There’s a good chance that if you travel the highways and byways of Mississippi, that you’ll come across a literal deer in headlights or an armadillo narrowly avoiding the path of a semi-truck. Mississippi wildlife isn’t hard to find among the woods and fields, and Todd and Estelle Rogers are working to make sure that they are protected and cared for.
In 2016, Todd and Estelle founded Wild Again in Mississippi Rescue & Rehabilitation to assist in the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of injured or orphaned native mammals in Mississippi. They also strive to educate the public on the importance in the conservation of the indigenous species in their natural environment.
It all started when the couple found a hummingbird nesting in their garage. As it worked and they watched, the hummingbird fell and broke its wing, so they immediately took it to the nearest rehabilitation center where it was promptly mended and released.
This came at a time when Todd and Estelle were looking for a new purpose after the passing of their daughter earlier that year, so they saw this as a sign to dedicate themselves to the preservation of Mississippi’s wildlife creatures. “This organization has given me purpose again,” says Estelle. “They say there is always something good that comes out of something bad.”
Wild Again is operated by a group of volunteers that have an unconditional love of wildlife and that work every day to help injured mammals, young and old. While many of them have years of experience in animal rehabilitation, Estelle says that anyone with a love for animals can get involved. “If you want to come into the hospital, you can do that, but you can also fundraise, build cages,” she says.
They are hoping to gain more volunteers this year so that they can increase their impact across the area especially with the seasonal arrival of newborn wildlife this fall. According to their website, “the hours can be long, the work can get dirty, and heartbreak can come in an instance,” but Estelle says that the reward of helping these animals is priceless. “Once you get one in your hand, the love just pours out,” says Estelle. “They need you.”
New volunteers receive one-on-one training upon signing up, so if you would like to get involved, you can visit their website at wildagaininmississippi.org or contact our Area Coordinator Catherine Long at cglong@go.olemiss.edu.
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Catherine Long
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