Alabama’s oldest and largest wildlife rescue center is getting a makeover

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(Pat Byington / Bham Now)
(Alabama Wildlife Center)

The Alabama Wildlife Center is getting a makeover.

Today, the state of Alabama’s oldest and largest wildlife rescue facility announced that its clinic is undergoing a major renovation. 

The group, which is located at Oak Mountain State Park, will host its grand opening on Earth Day weekend — April 20th at noon.

Background on the Alabama Wildlife Center

Bald Eagle
Alabama Wildlife Center’s Shelby (Bham Now)

In 1987, Anne Miller, the founder of the Alabama Wildlife Center, moved the nonprofit’s operations into the Oak Mountain State Park Foothills restaurant, becoming the first wildlife rescue hospital in Alabama. 

Over the past 37 years, the hospital has treated more than 100,000 injured mammals, reptiles and birds.

Details about the Alabama Wildlife Center renovation

(Pat Byington / Bham Now)
(Alabama Wildlife Center)

The renovated clinic will feature state-of-the-art medical & x-ray and segmented areas that will feature quarantine and isolation to help eliminate any spread of disease and avian influenza.

Other areas we are unveiling on April 20th for the ribbon-cutting ceremony:

  • Brand new educational flight training facility
  • Native pollinator garden
  • Completely renovated bathrooms
  • New educational exhibits

“This renovation means the world to us. Every aspect of the clinic will be upgraded, which means our mission will flourish. Upgrading our clinic, equipment, and supplies will allow us to significantly increase the care provided to injured and orphaned birds of Alabama.”

– Chris Sykes, Alabama Wildlife Center, Executive Director


Have you ever visited the Alabama Wild Center at Oak Mountain State Park? Tell us your favorite memory by tagging us on social media at @bhamnow!

Pat Byington
Pat Byington

Longtime conservationist. Former Executive Director at the Alabama Environmental Council and Wild South. Publisher of the Bama Environmental News for more than 18 years. Career highlights include playing an active role in the creation of Alabama's Forever Wild program, Little River Canyon National Preserve, Dugger Mountain Wilderness, preservation of special places throughout the East through the Wilderness Society and the strengthening (making more stringent) the state of Alabama's cancer risk and mercury standards.

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