Letter from the Director – Summer 2009
September 18, 2009 by cyndi
Filed under Letter from the Director
Wildlife Rehab and Education grieves the loss of our longest lived Education Ambassador
Wildlife Rehab & Education’s oldest educational ambassador died peacefully in his sleep during November of 2008. His mesmerizing golden eyes were photographed by amateur and professional alike. The public usually responded to the eyes first, talons second then finally to his sheer presence.
WR&E does not name our ambassadors out of respect for their wild nature. WR&E also feels bestowing a human name on a wild animal sends a mixed message to the children and adults attending our educational lectures where they are told that almost all wildlife is protected by state and federal laws.
The beloved “Great Horned Owl” that was entrusted to our care was an educational ambassador for over twenty (20) years. He came to us after he was shot and part of his wing was amputated. WR&E obtained the state and federal permits to keep him as an educational ambassador. He educated over 100,000 schoolchildren, teens and adults about respecting wildlife, respecting the environment, and respecting each other.
No one could come in contact with this powerful bird of prey without feeling profound emotions. In the words of his caretaker, Sharon Schmalz, “Great Horned Owl was never my pet. He still belonged to Mother Nature; I was just his caretaker after a human injured him. He gave to me more than I ever gave to him.
My favorite times were watching the expression on the faces of children and adults when they saw him majestically emerge from the carrying case. I knew how the audience felt because I felt it too…every time. The perfect colors of his feathers, the strong wing beats, the huge talons and the large golden eyes made me respect him and all his fellow wild creatures. A picture could never capture his magnificence. I always felt so lucky to be able to care for this Great Horned Owl but sad that he would never soar again on this earth. He is soaring now above us all and watching how each of those human hearts that he once touched can make a difference for his fellow wild animals and for their fellow human beings.”
