The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Lake Metroparks introduces Rufous owl
Mentor-based school welcomes Lake Metroparks’ program featuring bald eagle ambassador
When Lake Metroparks Wildlife Educational Specialist Kirsten Bull asked the student assembly at St. Mary of the Assumption School in Mentor how many of them had ever visited Penitentiary Glen Reservation’s Kevin P. Clinton Wildlife Center in Kirtland, an overwhelming number of arms shot up.
“This is awesome,” Bull said, smiling, “that most of you guys have been there, that’s really great. So you kind of know what we’re about.”
What the center is about is caring for, rehabilitating and releasing, in certain cases, wildlife animals injured in their natural habitats. In the case of Rufous, Cliff and Apollo, predatory birds of different species — an eastern screech owl, a peregrine falcon and an American bald eagle, respectively — who visited the school, all the students received the unique story about each bird of prey.
“Rufous sustained injury from being hit by car, which severely limited his flying ability,” Bull said, showing him to the students. “Cliff likes to live high up, nesting in skyscrapers. Falcons usually do, so they can circle in the sky and swoop down on their prey.”
Cliff, unfortunately, flew
into the side of a building as its reflective surface played tricks on his vision. Case Western Reserve University professors later brought Cliff to Penitentiary Glen.
The star of the day, no doubt, was “King of the Raptors,” Apollo, the project’s namesake and the first bald eagle ambassador at Lake Metroparks. As bald eagles are protected, approval for Apollo to be designated was required by the state.
The project was officially launched last May.
Apollo arrived at the wildlife center in June 2011
as a juvenile with an injured wing. While learning to fly, he flew into the territory of a pair of nearby eagles. A fight ensued and Apollo was sent to the ground. A neighbor called the center after discovering the injured eagle.
Lake Metroparks later requested an education permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for Apollo to become a permanent resident. He’s named for the 1969 Apollo 11 mission to the moon.
Wildlife Education Manager Marilyn Levand and Wildlife Care Specialist
Sarah Daniels, along with Bull, presented the project which was held at the school for the first time, thanks in large part to Lake Metroparks Commissioner John Redmond.
The daylong program, fashioned after the Columbus Center of Science and Industry’s program, COSI on Wheels, began with colorful presentations and upclose-and-personal encounters, and highlights the eagle’s natural history, near extinction and comeback.
Bull, Daniels and Levand detailed to the assembly how bald eagles, and many other birds of prey, suffered drastic declines in the continental United States, forcing them to be placed on the endangered species list because of hunting, deforestation and, primarily, the use of the pesticide DDT, which caused the thinning of their eggs.
Since DDT was banned, the populations dramatically recovered, also aided which by the Clean Air Act and the Endangered Species Act.
After the assembly, students team up and visit seven interactive stations with hands-on activities to help them learn more. About 17 volunteers assist the school and Lake Metroparks with the stations.
St. Mary teacher Aida O’Meara called the day’s event a rewarding experience for the entire school.
“We love to have educational lessons, and stuff like this that the kids don’t normally see every day is really special, I mean, how often do you get so see these kinds of birds up close? They can identify with animals they’ve seen in the community. We try to plan a science week as an extension of Catholic school week to meet curriculum.
“And Lake Metroparks always does a wonderful job,” O’Meara said.
“And we’re pleased the parents come in and volunteer to help, we couldn’t do it without them.”