Flying without wings as Ballymote bird centre wins top award
EAGLES Flying Ballymote was announced the Best Family day out at the prestigious Families first Awards held in Donegal.
It has been a very exciting time for the company as Eagles flying is Irelands largest Sanctuary for Birds of Prey & Wildlife conservation.
Speaking on the latest win, Manager of Eagles Flying Lothar Muschketat said: “We are extremely delighted and pleased with the prize but it did not come unexpectedly as we recently received a certificate of excellence from Trip Advisor so we are very much liked. This year has been one of the best years for business, if not of all time!”
Situated on 27 hectares, the sanctuary is home to about 350 birds and animals out of 75 species.
Established in 1999 the centre was originally set up for research purposes only, but as a consequence of increasing interest and local awareness, it was decided to open parts of the centre to visitors.
In the summer of 2003 Eagles Flying introduced its birds to the first eager visitors and numbers continue to increase every year.
The Eagles Flying Show is both fun and educational for the whole family.
They work with animals to make it possible to allow them as close as possible the visitors.
The scientists on hand present information on each of the birds and raptors in general.
As the sanctuary has became better known, people from all over Ireland started bringing in injured birds and other helpless wildlife. The sanctuary tries to heal all these patients and if possible return them to nature. This hospital and rehabilitation sector is now the most time consuming and labour intensive department at the centre. In 2007 the Irish Raptor Research Centre / Eagles Flying received the accreditation as EU- Zoo.