Share with Wildlife

Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation

Looking for a fun, educational family outing on a Saturday? Want to learn more about New Mexico’s wildlife? Have you found an injured or sick wild animal? New Mexico Wildlife Center (NMWC) in Española can help. The Center has over 35 educational animals that you can see and learn about in self-guided tours. If you want more information about species habitats, adaptation, conservation, and biology, you can schedule an Education Program for different age groups; all you have to do is call them at 505-753-9505 and ask for Jarrod. The Center also has a lovely native plant garden and a cactus garden that they are continually working with Santa Fe Master Gardeners Association and The Native Plant Society of New Mexico to expand and boasts many pollinator-friendly plants and bee houses.

NMWC staff and educational bird during raptor program. (Ginny Seamster)

The Center also has special educational events. One such special event was a celebration of World Migratory Bird Day held in May, 2019. This event included flight demonstrations by, and educational presentations regarding, several of the educational animals at the Center, as well as presentations on wildlife rehabilitation and bird-friendly actions to take to address many factors threatening birds. The Center also had fun activities for visitors, including decorating reusable tote bags (reducing plastic waste helps all wildlife, especially birds!) and playing feather bingo!

Feather bingo at WMBD event. (Ginny Seamster)

New Mexico Wildlife Center also has a fully developed science curriculum that they present to students at several schools in northern New Mexico, including in the Española Valley. The curriculum is focused on river ecology and includes evaluation of water quality through measurements of both abiotic parameters (e.g., temperature and pH) and the local biotic community (i.e., macroinvertebates). Students sort through collections of aquatic insects, determining whether they are species that can tolerate pollution.

Penstemon in pollinator garden. (Ginny Seamster)

New Mexico and you’ve found a wild animal that appears to be injured, ill, or otherwise incapacitated and may need help, call the Center first. Their staff is highly trained and knowledgeable about wildlife biology and health. They will be able to tell you whether it is appropriate to move the animal and either bring it to their facility or meet with a volunteer transporter somewhere in the middle if you live far away from Española.

Educational animal eating breakfast. (Ginny Seamster)

The Share with Wildlife projects selected for funding in 2020 are listed below. Please contact the Share with Wildlife Coordinator, Ginny Seamster (virginia.seamster@state.nm.us), with questions.

These forms are provided for informational purposes to individuals and organizations submitting a proposal to the Share with Wildlife program in response to an active Call For Project Information. These forms should not be submitted to the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish unless an employee of the Department directly contacts you and requests that you fill them out as part of the process of implementing a professional services contract for a new Share with Wildlife project.

Campaign Contribution Disclosure Form

Compliance with Government Conduct Act

DFA Agency Certification Form

Substitute Form W-9

Applicants for a Share with Wildlife project who intend to capture and handle animals or use live animals and/or animal parts for educational purposes for their project may need to obtain a scientific collection permit or educational program permit from the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. Please see the Special Use Permits page for more information and contact dgf.permits@state.nm.us with questions.

A recently published journal article shows that the US and Canada have lost almost 3 billion birds over the past 50 years. Visit the following website to learn more about which birds are most at risk and what you can do to help.

New Mexico wildlife needs your help! Share with Wildlife funds numerous projects related to wildlife habitat enhancement, wildlife-related education, wildlife rehabilitation, and research on wildlife biology and ecology every year. All projects are made possible through donations made by members of the public. 

To make a donation, you may donate part of the refund on your state tax return; purchase a Share with Wildlife license plate or make any dollar amount donation online (minimum $2; see more information below); or mail in a check using this donation form. All donated funds go to supporting wildlife; none are used for administrative costs.

If you want your dollars to go even further in supporting non-game wildlife, consider donating to Share with Wildlife and purchasing a Habitat Management Access Validation simultaneously. Click here for more information about donating and here for information on our State Game Commission Lands.

Donations made to the Share with Wildlife program are tax-deductible for both federal and New Mexico state taxes. Please see U.S. Code Title 26. Internal Revenue Code – section 170c – Charitable Contribution Defined for more information. You may wish to further confirm with your tax advisor/preparer.

Thank you for your support of New Mexico’s wildlife!

Download the PDF to support wildlife by ordering the Share with Wildlife license plate. PDF made available from MVD New Mexico. The Rio Grande cutthroat trout plate is only available through the mail starting October 23rd, 2017. It may take 6-10 weeks to receive your trout plate from MVD.

On the Online Licensing System website (shown below) please enter your Username (or Customer ID or Email) and Password, and then click the Login button:

Once you are logged in, if you only wish to donate to Share with Wildlife, click on the Share with Wildlife button on the home page:

Type any dollar amount (minimum $2.00) you wish to donate in the Enter Donation Amount box (shown below) and click Review Order:

Dismiss any pop-up windows (shown below) regarding purchasing other items by clicking the OK button:

Click the Add to Cart button (shown below) at the top of the Review Order page:

On the next screen, click Checkout and continue on to complete your purchase.

OR

Once you are logged in, if you are purchasing other items through the Online Licensing System, go to License Sales | General License Sales from the Main Menu (shown below):

After you read the Terms of Agreement on the next page and click the Continue button, you will see a list of Available Products. Locate the Share with Wildlife Donation product ($10 donation only) OR the Share with Wildlife Extra Donation product ($2.00 minimum donation; type dollar amount in Enter Donation Amount box) and click the check box next to (add to order). Click the Review Order button:

Dismiss any pop-up windows (shown above) regarding purchasing other items by clicking the OK button. Click the Add to Cart button (shown above) at the top of the Review Order page. On the next screen, click Checkout and continue on to complete your purchase.