Animal rescue

Wildlife: rescuing injured animals and protecting their habitats

Hedgehogs, birds, bats, foxes, turtles: wildlife pays a heavy price to roads, pesticides, pollution and habitat loss. We support care for wild animals in distress and the preservation of the places where they live.

Updated on · Première Moisson, non-profit association · Reading time: 5 min

Key points in 30 seconds

  • Monitored wildlife populations have fallen by 73% since 1970 (WWF, Living Planet Report 2024).
  • Around 1 million species are threatened with extinction (IPBES).
  • An injured wild animal should be taken to a wildlife rescue centre.
  • Our work: care, rehabilitation, habitat protection, awareness.

Wildlife in decline

−73%in monitored wildlife populations since 1970Source: WWF 2024
1 millionspecies threatened with extinctionSource: IPBES
85%of marine litter is plasticSource: UNEP

The causes are well known: habitat destruction and fragmentation, overexploitation, pollution, invasive species and climate change. Close to home, road collisions, pesticides, fences and litter injure many animals every day.

Our work for wildlife

  1. Support rescue centres: equipment, specific food and medicines to treat and release animals.
  2. Rehabilitate: support the return of treated animals to the wild.
  3. Preserve habitats: hedgerows, ponds, shelters for small wildlife, nest boxes.
  4. Reduce threats: removing litter that is dangerous to wildlife (nets, fishing line, plastics) from nature.
  5. Raise awareness: what to do when you find an injured animal, living alongside local wildlife.

You find an injured wild animal: what to do

  1. Observe first: a young bird on the ground is not necessarily abandoned; its parents often feed it nearby.
  2. Protect yourself: wear gloves, the animal may bite or scratch.
  3. Place the animal in a ventilated box, somewhere quiet and dark.
  4. Do not feed it or force it to drink.
  5. Quickly contact a wildlife rescue centre or a vet.
Most wild species are protected: in France, it is forbidden to keep them or treat them yourself without authorisation. The rescue centre will tell you what to do.

What your donation can fund

€20a nest box or a hedgehog shelter
€40specific food for young animals in care
€100care equipment (incubator, drips, dressings)
Amounts given as an indication, based on commonly observed prices.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do if I find an injured hedgehog?
Wear gloves, place it in a box with a towel somewhere quiet, and contact a wildlife rescue centre. Never give it cow's milk.
Can I keep a wild animal to care for it?
No. Most species are protected and only authorised rescue centres may keep and treat them.
Why is wildlife declining?
Mainly because of habitat loss, pollution, overexploitation of resources, invasive species and climate change.

Official sources

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