Gold Country Wildlife Rescue

🏁 Who else is speeding into the weekend like these tiny turbo-charged Lodgepole Chipmunks? 🏎️💨 🐿️ These little speedsters (there are actually three in this large two-story enclosure!) have decided the upstairs is strictly for racing, while downstairs is reserved for post-race power naps. Honestly, we respect the strategy! 😆 Their love for the fast lane might make sense—last fall, they were found inside the floorboard of a car that traveled all the way from Reno to Sacramento! Talk about an unexpected road trip. They arrived in rough shape, but after lots of TLC, they’re thriving. Now, we’re just waiting for the snow to melt in their mountain home before they can zoom back into the wild, where they can build the ultimate woodland obstacle course. 🌲🏎️ #LodgepoleChipmunks #CutenessOverload #Chipmunk500 #F1chimpunks #Speedy #NotPets #KeepThemWild #WildlifeRehabilitation #WildlifeRescue #WildAndFree #CritterCare #Nature #Wildlife #Animals #NatureLovers #AnimalLovers #Busy #ZoomZoom #SierraNevadaMountains #GCWR #BeWildWise

To continue with a little more furry bear fun this week, as you probably know, Cub 24-3926 isn't the only cub in our care. We've actually had three additional orphaned Black Bear cubs in our rehabilitative care since the summer. These three are doing well, and it's expected that they will be released in the coming months. One of the cubs, in particular, enjoys being the mischief-maker of the bunch - doing everything she can to get her roommates to play with her. When we review our surveillance footage of them, she always has us laughing, so we decided to share a little compilation of her doing some of her best work. 🤣 #BlackBearCubs #BearRehabilitation #WildlifeRescue #WildlifeRehabilitation #NotPets #KeepThemWild #CritterCare #ApexPredators #Nature #Wildlife #California #GCWR #BearCubs #WildlifeVideos #DroneFootage #DroningBears #Animals #NatureLovers #AnimalLovers

Black Bear Cub 24-3926 - Welcome to Summit U!

🚨 BIG NEWS! 🚨 After three months in intensive care, Black Bear Cub 24-3926 has officially graduated to the great outdoors! 🎉 He’s moved into a section of Summit University, our specialized outdoor rehabilitation enclosure designed specifically for Black Bears! 🐻🏔️ This means he now has significantly more space, fresh air, and gorgeous views—and best of all, new neighbors! While he’s not in the same physical space as the other three cubs in rehabilitative care, they share chain-link “walls,” so they can see, hear, and smell each other. For now, the cubs are still figuring out their new setup. Cub 24-3926 explored his new space briefly before settling into his culvert den, while his new neighbors were seen sniffing curiously along the shared walls, clearly interested in who just moved in. We expect to see them start interacting in the coming days. We know many of you are wondering if this cub will eventually return to the wild. While that’s always the goal, the final decision will be made by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, ensuring the best outcome for this cub — whether that’s a return to the wild or a placement in sanctuary. For now, we’re celebrating this huge milestone in his rehabilitation journey! He’s thriving, continuing to gain strength, and getting the best care possible each and every day. Thank you to everyone who has been following his journey, supporting his recovery, and cheering him on! 💛🐻 #BearCubUpdate #WildlifeRehab #NewBearOnTheBlock #Cub243926 #BlackBearCub #BearCub #NotAPet #KeepThemWild #GCWR #CritterCare #WildlifeICU #WidlifeVetMed #SummitU #SummitUniversity #Wildlife #Nature #CommunitySupport #WorkingTogether

🚨Black Bear Cub 24-3926 Update🚨 🎥 We’ve got tons of adorable footage of this little cub, and while sorting through some trail cam videos from last month (Feb 10, 2025), we found clips we had to share! This little guy took it upon himself to do some extreme home makeovers in his critical care enclosure — because obviously, his pool belongs in the bedroom, not the play area. Our mistake! Though this footage is a month old (hence his slightly less fabulous fur), he has continued to make huge strides in fur growth, skin condition, and his overall curious, playful, and healthy behavior. He’s keeping us on our toes with his creative interior design choices! 🐻 We’re still hoping to move him outside to Summit University, our specialized outdoor rehabilitation area for bear cubs, where he’d become neighbors with three other healthy cubs in our rehabilitative care. Once the storms pass, we’ll see if he’s ready for the big move! ❤️‍🩹 That said, we know many of you are wondering if he’ll eventually return to the wild. The final decision will be made by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, considering what’s best for him — whether that’s a return to the wild or a placement in sanctuary. No matter what, we are dedicated to this cub, and he is getting top-tier care, nutrition, and enrichment to help him grow stronger every day. We’re so grateful to have you cheering him on! 💛🐻 #BlackBearCub #BearCub #Cub243926 #WildlifeRehabilitation #WildlifeRehab #KeepThemWild #NotAPet #CritterCare #WildlifeMed #CritterCare #NorCal #WildlifeRescue #GCWR #CommunitySupport #HelpingHands #Enrichment #CriticalCare #HealingJourney

We’re not sure it gets much cuter than this baby Desert Cottontail that just opened its eyes! 🐰💛 This tiny one was rescued from a cattle pasture in the Marysville area after its nest was found destroyed. Now safe in our care, it's doing well so far, and we’re hopeful it will continue to thrive until it's old enough for release back into the wild. 💚 #DessertCottontail #Rabbit #BabyAnimals #BabySeason #WildlifeRescue #WildlifeRehabilitation #NotAPet #KeepThemWild #BabyCare #Wildlife #Nature #Animals #NorCal #CritterCare #CommunitySupport #WorkingTogether #TeamWork #GCWR #BOLOforBabies #Bunnies #CutenessOverload #HelpingHands

AMBASSADOR SPOTLIGHT: Meet Patty, a North American raccoon, and a wildlife ambassador here at Gold Country Wildlife Rescue. Because someone illegally tried to raise this raccoon as a pet, she lost her skills to be wild and can never be released. We are now responsible for her care for the entirety of her life which includes daily enclosure cleaning, preparing nutritious meals, veterinary care, and enrichment activities to stimulate her mind (Patty has a weakness for crinkly bags and paper). We have several ambassador animals that are unreleasable due to injuries they've received or from imprinting on humans trying to keep them as pets (don't do that!). Typically, these animals would require euthanasia, but at GCWR, we have been able to provide life-long care for some of these animals while they help us to educate the public on the importance of KEEPING WILDLIFE WILD! #NotPets #KeepThemWild #WildlifeRescue #WIldlifeCare #Raccoon #NorthernRacoon #PattyTheRaccoon #LongTermCare #BeWildWise #WildlifeEducation #Animals #Nature #DontStealWildlife

🍕 Today is National Pizza Day 🍕 celebrating one of America’s all-time favorite foods. Have it your way with thin crust, Chicago-style, deep dish, or peanut butter with peanut butter and grapes if you're a raccoon. 🦝 This is a look back at when Wildlife Education Ambassadors Reba & Patty joined in on the fun with some enrichment activities to stimulate their minds and stomachs. 🦝 Ambassador animals are injured or habituated wildlife that has been given a second chance. Typically, their conditions would require euthanasia, but at GCWR, we have been able to provide life-long care for some of these animals while they help us to educate the public on keeping wildlife wild. Since these animals have been habituated by humans and are no longer releasable, they will be in our daily care for the entirety of their lives.

🥳 It's Friday! 🦨 Who else is racing into the weekend like these juvenile skunks? 🎉 #Skunks #Wildlife #WildlifeRescue #WildlifeRehabilitation #PastPatients #WeekendVibes #ItsFriday #PlayfulBabies #NotPets #KeepThemWild #CritterCare #GCWR

🐦‍⬛ Splish Splash Two American Crows Taking a Bath 🛁 It might be rainy outside, but inside our wildlife intake center, everyone is staying dry....well...except for these two!! #AmericanCrows #Crows #Corvids #Birds #WildlifeRescue #WildlifeRehabilitation #CritterCare #CrowFriends #MoiraRose #Nature #Animals #WildlifeEnrichment #AnimalLovers #WildlifeAmbassadors #KeepThemWild #NotPets #SmartBirds #GCWR

👀 Have you ever wondered why we always have trail cams on our Amazon Wishlist? Well, two of the Black Bear cubs currently in our care, "Hetch" (ID# 24-3296) and "Wawona" (ID# 24-3297), would like to demonstrate. While the cameras are always mounted outside the enclosures, some of our patients still like to take on the challenge of trying to stop us from spying on them. While they cannot get them into the enclosure, they have fun trying their best to point them anywhere they can other than at them! 🎥 🐻 🛒 If you're interested in checking out the cameras and other things on our Amazon Wishlist, you can do so here: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3QS7UYWKK0G3R?type=WishList&filter=unpurchased&sort=default&viewType=list&itemSearchKeyword=camera&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign&utm_content=ap_lbxx7i9dt5

We want to offer a huge THANK YOU to everyone who donated to help us hydroseed our 15-acre property after all the dirt work that was done over the summer preparing our future campus. While we had to wait out some rain, thanks to SO many amazing people who donated along with the generous support of Greenscape in Roseville, CA, who donated seed and provided a discount, the property that is going to become our forever home has been hydroseeded. This means more stabilization for the dirt while helping reestablish the environment and ecosystem with native grasses and wildflowers. What was once a horse ranch is slowing being brought back to a more natural state which we love for all the critters that call this area home. 🌾☘️🌼 #GCWR #CommunitySupport #Hydroseeding #Greenscape #Nature #WildlifeRehabilitation #WildlifeRescue #DonorSupport #TeamWork #MakingStrides #Wildlife #Critters #Animals #GCWRUpdate

🦝 Let's all take a few seconds to enjoy these busy Northern Raccoons enjoying the morning sun in their outdoor enclosure. ☀️ As raccoons that come into our care as babies get closer to release one of the next steps is moving to an outdoor enclosure. From there they move on to a second outdoor enclosure at a remote location, slowly reacclimatizing them to life in the wild. Of course, they just think it's all fun and games which is great because it means it also provides them lots of enrichment which is a crucial part of the rehabilitation process. Often rehabilitation is a journey taking lots of time, energy, and patience, but we are happy to provide the care and opportunity whenever we can for the orphaned, injured, or sick wildlife that come through our doors. Thanks to our generous supporters, we are able to provide this service to the community free of charge. ❤️‍🩹 #NorthernRaccoons #Raccoons #MaskedBandits #WildlifeRehabilitation #WildlifeEducation #BeWildWise #CritterCare #WildlifeMed #WildlifeEnrichment #FunFacts #GCWR #NorCal #Wildlife #Nature #CaringForCritters #Animals #AnimalRescue