Last Chance Forever, The Bird Of Prey Conservancy

What Last Chance Forever, The Bird Of Prey Conservancy does

Last Chance Forever, The Bird of Prey Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1978 in San Antonio, Texas, that rehabilitates sick, injured, and orphaned birds of prey — hawks, falcons, eagles, owls, and vultures — with the goal of returning them to the wild. The organization combines veterinary medicine (including x-rays, blood tests, surgeries, and physical therapy performed by staff veterinarian Dr. Melissa Hill DVM), behavioral science, and falconry techniques, and uses large flight recovery aviaries for flight recovery before release. It accepts 240–300 birds annually and reports a 62–80% return-to-wild success rate depending on source, with a cumulative track record of more than 4,000 birds released since founding.

The conservancy operates with 1–10 full-time staff supplemented by long-tenured volunteers (some serving 20+ years) and runs more than 200 educational presentations per year at schools, libraries, and community events across Texas, including Renaissance festivals and the paid Freedom Flight boat experience on Lake Buchanan. Non-releasable birds are retained as educational ambassadors or surrogate parents for orphaned juveniles, extending the organization's conservation reach beyond direct rehabilitation.

The business model is donation-driven with no state or federal funding: revenue comes from individual public donations (tiered from $5 to $250+), foundation and corporate grants, paid educational performances and events, and a merchandise shop. The organization holds federal and Texas Parks & Wildlife permits enabling handling of Bald and Golden Eagles, and its chief veterinarian is certified to perform screwworm inspections across 22 active Texas quarantine counties. Leadership is concentrated in founder and Executive Director John A. Karger, a Master Falconer and Certified Veterinary Technician III.

Name

Last Chance Forever, The Bird Of Prey Conservancy

Legal name

Last Chance Forever, The Bird of Prey Conservancy

Website

https://lastchanceforever.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Last Chance Forever is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in San Antonio, Texas that rehabilitates sick, injured, and orphaned birds of prey — hawks, falcons, eagles, owls, and vultures — using veterinary medicine and falconry, and educates the public through school and community presentations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213)

akta.pro primary industry

Rescue, Transport & Emergency Animal Response (BPAGAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC), Education & Community Outreach (Responsible Pet Ownership) (BPAGAIAK)

Keywords

• Wildlife rehabilitation services
• Raptor conservation programs
• Birds of prey education
• Veterinary raptor medicine
• Nonprofit wildlife care

Headquarters

HQ city

San Antonio

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Donations: The organization receives the majority of its funding from individual public donations, which can be made through the website in amounts ranging from $5 to $250 or more. Donations are tax-deductible as the organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
2. Foundation and Corporate Giving: Funding received from foundations and corporate giving programs, supplementing individual donations.
3. Educational Programs Revenue: Revenue generated from over 200 annual educational presentations at schools, libraries, and public events. Some events such as the Scarborough Renaissance Festival are paid performances ($26–$34 per ticket).
4. Event Ticket Sales: Paid events such as the Vanishing Texas River Cruise Freedom Flight, priced at $75 per person, which includes raptor demonstrations and bird release experiences on Lake Buchanan.
5. Merchandise and Shop Sales: The organization operates a shop selling items such as jewelry and artwork made by volunteers, with proceeds supporting the birds.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Last Chance Forever rehabilitates sick, injured, and orphaned birds of prey (hawks, falcons, eagles, owls, and vultures) and returns them to the wild, receiving 240–300 birds annually with a 62–65% (up to 65–80%) return-to-wild success rate. The organization supplements rehabilitation with public educational presentations featuring live raptor ambassadors at schools, libraries, festivals, and paid events such as the Freedom Flight experience. Funding comes from individual donations, foundation and corporate giving, paid events, and merchandise sales, with all activity operated under Master Falconer and federal wildlife permits.

Product overview

Last Chance Forever operates as a single unified nonprofit program focused on raptor rehabilitation and conservation, rather than a platform with separate products. The organization's core offerings center on its Bird of Prey Rehabilitation & Release Program, which provides veterinary care and rehabilitation for sick, injured, and orphaned birds of prey with a 65-80% success rate of returning birds to the wild. Complementing this is the Educational Presentations program featuring live raptor ambassadors at schools, libraries, and public events, and the Raptor Ambassador Program for non-releasable birds serving as educational surrogates. The organization also generates revenue through Donation Programs, Live Raptor Demonstrations at events, and the Freedom Flight Experience partnership with Vanishing Texas River Cruise. Supporting services include Wildlife Rescue Guidance for the public and a Volunteer Program for facility and rescue operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bird of Prey Rehabilitation & Release Program Rehabilitation services for sick, injured, and orphaned birds of prey including hawks, falcons, eagles, owls, and vultures, providing veterinary care, physical therapy, nursing, and exercise in flight recovery aviaries with the goal of releasing birds back to the wild.
• Educational Presentations Public educational programs for children, civic organizations, and individuals featuring live raptor ambassadors to promote awareness about birds of prey and environmental conservation, delivered at schools, libraries, and community events.
• Live Raptor Demonstrations Flying demonstrations featuring trained raptor ambassadors at public events including Renaissance festivals, libraries, schools, and community gatherings throughout Texas.
• Freedom Flight Experience Raptor release experience on Lake Buchanan in partnership with Vanishing Texas River Cruise, where guests view native wildlife and may participate in releasing rehabilitated birds of prey, priced at $75 per person.

Quantifiable outcome

• 62–65% of birds returned to the wild annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hawk Mountain Sanctuary: Pennsylvania-based raptor conservation organization focused on migration monitoring, education, and research. Comparable peer in raptor-specific conservation mission, education programming, and donor-supported nonprofit structure.
• Lindsay Wildlife Experience: California-based wildlife rehabilitation hospital and nature education center treating thousands of animals annually. Comparable peer in combined rehabilitation and education programming, with strong volunteer infrastructure.
• Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research: Delaware-based nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation center handling oil spill response and native bird care. Comparable peer in professional wildlife rehabilitation, oil/toxin response, and federal permit-dependent operations.
• Carolina Raptor Center: Nonprofit raptor rehabilitation center in Huntersville, NC, treating 600-900 birds annually with education programs and a Raptor Trail. Direct peer in raptor rehabilitation, ambassador bird programs, and donor-funded nonprofit operations.
• The Peregrine Fund: Idaho-based nonprofit dedicated to raptor conservation worldwide, with strong focus on lead ammunition advocacy and captive breeding. Peer in raptor conservation, policy advocacy, and global raptor research partnerships.
• The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota: University-affiliated raptor rehabilitation, education, and research center that treats several hundred raptors annually. Direct peer in clinical raptor medicine, public education, and advocacy on lead poisoning and other raptor threats.
• American Eagle Foundation: Tennessee-based nonprofit focused on Bald Eagle conservation, care of non-releasable eagles, and education. Comparable peer in raptor-specific mission, ambassador bird programs, and Bald Eagle permit utilization.
• Audubon Center for Birds of Prey: Audubon-affiliated raptor hospital in Maitland, FL providing rehabilitation, education, and conservation programs. Direct peer in raptor rehabilitation, Eagle Watch programming, and environmental education.
• Wildlife Center of Virginia: Teaching hospital for wildlife and medicine in Waynesboro, VA, treating 3,000+ animals annually with strong veterinary training programs. Peer in clinical wildlife medicine, education, and donor-supported nonprofit operations.

Emerging players

• International Bird Rescue: California-based nonprofit specializing in aquatic bird rescue and oil spill response globally. Partial peer in professional wildlife rehabilitation infrastructure, though focused on waterbirds rather than raptors.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/lastchanceforever
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/last-chance-forever-bird-prey

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Last Chance Forever, The Bird Of Prey Conservancy