 From October until May, the education teams go out into the community with animals and spread the gospel of conservation. Just about every weekend finds volunteers boxing birds and putting reptiles in pillowcases and buckets to transport them to venues around the state. Some days there are three or four different programs, and just about every education volunteer is called on to help. Over the course of the season, we will teach about wildlife at over 400 different locations.
 Children are our most important audience. When city or suburban kids get a chance to look into the eyes of a wild raptor, to learn why an owl flies so silently, and why the turkey vulture's head is bald, they are provided with a sense of wonder about the natural world. We believe that seeing these wild animals up close and learning about them changes people - both children and adults - and makes them more likely to share the world with animals. So we go! Elementary schools from Apache Junction to Anthem have scheduled programs, for a class or for an entire auditorium. Liberty Wildlife does not charge for these programs, as teaching about wildlife is part of our mission. The programs are generally about an hour long, and we bring between two and five animals. The presenters talk about the individual animals, how they ended up at Liberty Wildlife, and then about their adaptations, what makes them special. The education presenters are knowledgeable and skilled at public speaking. The children (and teachers!) are always enthralled.
 In addition to classroom presentations, Liberty Wildlife sets up booths at civic events and spends the day there with the animals. The opportunity to see these beautiful raptors and to learn about them always generates big crowds. Event organizers have learned that the animals are a draw, and many will request certain stars. The eagles are always a favorite, as are the owls….and the vultures….and the kestrels….and the hawks!
"So pack up the babies and grab the old ladies, cause everyone goes…" In the next couple of months, look for the Liberty Wildlife education booth at the Celebration of Art, the Arabian Horse Show, Tres Rios Nature and Earth Festival, Gilbert Riparian Preserve, Rancho de los Caballeros, Healthworld, the Grand Canyon Council's University of Scouting event, Desert Botanical Garden, Images of Nature Gallery, Wings Over Willcox, and Pinnacle Peak Park.
|
