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rehab small bear

Conservation > Montana WILD's Wildlife Center Meet the Staff

FWP has rehabilitated wildlife for many years. The effort goes back to before MT WILD’s Wildlife Center was officially in place. Since inception of the Wildlife Center, FWP’s wildlife biologists and wardens have continued to play an integral role in rehabbing wildlife by responding to wildlife calls, transporting injured and orphaned wildlife, and assisting with the release of animals back into the wild. The Wildlife Center has two staff on site and over 20 volunteers that provide wildlife care and education.

Ali Pons

Wildlife Center Program Manager

My role at the Wildlife Center is to develop and coordinate FWP’s wildlife rehabilitation program, with the goal of returning injured and/or orphaned animals back to the wild. I received a BS in Wildlife Biology from the University of Montana in 2009. After meeting a wildlife veterinarian on a project in Alaska, I decided to change career directions toward wildlife veterinary medicine. I have worked as a veterinary technician at a clinic that cared for exotics and wildlife since 2013. The combination of skills and a passion for Montana wildlife led me to the position as the Program Manager for the MT WILD Wildlife Center.

 

Photo taken by Brian Powers

Ali Pons holding an golden eagle

Anna Schmidt

Animal & Facility Caretaker

Anna’s main passion is wildlife.  She has over 20 years of experience as a Wildlife Biologist with state and federal fish and wildlife agencies.  Along with her work experience, Anna has volunteered at wildlife rehabilitation facilities and one of her favorite things is seeing a successfully rehabilitated animal returned to the wild.  She has traveled all over the U.S. and is happy to have landed in Montana.

Anna Schmidt holding a raptor