This [WildCare] program ties into environmental awareness that is part of classroom culture. Since many of our San Francisco students are from the city, they are "nature deprived". This gave the students a chance to see nature in its wild form.
- Robert Savant, Teacher
The best part of the program is the overall love of and enthusiasm of the docents for sharing the wonders of redwoods with my 4th grade students. They were all excellent and I was amazed at how focused my group of wiggly students were. The content knowledge and 'citizen scientists' aspects interwoven made the content very accessible and applicable.
- Wendy Funk, Teacher
The presentation was so interactive and engaging for our kindergarten students! They learned SO much and had an incredible time. It was also great that they were able to touch the [taxidermy] animals at the end of the presentation.
- Katie Keating-Klamm, Teacher
Distance Learning
Nature Van
Nature Hikes
Wildlife Ambassadors
Center Tours
Teacher Resources
Distance Learning
Bring WildCare directly to your students through distance learning today!
NEW Distance Learning Programs
Now accepting reservations for spring and summer 2021
Bring WildCare directly to your students through distance learning! Our educators will lead students through scientific observations and active movements as they learn about some of our Wildlife Ambassadors. With a mixture of behind-the-scenes videos and live interactive sessions with one of our wildlife educators, this engaging program will delight and inspire students to take action to help wildlife in their neighborhoods.
Scholarships are available and are based on your school’s FRPM statistics. Visit our scholarship page for more information. You may request a scholarship in the Program Request Form by clicking on any of the program links below.
Visit our Teacher Resources web page for activities that prepare students for their upcoming Distance Learning Program by engaging them in the study of the natural world.
Programs Available
Habitats and Biodiversity
The Vertebrates
Eco-Heroes
California Wetlands
Wonders of Oak Woodlands
Habitats and Biodiversity
Learn about the astounding animals that live right here in our own neighborhoods. This presentation provides an overview of our state’s wonderfully diverse wildlife. From the redwood forest to the desert, investigate the amazing adaptations that help animals survive in their habitats. This interactive presentation provides students with the opportunity to observe taxidermy and animals’ features they wouldn’t otherwise be able to experience up close, leaving them with a strengthened sense of responsibility toward preserving our planet. NGSS Alignment Request this program
What do fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals all have in common? How can you know what a mammal eats just by looking at its teeth? What makes birds so unique from other animals? Find out the answers to these questions and much more by attending a special presentation featuring videos of our Wildlife Ambassadors. In this presentation you will learn about a bird of prey, a marvelous mammal, and a remarkable reptile! This program will reveal these animals’ habitats, diets, adaptations, and the threats they face in the wild.
Learn about our rescued non-releasable Wildlife Ambassadors during this interactive presentation. By sharing their rescue stories, these animals act as representatives for their species in order to increase awareness of their plight in the wild. Investigate the issues affecting wildlife, interdependence in ecosystems, and how we can make choices in our everyday lives to have a positive impact on our environment.
Wade into the unique lives of the animals that pass through these watery worlds. Explore this vanishing habitat to learn exactly why it is worth preserving and how you can help. Students will examine the benefits of wetlands and find out why animals rely on them for survival. Students will gain an understanding of how restoring and protecting California’s wetlands has a big positive impact on our local wildlife.
How do squirrels plant trees? Who lives inside of a tree trunk? Find out what other wonders await by transporting your classroom to the oak woodland! Listen for the drumming of the acorn woodpecker, catch a glimpse of the fluffy tail of the grey fox, and watch raptors soar in the sky above. Hear the stories of our Wildlife Ambassadors and Wildlife Hospital patients to understand how their species are connected in the food web. Learn how oak trees sustain life for wildlife and humans alike in this important ecosystem. NGSS Alignment Request this program
Let us bring the wild to you with a visit from our Nature Van full of taxidermy, skeletons, bio-facts, and more!
Have you ever touched a skunk’s fur or felt a rattlesnake’s scales?
This interactive presentation provides students with the opportunity to be hands-on with animals they wouldn’t otherwise be able to experience up close, leaving them with a strengthened sense of responsibility toward preserving our planet.
Get Started!
WildCare's Nature Van Programs are unavailable due to COVID-19. We will resume programs as soon as possible. Please see our Virtual Programs and Distance Learning page for current availability.
A touch of feathers, fur and scales! Learn about the astounding animals that live right here in our own neighborhoods. This presentation provides an overview of our state’s wonderfully diverse wildlife.
Birds of a Feather
From zipping hummingbirds to soaring raptors, examine the amazing adaptations of our feathered friends. Students will leave thinking that perhaps having a bird brain isn’t such a bad thing!
Marvelous Mammals
Purrs, howls, hisses and growls! Investigate the surprising diversity of mammals, from marsupials and mustelids to felines and canines, and find out where humans fit into this furry cast of critters.
Redwood Giants
Who is hiding amongst the tallest trees in the world? Take a peek into life in a Coastal Redwood Forest. From banana slugs on the forest floor to owls in the canopy, investigate the interdependency of organisms hidden in each layer of this spectacular forest.
Ocean Adventures
Dive into the remarkable ways animals have adapted to living in each ocean habitat, from tidepools and sandy beaches to kelp forests and the open ocean.
Wild Wetlands
Creeks, ponds and wetlands! Wade into the unique lifecycles of the animals that pass through these watery worlds. Explore this vanishing habitat to learn exactly why it is worth preserving and how you can help.
Going Green
Let our local wildlife teach you simple ways to help preserve our planet. Investigate the issues affecting wildlife and learn simple ways that you can make a difference. It’s easy being green!
Nature Hikes
Discovering Nature!
Immerse your students in nature with our exciting discovery hikes led by WildCare’s Terwilliger Nature Guides. Students will use their senses to examine animal tracks, investigate scat, and spot wildlife, all while expanding their knowledge and appreciation of local flora and fauna.
WildCare's Nature Hikes are unavailable due to COVID-19. We will resume programs as soon as possible. Please see our Virtual Programs and Distance Learning page for current availability.
Group Limit: One classroom per hike per day
Teacher Requirements: bring a minimum of 1 adult for every 5 children to ensure a safe and hands-on experience
Experience the oak woodland ecosystem and its amazing biodiversity, including grasslands, marshes and forests. Common sightings include wild turkey, deer, egrets and woodrat stick nests. Wheelchair accessible.
Grades: K-6
Dates & Times: Thursdays 9:30 am - 12:00 pm
Ring Mountain (Corte Madera)
Learn about the unique geology and botany of this grassland, rich in serpentine soils. Students will learn about the cultural history of the Coast Miwok, while enjoying the panoramic views of San Francisco and Mt. Tamalpais.
Grades: 2-6
Dates & Times: Tuesdays 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Muir Woods (Mill Valley)
Explore the fascinating ecology of a Coast Redwood Forest. Growing as tall as skyscrapers and living up to 2,000 years, Coast Redwoods provide a unique ecosystem found nowhere else on the planet. Keep an eye out for banana slugs, chipmunks and salmon. Wheelchair accessible.
Grades: K-6
Dates & Times: Thursdays 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Wildlife Ambassadors
There is nothing more memorable for your students than having live wild animals visit your classroom!
Your group will have the opportunity to meet three of WildCare’s rescued non-releasable wild animals during this unforgettable presentation.
By sharing their rescue stories, these animals act as ambassadors for their species in order to increase awareness of their plight in the wild. Possible wildlife visitors include a Northern Spotted Owl, Virginia Opossum, squirrel, California Desert Tortoise, Gopher Snake, Rosy Boa, California King Snake, Red-tailed Hawk and Western Screech Owl! Whether you are looking for an overview of California wildlife or a more specific topic to fit into your class curriculum, this program is sure to leave a lasting impression!
Meet our non-releasable educational animals, our Wildlife Ambassadors, in an engaging guided tour.
Learn about WildCare’s mission, along with success stories of wildlife we have rescued and released back into the wild. Visitors will meet the non-releasable birds, reptiles and mammals housed in WildCare’s museum and outdoor courtyard. Explore the natural behavior of each species, why each animal ambassador needed rescuing and how you can help to protect their species in the wild. You can also take a stroll through our museum full of touchable taxidermy.
WildCare's Center Tours are unavailable due to COVID-19. We will resume programs as soon as possible. Please see our Virtual Programs and Distance Learning page for current availability.
Length: 60 minute tour
Ages: 3 to adult
Price: $150 per tour
Group Limit: 25 person maximum per tour
Two special animal encounters with our wildlife ambassadors per tour
Bring WildCare to your students with our fun, free Teacher Resources!
Pre-visit activities prepare your students for their upcoming Distance Learning Program by engaging them in the study of the natural world.
Post-visit activities expand upon students’ new knowledge and offer ways they can keep learning how to live well with wildlife in their own neighborhood.
Each grade-appropriate activity is presented as a web page with printable PDFs that can be shared with students remotely or in the classroom.
