MIAMI (WSVN) - Miami’s Pelican Harbor Seabird Station celebrated a major rescue milestone, but their furry little arrival is no ordinary patient. He isn’t even a bird.
The nonprofit wildlife hospital received an orphaned Virginia opossum on Friday. He’s the facility’s 47,000th patient.
The marsupial was checked in at the station after it was found alone in a backyard.
“We don’t have much information on how he became orphaned when he came into us,” said Molly Stephan with the Pelican Harbor Seabird Station.
Stephan gave 7News a close look at what they do to help an animal survive on its own.
“He was in rough shape, as you can see. He’s got a little bit of dirt on him, he’s probably been alone for some time, so we’re just getting him rehydrated and get him some sustenance,” she said.
Virginia opossums are common in South Florida and are often seen in backyards and parks. They’re often misunderstood; howerver, they’re very helpful in keeping the environment clean.
The opossum that was brought in is too young to be on its own, so the nonprofit is giving it the care it needs.
“At this age on their own, they really wouldn’t have much chance, because they still rely on their mother’s milk, so they need to be getting this nutrition, and this isn’t something that you can just do at home,” said Stephan.
Stephan showed the careful process to helping animals like this one. She said messing with this process up or choosing to care for them oneself could severely hurt them.
She recommends to call up their station if a baby animal is found alone.
“We always recommend that, because we’re always gonna do what’s best for them, and there’s a lot of intricacies about these animals that the average person wouldn’t know,” she said.
The nonprofit has been around for four decades, treating tens of thousands of animals in need of care.
Those who work at the station said reaching 47,000 patients isn’t just a number, it’s thousands of lives saved — a reminder of the impact of the work they do.
The station also said they’re completing construction of a new facility: a hospital and education center. They expect to move in sometime in 2026 to help even more animals in need.
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