The Blog

Destination: EARTH 2012 - The Wild Corners of the World

The best place to live is... Planet Earth!  Gather up the family and take a wild expedition around the world with majestic eagles, mysterious owls, fierce wildcats and much more at Hawk Creek Wildlife Center’s popular Destination: EARTH event this Saturday, April 28, 2012 from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Feel the power of birds of prey soaring right before your eyes during the live flying bird show, “The Big Bird Theory”.  Experience a rare opportunity to stand face-to-face with our living national symbol, the Bald Eagle, at the unique Walk With the Eagles® exhibit.  All children receive an activity booklet for their exploration of the world’s wild corners where they will meet live vultures, exotic birds, some of the most elusive wildcats… the Canada lynx, African serval, ocelot, and more!  Upon completion of the journey, young scientists earn a wild souvenir to take home!

Enjoy the food, entertainment, gift store, and hands-on activities for all ages.  Bring your camera for a day of wild and rare photo opportunities.  With over 80 live animals plus activities for the whole family, Hawk Creek is a great place to celebrate the best place to live… Planet Earth!

Elusive medium-sized wild cats such as the Siberian lynx, Canada lynx, ocelot, caracal, bobcat, and serval, along with over 70 other wild animals, currently reside at Hawk Creek Wildlife Center - a local nonprofit organization celebrating its 25^th anniversary this year and its new accreditation.

On April 4, 2012 a commitment to high standards in wild cat care was recognized nationally as Hawk Creek Wildlife Center, Inc. became accredited by the Feline Conservation Federation - the oldest, and one of the most prestigious feline conservation organizations in the world.

In photo: Panayiotis Spanos, a dedicated volunteer and rescuer preparing to release a Red-tailed Hawk into the wild after a long recovery.

Hawk Creek Wildlife Center of East Aurora is a safe haven for hundreds of orphaned and injured wildlife.  Our volunteer staff works tirelessly 365 days a year to accommodate the needs of every incoming animal patient.  Among all the patients receiving care, there is always one animal that stands out from the rest and exceeds our expectations.  One recent animal patient in particular was an injured Red-tailed Hawk.

On November 30, the Center received a phone call regarding a Red-tailed Hawk found flightless at a Grand Island construction site.  Due to limited manpower and resources, Hawk Creek is typically unable to travel offsite to pick up animals and depends on the kindness of the public and dedicated volunteers to bring them in.  Fortunately for this particular hawk, one of Hawk Creek’s regular volunteers lived close by and was able to respond to the call.  Upon arrival, the small errand turned quickly to an adventure, as the law student dressed in a full suit and coat, found himself ankle deep in water retrieving the hawk.  After successfully arriving at the center and getting the feathered patient situated, the Red-tailed Hawk was found to have a wing injury that left him unable to fly.

As time passed it was uncertain if he would ever be able to fly again and be ready for release back into the wild.  For months the hawk continued to receive treatment and daily care.  His wing slowly improved and it was decided in mid-January that his flight abilities would be tested in a large flight enclosure.  The first day, to the staff’s dismay, the hawk spent his time on a rock instead of on the high perches in the enclosed area.  As more days passed, the patient made slow but steady progress and by the end of the week, he was on the perches and flying back and forth with relative ease and coordination.  On February 6, it was determined that the hawk was ready for release.