Wildlife Rescue in San Francisco Seeks Community Support Amid Challenges

A San Francisco wildlife rescue, Yggdrasil Urban Wildlife Rescue, is seeking community support to sustain its operations amid significant challenges. Earlier this summer, the organization made headlines by calling for foster parents for orphaned baby opossums, a request that went viral and garnered an overwhelming response.

According to founder Lila Travis, the campaign led to a surge in volunteers, resulting in hundreds of applications from those eager to help care for the young opossums. In fact, the response was so great that the organization has struggled to process all the applications due to being staffed entirely by volunteers.

The community involvement was not limited to individuals; the Oakland Ballers baseball team also got involved, fostering five opossums and successfully releasing them back into the wild. However, despite the success of the foster program, Yggdrasil is now facing financial difficulties.

This year, the rescue has cared for over 850 animals, a significant increase from the typical 600 to 700 animals it manages each year. Unfortunately, donations have decreased, and critical grants have diminished following the shutdown of a vital foundation that previously supported the organization.

Lila Travis stated, "This year, we had the most number of animals and the least amount of donations, because it's a hard world right now." The nonprofit is not seeking city funding, but rather is looking for a permanent facility to operate out of.

They are also planning an emergency fundraiser in the spring to help sustain operations and prepare for their 25th anniversary in 2026. Travis expressed hope that the community that rallied to support the opossums will step up again for the various wildlife in need, which includes squirrels, raccoons, and other animals.

Yggdrasil Urban Wildlife Rescue is known for its commitment to animal welfare and conservation efforts in San Francisco, and the organization looks forward to celebrating its milestone anniversary next year while continuing to serve the local wildlife.