Yggdrasil Urban Wildlife Rescue

YUWR not only provides skilled, appropriate and tender rehabilitation to the animals in their care, her ambassador animals are also educating urban humans - ultimately inspiring us to take better care of our environment.

I have known about Yggdrasil since it's inception that was motivated by one amazing squirrel, Fluffentstein, if memory serves was his name. From that time to the present, Lila Travis and her amazing volunteers have worked tirelessly for the animals in the community. Yggdrasil offers community education in addition to all the miracles for wildlife.

So many animals have been rescued, rehabilitated and reentered into the wild; and for those that cannot be reintroduced, they live a life that is safe and meets their needs. Many of these animals go on to help educate those in the community.

With so few wildlife rehabilitation organizations, especially in deeply urban areas, Yggdrasil serves a vital purpose for the well-being of both animals and the communities in which they live.

This nonprofit is amazing! While working for Children's Fairyland in Oakland, we took several of our orphaned wildlife to them over the years. They are kind, compassionate and knowledgeable. I had the pleasure of visiting their center during a drop off and was so impressed by how they handled the multitude of different critters, all ages, with many different needs. They were able to balance it all with grace. I was so impressed I even volunteered for a while. Best experience of my life.

Lila is wonderful and compassionate, not only with wildlife, but people who are trying to help the animals as well. Yggdrasil is one of the few wildlife rescues that accepts pigeons who are often turned away at others. Compassion is the rule at Yggdrasil.

This rescue organization goes above and beyond to help the critters. Not afraid of the undesirable ie: skunks, opossums etc. Lila helped me and my son with a rescue and now we are dedicated to caring for wildlife. This experience has changed both my life and my sons. Where other rescues have specific hours and may not take the time to assist, and often times turn away an animal dues to species, Yggdrasil will come assist, encourage and advise. We are now foster parents. So thankful that there are people out there dedicated to helping our wildlife.

I will never forget my experiences nursing a baby dear at Yggdrasil Urban Wildlife Rescue. The magnitude of the work they do and the compassionate attention they bring to their mission is incomparable. We forget how much joy the wildlife in our community brings us. Yggdrasil is the best, and sometimes only, caretaker of helpless injured animals and orphaned babies at risk of losing their lives. I urge everyone to reach into their wallet and contribute what they can to enable Yggdrasil to continue their important work.

wonderful wonderful group, full service care for our local wild orphaned sick injured and elderly mammals and so much more!!! as a animal control officer I could not expect better assistance from any other wildlife group around ! thank you Yggdrasil , you are my hero!

YUWR has been a tremendous help to threatened wildlife in Oakland and surrounding areas. If not for this center, thousands of urban wild mammals would have not had a chance in the world. I have always felt that if humanity is going to encroach upon wild habitats, then society has a moral obligation to take responsibility for damage done. YUWR and its tireless director, Lila Talcott Travis, was the only shelter that stepped into the large void in Oakland and we need to support them so the good work continues in the future. Without YUWR, there is literally no hope for wildlife in this area.

Yggdrasil, with Lila Travis at the helm, provides a great service to the community, both for people and for the wildlife sharing the urban environment. If you have discovered any problem with wildlife in the city, Yggdrasil is the place to call.

Volunteering at Yggdrasil has been an amazing experience. Through them, I’ve had experiences that no other wildlife rescue organization has provided- raising baby squirrels and then releasing them into the wild, going on rescue calls (like a baby fox that was found in an elementary school parking lot), socializing with an educational opossum, and being involved in post-mortem diagnostics, to name just a few things. Lila, the director, is an amazing woman with an incredible wealth of knowledge about everything wildlife- physiology, behavior, medical care, how to keep wild animals out of your attic/basement/kitchen… every question I’ve ever asked her has been met with a thorough answer. Even when I’ve bombarded her with question after question her patience never wavers! In all the wildlife volunteering I’ve ever done in my life (and it’s been a lot), she has what few wildlife rehabbers tend to possess… people skills. She even helped my friend in Oregon who was concerned about a wild squirrel with mange frequenting her apartment dumpster.

The other volunteers I’ve met through YUWR are also incredible… not only do you have the opportunity to do lots of hands-on procedures and learn a ton about our wildlife neighbors, the people involved with this organization are top-notch as well.

YGGDRASIL Urban Wildlife Rescue helps rehabilitate and release animals injured or caught in an urban environment. It is a crucial program for any urban area. The volunteers involved with the rescue have hearts of gold and I am happy to have helped YGGDRASIL in the past.

YUWR offers a very needed and helpful service to the community by problem solving with human/wildlife conflicts. They do a lot with a little. Keep up the good work!

besides getting to develope a lost and natural sence of connectedness to the natural world, and being part of a community of great people. I felt a sence of fullilment to be of service to our wild creature friends and commrads, for everything we have, from our basic necessities to our riches, come from the natural world and we must praise anyone who will stuart our woods creatures. volunteering at YUWR brought back the joys of being close to our great wild life friends accompanying us in our urban and sometimes alienating habitat.

Yggdrasil provides support and sanctuary for the myriad of wildlife that lives among us. Their work is tireless and devoted. Countless small and large animals have been nutured back to health so that they can be re-introduced into their natural habitat which we share. Yggdrasil is on on the front lines with wildlife rehabilitation.

I am a second-year veterinary student, hoping to get into wildlife medicine and/or shelter medicine. When I first started as a wildlife rehab intern with YUWR, I had no clear goal in life. I was starting college again after dropping out a couple of years earlier. I knew I liked animals, and that was it. Working at YUWR helped me see how happy I was treating wildlife, how rewarding it was for me and for the animals alike. Moreover, Lila was a patient and knowledgeable teacher and caretaker for us all. I learned about wildlife in urban, suburban, rural, and even clinical settings. It was a great period of my life and 5 years later, I'm still very appreciative for a fun and educational experience they gave me.

I began working with Yggdrasil Urban Wildlife Rescue last spring after attending a training to foster orphaned squirrels. It was truly an amazing experience caring for the squirrels from bottle feeding, to building an outdoor play area, to setting them free. They still come by often to say hello and get some nuts we have left out for them. We look forward to a repeat of the experience this spring.

I am pleased to know and be involved with the Yggdrasil Rescue. The dedication from Lila, Megan and the volunteers to save wildlife is amazing. It takes an enormous amount of time and effort to nurse these beautiful creatures back to health so they can be released to their natural habitat. Not only do they care for the injured, sick and orphaned wildlife, they also educate the public on how to co habitate with wildlife. This organization is extremely important in saving wildlife as well as nature.

This organization is really doing good work. They are all volunteer-run and operate on a shoestring budget and actually DO what they say they are doing. I hope they get the support they need and deserve.

YUWR is a grassroots, down to earth, group of dedicated volunteers who believe that all living creatures deserve a second chance. Through wildlife rehabilitation and education, we try to make the world a better place, one animal and one human at a time.

Lila has a way with urban wildlife that is a rare gift and underrated. I have watched her coax into her arm a newly found injured, scared and angry squirrel, who willingly hid inside her shirt for comfort . This organization is the *real deal*: it saves countless orphan urban wildlife, educates the public in how to coexist with urban wildlife and provides assistance at no charge when needed. Unlike other non-profits that spend hundreds or thousands of dollars in marketing, YGGDRASIL works quietly under the radar doing truly remarkable work. Because of this organization, our society is more humane and compassionate towards those that have no voice.

To the Landlord; Do you seriously think these folks do not wish to be RID of you as much as you, (yes we get it) wish to be rid of them? The issues you bring up here are nothing short of a child's temper tantrum and have nothing what-so-ever to do with whether or not the group is doing good work, which is the point of this forum. And which they NO QUESTION, are!! I am familiar with the location and can assure you the 30k Retaining Wall was not solely because of the Center. It also does nothing but add to the value of your property and is a tax deduction for you as a homeowner, certainly not a LOSS to you in any way. While your generosity and selfless act of low rent has without doubt benefitted the Center, it tends to take a back seat to your relentless pursuit to now leave all of them homeless. Personally it sounds like a terrible place to house a disabled, elderly person, being that it is located on that Hillside you spent so much money on. It is certainly YOUR right to take back your house, but you have NO right to whine about it here. I happen to know they are doing everything in their power to relocate. I'm sorry for the loss of your husband and that you are left to raise your children alone, but again......the Center is raising 100's of Orphan children, all created by the same God, and all in desperate need of help. Why can't you be satisfied with having ultimate power and knowing you'll get your way, soon enough.....and stop making daily life more painful for those struggling to find a new home. To Lila et all, Prayers and continued HOPE that somehow, someway....you're allowed to carry on the invaluable work you all do! GOD BLESS THE BEASTS AND THE CHILDREN!

I am the landlord at this property. I had to put in a $30k retaining wall last year to stop errosion from vegetation being torn out and cages being put in their place. These tenants lease was up in May of 2010 and they are behind in (fair rent there is about $3000) rent payments despite the fact that they have (self declared) raised tens of thousands of dollars on line. And the rent board approved my fair rent increase. My mortgage there is $2800 and I have rented this house to the Travis' for 6 years at a large financial loss (initially at $1000 and later $1520 per month) which has been completely unappreciated by the tenants. I had an interested buyer for this property -- who was refused access to see the house -- and I lost the sale. This caused a financial burdeon on my family. I have a handicapped mother who needs a place to live and I am being denied access to my home. I am a single mom with three children. Their father, and my former husband is deceased. There was never an agreement to have any lease time beyond May 2010. Its now a huge burdeon for me and unfair, this now going beyond the agreed upon lease. There is no lease agreement beyond May 2010.

I found YUWR via the Internet after finding an orphaned baby squirrel on a Sunday evening. I took the baby to Lila that night and was so impressed with her caring demeaner and vast knowledge. Soon after our first meeting, I took her class on fostering baby squirrels and became a volunteer that same day. I continue to be impressed by Lila. She LITERALLY is available all hours of the day or night and always makes me feel appreciated for what I do to help.

I first met Lila Travis at the Yggdrasil Urban WIldlife Rescue when I found an orphaned baby skunk along with his dead sibling on an off-ramp of Hwy 13. When I brought the skunk to their facillty I saw the great work they were doing and seeing the need for volunteers, I immediately signed up. I'm so grateful for the experience of helping to raise these small orphaned babies - squirrels, raccoons, fawns, etc. I am also completely impressed with the work that is done by the staff and on-site volunteers at YUWR. The dedication, compassion and hard work that comes from their director, Lila is amazing beyond compare. YUWR was started by her because there was no other a facility of it's kind in Oakland. Since the city of Oakland is full of wildlife and so close to many acres of wilderness I am surprised that a facility like this hasn't been around for many, many years. I often wonder what kind of help the wildlife has had in years past. A very grim thought indeed. There is definitely a need for YUWR to exist in this city and they truly deserve the much needed funding and support.

It was always my dream to work with wildlife -- and to help with the integration between people and wildlife that is increasingly necessary as our urban areas encroach upon wildlife habitat. Yggdrasil Urban Wildlife Rescue trained me to work with orphaned and injured raccoons such that they can be re-released back into the wild. Throughout my work with YUWR over the past four years, I have been impressed with the incredible dedication and commitment that the director, Lila Travers, has shown in her care for wild creatures and for educating the public. It is not only a matter of knowing and sharing her knowledge on how care for these animals, she also works tirelessly to raise funds and, procure donations of food, medicine, and veterinary care. This organization has touched the lives of countless people and wild creatures, and I pray that it can continue to do so.

Yggdrasil review - June 2010 My admiration and appreciation for Yggdrasil goes beyond the few words I write here. Lila Travis (and Megan Isadore who works with their raccoons) do us all a great, under-appreciated service. Completely devoted to helping animals, they simultaneously help humans improve their relations with the smaller wild animals many of us leave near, but often take for granted in our increasingly urbanized and busy culture. Thanks to their volunteer (!) efforts, I've learned (their) wildlife work benefits not only the animals they help directly—i.e., saving their lives, usually after humans have killed their parents, either accidentally with cars or intentionally (and unnecessarily) by calling in old-fashioned "pest control" "experts." Their mission is a mix of direct, hands-on help, a community clearinghouse of rational information and, no less vital, their sharing, via their actions, a humane, ethical world view desperately needed in these times. This vision is of a future, like in humanity's relatively recent past, in which we live in greater harmony and appreciation of our wild animal neighbors. I say visit their websites and donate what you can—or even better, get personally involved, preferably with your family and/or kids, and have a blast!

I have been working with Yggdrasil Urban Wildlife Center for many years through my employer Children’s Fairyland. We would often call the center when we had a sick or injured squirrel, raccoon, hummingbird, opossums or any of the other wild animals that call Fairyland home. They have been a tremendous help to us by providing information or assistance with all of our critters. It has been a great relief to know that whenever we need help or have a question, that they are just a phone call away. Yggdrasil has spent many hours caring for wildlife and giving us updates on the furry critters that we have become so attached an invested in. I believe in their mission so much that earlier this year I took my relationship with their organization a step further. Yggdrasil is an all volunteer non-profit cooperation that relies heavily on community support. After brining one of Fairylands abandoned baby squirrels to her, I ended up falling in love with some of her other orphaned babies. I decided to volunteer my time to work with their organization on a personal basis separate from my employer. I fostered several baby squirrels and I have to say that that experience has changed my life. I’ve also donated personal funds to their organization because I believe that it’s a valuable community resource and of extreme importance to the wildlife in the Bay Area. I can not express enough the amazing work that they do and how much I feel truly blessed to be apart of their organization.

I have researched/contacted many wildlife rescue centers across the country and chose YUWR as my only charity recipient. I like it because it's a small center without big sponsors. Lila the Director of YUWR and her team are such warmhearted, passionate animal lovers. I had chance to meet both Lila and her raccoon team leader Megan.I was so touched by their hard work and gentle souls............. They not only take care of needy wildlife, they make the small donors like me feel very special. They are deserving of more help from big organizations. Thanks to all you volunteers, our animal world is a more wonderful place.

Lila was great ! When we discovered a family of raccoons had set up housekeeping in our garage, she immediately referred us to nbcnbc, who gave us just the right advice on how to entice the mom and her babies to move out. It took overnight, but by the next morning they were gone. And it was all done in a way that was safe for us and safe for the raccoons.

My husband and I found a baby squirrel in distress and were able to find Yggdrasill urban wildlife rescue on line we look the squirrel to the Montclair vet and she recovered I was so fascinated with what they were doing for animals I volunteered as a foster mom. I fostered 4 adorable squirrels and learned so much about or local wild life from Yggdrasil. It was a wonderful experience and I will gladly do it again. I’m so glad that in such an urban area there is someplace for the wild life that are so offend the ones trampled on and decimated to be cared for.

I am President of Injured & Orphaned Wildlife(I.O.W.) based in Campbell, California we are a 501 (c) 3 Non=profit Incorporated in 1987. Before Yggdrrasil came into existence we received numerous calls from the Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda areas from people just frantic to find some help for this little bird or squirrel they had just found. There was no facility in that area except for a 40-45 minute drive. Some people brought their "finds" down to I.O.W. in Campbell. Others did not. When Yggdrasil was fformed I was elated and they have filled a much needed niche. It has always been a pleasure working with them and I hope our mutual cooperation and helping of wildlife continues for many years.

The first time I walked into Yggdrasil, it saddened me to see a squirrel missing an eye because somebody found him injured and kept him at home without getting the eye treated. There were opossums and fawns that had been orphaned or injured by cars. It was uplifting to provide them care and comfort. Without Yggdrasil, there would be no one to help these animals.

The Yggdrasil Urban Wildlife Rescue organization is dedicated to saving injured and orphaned animals that share our urban environment. Some do not know this, but we in the Bay Area live among a variety of wildlife. For example, deer. Yggdrasil recently nursed three orphaned baby deer back to health and acclimated them into the wild. This among the many activities of this dedicated staff and its growing group of volunteers. Help Yggdrasil by volunteering or by your generous donations.