claws—can be a vital part of the process.