Onsite Tours
Come learn about the Center for Wildlife’s history and mission, the field of wildlife rehabilitation, and meet some of our permanent residents.  Because of our sensitivity to those animals being rehabilitated, groups are limited to 4 adults, and we will not view areas with patients under care.  Cost: $50. Please note: this program is weather dependent - contact us for more information.

Onsite Programs
For groups larger than 4 people, we can present any of our programs listed below except for “Animal Adaptations: An Interactive Lab”.  Onsite programs also include a tour of our outdoor raptor enclosure, which houses 9 of our permanent raptors.  We also have a variety of habitats on our property and are happy to customize a program and discussion to fit your educational needs! Cost: $125.  Available April 15 - November 15.

Off-Site Programs
Each of our educational programs costs $125 (plus cost of travel* to offsite locations) and typically runs from 45 minutes to an hour long.  The material can easily be adapted to age and unit of study.

Please contact Kristen to inquire or arrange a customized educational program.

*A travel fee of $0.50 per mile round trip will be charged for all off-site programs.

 

Program		Description
Raptors and Reptiles: Adaptations and Tools		With assistance from live raptors and reptiles, we will examine how these animals use special "tools" and adaptations for survival, such as the hawk's talons, the turtle's shell, and the snake's tongue.  What kind of equipment do they need to hunt and hide?  Are they nocturnal, diurnal, or crepuscular?  Carnivores, herbivores, or omnivores?  Are they really ruthless killers or delicate ecosystem balancers?  Raptors and Reptiles will answer these questions and more.
Animals and Adaptations: An Interactive Lab		Raptors, reptiles, and mammals catch prey, stay warm, and raise young all without the clothing or houses like humans have, how do they do that?  Students will learn about the special tools and adaptations that animals have that make them different from us and from each other. They will also get an introduction to the different families of birds and how to recognize them.  We combine live animals and an interactive lab to illustrate this as well as to build basic scientific observational skills.
Maine Birds of Prey		What is the difference between a hawk and a falcon?  Do we have vultures in Maine?  What is our smallest owl? What is our largest hawk?  Where do they live?  Using live birds, posters, and hands-on materials, we will discuss the kinds of birds of prey found in Maine, their habitats, habits, place in the food chain, and why we need to protect them.
Raptors, Reptiles and Mammals, oh my!		Focusing on animals that live in Maine, we will provide an in-depth introduction to the unique differences between raptors, reptiles, and mammals.  Do snakes have fur?  Do rabbits have scales?  Are birds "cold-blooded"?  Why do opossums have pouches?  How do each of these animal groups adapt to our changing seasons?  Using live animals and interactive displays, the answers to these and other questions will be revealed.
Nocturnal Mammals		A wonderful introduction to Maine’s creatures of the night.  How does a bat find thousands of tiny mosquitoes in the dark?  Why would a bear choose to lumber around at night?  How does a porcupine defend himself against a predator? Using live animals and hands-on materials we will answer these questions and find out how nocturnal mammals utilize all of their senses to find food and shelter at night.  Our live animals will also demonstrate some unique adaptations these animals have.
Endangered Species		How does an animal become endangered?  Do we have endangered species in Maine?  What can we do to prevent animals from becoming endangered? With assistance from our live raptors and reptiles we will answer these questions and more.  One of our wildlife ambassadors will help us to tell the story of a species that was critically endangered but through awareness and conservation is on the road to recovery.  This program is designed to raise awareness of our effects on wildlife and inspire the conservationalist within.
We are all Connected: Animals, Plants, and People		Do gray squirrels really help to build our forests?  Can the motor oil from my car really end up in a wetland?  Can we thank warblers and other birds for eating those pesky ticks?  Live animals, hands-on materials, and an interactive display will answer these questions and show us that everything is indeed connected.  Students will learn about the food web, habitats, and ecosystems as well as our role in this delicate balance.
Bats! Friends in the Night Sky		Who is the only flying mammal that uses sonar technology similar to a submarine, eats 1000 mosquitoes in one hour, and whose cousins help to plant and pollinate the Tropical Rainforest?  Maine’s big brown bat!  There are over 986 species of bats in the world, each helping to balance the ecosystem in which they live.  Learn about our native bat species and many others in our bat program.  Using live animals, stunning visuals from Bat Conservation International, hands-on materials, and puppets, we will learn about these gentle creatures.  Discover their natural history, importance to the ecosystem and planet, current challenges that they face, and tangible actions that we can take to protect these allies in the night.

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