Donations

Your Help is Needed and Appreciated

The Wildlife Discovery Center
relies almost solely on private donations (individuals, businesses and
corporations) to operate. We have a special 501c3 fund set up
under the “Friends of Lake Forest Parks & Recreation” to funnel
funds through so that your donation can be tax deductable. Taking
care of a diverse collection of wildlife, not to mention the many animals
that we rescue that need major health care, costs a lot of money and
drains our limited resources. At the same time, we never spare
any expense to provide the finest in care for our animals and we are
often complimented from professionals in the zoo and museum world about
how healthy our collection looks.

Your donation will help us to provide:

• Veterinary Care:
  many animals that come to us are in very poor condition we may spend
  hundreds of dollars just to get one animal back into good health.
  Many of these animals need ongoing care which can reach the thousands
  of dollars.
• Food/Diet:
  We only feed the highest quality diets on the market ranging from farm bred rodents and quail to fresh organic produce, our animals get nothing but the best. Our monthly food bill oftentimes exceeds $2500.
• Supplies/Equipment:
  Once again, we never skimp on equipment. Having a thorough knowledge of the latest technology and advances in husbandry, we know that we
  are giving our animals the finest habitats available. Items such
  as radiant heat panels, thermostats, heat pads, special ultraviolet
  lights, cage furnishings, temperature monitoring equipment all undergo
  routine wear and tear and need to be replaced on a regular basis.
  Our annual cost for supplies averages approximately $20,000.
• Exhibits:
  Due to a limited budget, we are not able to have multi million dollar
  ‘large zoo’ type of exhibits, however, we are very pleased at showcasing
  our animals in exhibits that look so good (naturalistic) that we will
  put our’s right beside the most expensive exhibits in the nation.
  Why? Because our exhibit animals are kept in immaculate conditions
  and perfect health. Our hope, however, is to move towards revamping
  our exhibit areas and we are currently trying to raise approximately
  $500,000 to get to where we want to be.
• Endowment:
  Our ultimate goal is to raise $5 million to set up an endowment so that
  the WDC can run forever. Wildlife conservation is our passion
  and we are committed to doing our share in not only providing the finest
  homes for wildlife (reptiles and raptors) in need, but also for supporting
  worldwide herp conservation efforts.

Current Wildlife
Conservation Projects being Supported

• Guatemalan Beaded
  Lizard Project - We are trying to raise $25,000 to purchase land in
  Guatemala to save the critically endangered (less than 200 left in the
  wild) Guatemalan Beaded Lizard (Heloderma horridum charlesbogerti)
• Eastern Indigo Snake
  Project - We are trying to raise $10,000 to support a couple of eastern
  indigo snake, Drymarchon couperi, projects. This is our nation’s
  largest non venomous snake and in dire need of aggressive conservation
  management. Habitat destruction and fragmentation have really
  done a number on these gorgeous animals.
• Eastern Massasauga
  Rattlesnake Project - Like the indigo snake, the eastern massasauga
  has been decimated throughout its range. Not only is habitat destruction
  a major problem for its decline, but over hunting and a deep misunderstanding
  of this animal’s natural behavior has nearly wiped it out.

When making a donation…

When you make a donation, you
may specify where you want the funds to be applied towards.

• Wildlife Discovery
  Center ‘General’ to help care for the animals in our collection
• Guatemalan Beaded
  Lizard Project
• Eastern Indigo Snake
• Eastern Massasauga