Wildlife Wednesdays: How Mascara Wands Can Save Wildlife | weatherology°
This website uses cookies to improve your user experience and for analytical purposes. By clicking the "Accept & Close" button, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device while using this site. Please see our privacy policy to learn more about how and why we use cookies.
By: Meteorologist Megan Mulford
Updated: Feb 8th 2022

Wildlife Wednesdays: How Mascara Wands Can Save Wildlife

Survey data shows that just in 2017 alone, 106 MILLION women in the United States used mascara. That's a lot of wands thrown away just in a year's time! A company called Appalachian Wildlife Refuge has changed it all by having people send in their old mascara wands and are putting them to good use. 

The Wands for Wildlife campaign was created by the Appalachian Wildlife Refuge co-founder Savannah Trantham just last year in the summer of 2018. She went to social media to ask for cleaned, used mascara wands to help with wildlife. After making her post public, it was shared over 59,000 times and since then, she has received a steady flow of donations from all over the world!

These mascara wands are being used to care for rescued animals. They have many uses, including the removal of fly eggs and larva from feathers and fur, along with getting rid of dust, dirt, and sand. The wands help assist in examining for injuries and help clean syringes used for feeding the animals. 

If you would like to send your used wands, make sure to clean them first with soap and warm water to get rid of mascara residue. Also, make sure the wands are dried before mailing them. The refuge does make sure they are further disinfected before using them on furry patients. 


If you are interested, please go to their website, https://www.appalachianwild.org/wands-for-wildlife.html, and print out their form.

Mail form, wands, and donations to:

P.O. Box 1211, Skyland, NC 28776



https://www.waste360.com/business-operations/wands-wildlife-puts-discarded-mascara-wands-work