Animal Zone: Wild Neighbors - Rescue, Rehab & Release- Season 16, Episode 05

In this inspiring episode of AnimalZone, we visit the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network, where injured, orphaned and displaced wild animals are given a second chance — with the ultimate goal of returning them to the wild.


Executive Director Ariana Katovich shares the remarkable history of the organization and how it has grown in recent years to include a state-of-the-art wildlife hospital. By the third quarter of this year alone, more than 4,000 animals had already received care at the center.


We also meet Dr. Guthrum Purdin, DVM, whose journey began as a volunteer at a wildlife rehabilitation center and has led to a career working with an extraordinary range of California wildlife — from tiny hummingbirds to enormous humpback whales. Dr. Purdin takes us inside the hospital and introduces some of its newest medical technology, including a CT scanner capable of producing detailed three-dimensional images that can help diagnose injured animals.


We watch as a gull receives an examination and discover that some of the center’s most frequent patients are orphaned baby animals. Dr. Purdin also offers important advice about what to do when encountering wildlife in distress: keep the animal warm, dark and quiet, minimize handling, and contact a wildlife rehabilitation center as quickly as possible.


The episode also explores Wild Rescue, the giant-screen film by acclaimed wildlife photographer Ian Shive, portions of which were filmed at the Wildlife Care Network and throughout Santa Barbara County. The film brings the work of wildlife rescuers and rehabilitators to audiences at museums and science centers.


Above all, this episode offers a simple but important reminder: wildlife are our neighbors. We share this remarkable corner of the world with them — and sometimes being a good neighbor means helping them find their way home.


Learn more at SBWCN.org.

Uploaded on Sep 4, 2026 at 12:13 am