The Nature Center on the Chattahoochee River offers a wealth of things to do, but beyond that many are not aware of the wildlife department.
“We are one of our rehabilitators in the state,” CNC Wildlife Department Director Kathryn Dudeck said. “Our department is licensed for birds of prey, reptiles and amphibians. All resident animals are injured and non-releasable.
“Everything we work with here is native to Georgia and the vast majority of animals we have on exhibit are directly or indirectly injured by humans,” she stated.
Last year the licensed rehabbers took in 773 injured animals. The food bill for the rehabbing and resident animals is close to $3,000 monthly.
“One of the challenges doing wildlife rehabilitation is you can not charge for your services nor do you receive any funding from a government agency,” the director stated. “We are quite the money drain and it’s only through the generosity of the general public, wildlife department angels and continued supporting corporations, like Northside, that we can continue to do this.”
For this year’s wildlife baby shower, Northside Hospital is matching any cash or goods (from the wish list) donation up to $5,000 during this month, according to Dudeck.
The event is held to assist in getting supplies and monetary donations ahead of the forthcoming babies. Items on the wish list can be dropped off anytime through this month or brought to the shower.
The items on the wish list are “easy for the general public to come by,” Dudeck stated.
A slideshow of baby animals, some that have been rehabilitated, including a juvenile alligator will be shown and “No shower is complete without games like ‘Who scat in the diaper?’ where you have to match the faux droppings to the animal who left it,” she noted.
Three guided hikes through the aviaries are scheduled for 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Feb. 26 when participants will learn about the species, their natural history and why they are at the center.
Local author Gina Gallois will give a couple of book readings and a fun photo op cutout for the kids pretending to be newly hatched birds being fed will round out the shower.
“While we will never as rehabbers be able to flip the balance of all the damage that humans have caused, we can at least alleviate some of it and we do have some wonderful success stories,” Dudeck said.
Event: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Feb. 26. at CNC, 9135 Willeo Road, Roswell.
For wish list items, reservations (members) or to purchase tickets, visit : https://www.chattnaturecenter.org/event/wildlife-baby-shower/
Each Sunday we write about a deserving person or charity events such as fun-runs, volunteer projects and other community gatherings that benefit a good cause. To submit a story for us to cover, send to ajc.doinggood@gmail.com.
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