On Tuesday, June 4, Key West Wildlife Center staff, board members, and area dignitaries welcomed guests to a groundbreaking ceremony marking the official launch of construction for the Center’s long-awaited new wildlife rescue and rehabilitation clinic building, an elevated, Category 5 hurricane hardened modular structure that will replace the organization’s old and badly decaying one, situated within the 7-acre Indigenous Park off of White Street near Atlantic Blvd.

For more than 25 years the KWWC has been providing 24-hour emergency rescue services for wildlife in Key West and the lower Keys. Its present clinic building, which serves as the hub and ICU for wildlife care, is an early-version manufactured unit, which according to board president Jennifer Lopes, has significant roof deterioration and other structural issues, along with mechanical systems that over time have become largely inoperable.

“Our new building, which will serve as both a clinic and visitor welcome center, has been designed for our area’s unique climate conditions and will be elevated to meet all newly established FEMA flood levels,” said Lopes. “It will offer a better equipped dedicated treatment area for our patients, with 25% more interior space for patient care, and 40% more exterior space for rehabilitation, along with ample protected space for education and outreach.”
The new clinic building is one of two consequential projects being funded by KWWC’s “Raising the Roof … Building Our Future” capital campaign. The other is renovation of the Center’s recuperation/reconditioning aviary. The capital campaign began in 2021 and now, thanks to a recently awarded 1 to 1 matching grant, is close to successfully meeting its $2.4 million goal.

The Key West Wildlife Center is a 501(C) (3) charitable tax-exempt organization devoted to the rescue and rehabilitation of wild birds. The Center also works closely with other local and regional rescue groups to provide rehabilitation for non-avian species. According to KWWC Executive Director Tom Sweets, some 1,500 native wildlife patients were rescued in 2023 alone.

Located at 1801 White St., KWWC is open from 11:00am to 4:00pm on weekends, and variable hours during the week at present, due to the construction. It is recommended to call in advance on weekdays to confirm open hours. Those interested in supporting the “Raising the Roof … Building Our Future” campaign and/or volunteering at the Center can call 305-292-1008. For more information visit keywestwildlifecenter.org.

​On Thursday, January 18, Key West Wildlife Center staff and board members welcomed guests who’d come to learn more about the organization’s “Raising the Roof … Building our Future” capital campaign, now underway to raise funds to replace its badly deteriorating clinic building and conduct significant refurbishing to its reconditioning aviary.
 
The dedicated team behind the KWWC have been rescuing and rehabilitating Key West and lower Keys wildlife for more than 25 years, to the tune of more than 1,500 annually. Pelicans entangled in fishing lines, turtles in the wrong place at the wrong time, hurricane-battered hawks, disoriented bats, and a long list of others have been retrieved and treated at the wildlife center located within the 7-acre Indigenous Park property off of White Street near Atlantic Blvd.
 
According to board president Jennifer Lopes, the current building, a modular unit, has far exceeded its useful life. “The roof leaks, the exterior is crumbling, the interior walls are weak and soft, and the mechanical systems consistently fail,” she said. “Our reconditioning aviary has great structural bones but is suffering from years of humid, salt air and storms which have resulted in the need for extensive repairs and maintenance.” Lopes says that the new clinic structure will be a hurricane-hardened modular clinic building and visitor welcome center with 25% more patient care space than currently exists. It will also be elevated to meet newly established FEMA flood level guidelines.
 
The KWWC is a A 501(C) (3) charitable tax-exempt organization that provides 24/7 rescue services, along with medical and rehabilitation care from experienced personnel, associated veterinarians, and dedicated volunteers. It is open to the public every day except Wednesday, with visiting hours from 11:00am to 4:00pm. The Center also works closely with other local and regional rescue groups to provide rehabilitation for non-avian species.
 
Those interested in supporting the capital campaign or volunteering at the KWWC can call 305-292-1008. For more information visit keywestwildlifecenter.org.