Continuing Education Resources - California Department of Fish and Wildlife Native Wildlife Rehabilitation Program - Title 14 §679.4(a) 10 Hours

Sep 14, 2026

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife Native Wildlife Rehabilitation Program defines continuing education expectations to strengthen humane, ethical wildlife rehabilitation across the state. The purpose of the permit framework is to ensure wildlife rehabilitators provide appropriate care and release healthy native wildlife, while also delivering wildlife conservation education. Permittee and associated authorized persons must complete 10 hours of continuing education annually under Title 14 §679.4(a), using department-supported opportunities delivered in-person or through distance learning formats.

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Program Overview

Continuing Education Requirements

Continuing Education Opportunities

Professional Associations and Certification

Resource Organizations and Cost Options

| State of California
Department of Fish and Wildlife Native Wildlife Rehabilitation Program
Continuing Education Resources | | | --- | --- | | Vision: To support advancements and high ethical standards of wildlife rehabilitation in California; to increase recognition and appreciation of wildlife rehabilitation professionals and practitioners; and to promote awareness of the intrinsic value of native wildlife and human-wildlife coexistence.
Program Overview
The purpose of wildlife rehabilitation is to release healthy native wildlife back to suitable habitat in the wild or relieve their suffering through humane euthanasia. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) recognizes the value of this conservation objective. The CDFW Native Wildlife Rehabilitation Program oversees the permitting of wildlife rehabilitators in the State and strives to support a collaborative network of permitted wildlife rehabilitators statewide.
A wildlife rehabilitator serves an important and unique role by ensuring the highest standards of humane care and treatment of sick, injured, and orphaned native wildlife for the purpose of their release to suitable habitat in the wild; and providing wildlife conservation education to diverse local communities.
Continuing Education
Staying current with best practices, accepted techniques, and the latest advancements in wildlife rehabilitation is critical for most wildlife rehabilitation professionals. Continuing education, as a form of lifelong learning, is one way to stay current. To support high ethical standards of wildlife rehabilitation in California, a wildlife rehabilitation permittee, their sub-permittee, their designee and authorized persons, shall complete 10 hours of continuing education each year pursuant to Title 14 §679 .4(a) .
Each wildlife rehabilitator shall determine the type of continued education that will be most beneficial to them, their facility, and the rehabilitation animals held in trust for the purposes of release to the wild. Each wildlife rehabilitation professional, whether operating at a private residence or separate facility, may have unique requirements and operational needs based on a variety of factors. The department has developed a robust continuing education framework to support wildlife rehabilitation professionalsin meeting these requirements.
The department strives to identify, share, and/or provide various opportunities for continuing education that may occur in-person, remotely (web), or via another platform. This continuing education framework provides information on opportunities for in-person and distance learning (e.g. , as a participant, presenter, or instructor) . Such opportunities may include, though not limited to: department-hosted meetings or trainings; conferences, symposiums, professional meetings and related workshops, webinars, or trainings provided by agency partners, professional organizations, or other entities; related academic courses; and relevant research, internships, or externships.
Table 1. Professional Associations California Council for Wildlife Rehabilitators [https://ccwr.org/](https://ccwr.org/)
Mission: Promote professionalism in the field of wildlife rehabilitation in California. National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association [https://www.nwrawildlife.org/](https://www.nwrawildlife.org/)
Mission: Improving and promoting the profession of wildlife rehabilitation and its contributions. International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council [https://theiwrc.org/](https://theiwrc.org/)
Mission: Provide evidence-based education and resources on wildlife rehabilitation to move the field of wildlife rehabilitation forward.
Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator™ Program [https://cwrexam.org/continuing-education/](https://cwrexam.org/continuing-education/)[ ](https://cwrexam.org/continuing-education/)[Mission: To maintain a professional certification that provides a reliable validation of training and](Mission:

FAQs

What is the goal of the Native Wildlife Rehabilitation Program in California?

The program supports advancements and high ethical standards in wildlife rehabilitation, promotes recognition of professionals and practitioners, and increases awareness of the intrinsic value of native wildlife and human-wildlife coexistence.

How many hours of continuing education are required each year under Title 14 §679.4(a)?

A wildlife rehabilitation permittee, their sub-permittee, their designee, and authorized persons must complete 10 hours of continuing education each year.

What types of continuing education opportunities are included in the framework?

Opportunities may occur in-person, remotely via web, or through other platforms, including department-hosted meetings or trainings, conferences and workshops, webinars, academic courses, and related research, internships, or externships.

Sep 14, 2026

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