In situations where wild animals cannot be released back into their natural environment, it is essential to find a facility that can cater to their highly specialized needs. The Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary is dedicated to providing consistent, quality care for our amazing animals for the rest of their lives. In keeping with our mission, all of our animal residents are native to the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, so they don’t have to adapt to an unfamiliar climate. Whether they’re here because they were orphaned, injured, or habituated, they help us with our conservation education work and bring joy into the lives of thousands that come to visit them every year.
Clare
Clare was abandoned by her mother when the den she and her siblings were living in flooded in 2021. With state permission, YWS decided to take this small fox in when the mother did not return for her last kit. She’s named for Clare Witcomb, a valued YWS supporter. From camera footage and tracks in the snow, we knew Clare was active at night, but she was shy around people. When Dahia, the silver fox, joined her, Clare became much more active in the day.
Cooper
Cooper was found as a kit and raised by a family. Being smart animals, raccoons are very susceptible to habituation, so Cooper could not return to the wild but is very sociable with our keepers. In warmer months, he loves hanging out in his tire swing and fishing for minnows that keepers put in the raccoon pool. In the cold, he’ll squish into his winter box.
Dahlia
Dahlia was transferred to YWS in 2021 from the private facility where she was born. She is black and silver with a white-tipped tail, called a melanistic red fox or silver fox. When Dahlia joined our red fox, Clare, in a shared enclosure, the two began to enrich each other’s lives, and they now play and snooze together. Dahlia often caches food around the enclosure for snacking later.
Dave
Dave was found grounded (a typical sign that something is wrong with a raptor if it can't/won't fly away from rescuers) and taken to a rehabilitation facility where it was determined he was non-releasable due to vision issues in both eyes. In 2012, he was transferred to Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum, where over time he seemed to regain most of his vision. At this point, despite his improved vision he is not a candidate for release due to his habituation and comfort with human interaction.
Hawkeye
As a fledging, Hawkeye received an injury that resulted in the loss of her left eye. Because of the way it affects her balance and the precision of her movements, she cannot be released to the wild. But at YWS, she navigates her personal space very well and enjoys pulling her favorite food (rats!) out of cardboard tubes and boxes -- an enrichment activity provided by our animal care staff.
Index
Index, and her brother Pilot, were born at a roadside menagerie in Canada. When the roadside menagerie was shut down by the Canadian government, all of the animals were relocated to temporary shelter. Born in captivity, both wolves never lived in the wild they were deemed non-releasable. Index prefers to spend her days resting on platforms where she has a view looking over the sanctuary and Red Lodge.
Lisa
Lisa arrived at YWS with a wing injury that left her non-flighted and non-releasable. Her enclosure is set up so she and her roommate, Bart, can use the entire space without flying. Lisa is cautious toward keepers. She and Bart like shredding paper books, and she especially enjoys picking pomegranates apart.
Lola
Lola was found as a tiny pup with her brother, Scout. Mistaken for domestic dogs, they were taken to an animal shelter, then a wildlife rehabilitator, and finally YWS when they were determined non-releasable. Lola enjoys carrying and moving around stuffies donated to the sanctuary by the Red Lodge Senior Center.