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W ildlife W onders LINDSAY WILDLIFE EXPERIENCE | SPRING 2015 Inside: Lindsay Wildlife Experience is here—in more ways than one!

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Page 1: Wildlife Wonders

Wildlife Wonders

LINDSAY WILDLIFE EXPERIENCE | SPRING 2015

Inside:Lindsay Wildlife

Experience is here—in more ways than one!

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W E L C O M E

A New Name, a New Day for Lindsay

It’s spring! The second issue of

Wildlife Wonders has arrived,

and nature is delighting us with

fresh green hills (despite the

continuing drought).

Lindsay has a fresh new look

as well—a new visual identity (our logo) and name.

Museum is gone, and experience is the defining word,

encompassing all that Lindsay is and means to our

visitors, members, volunteers and friends. Experi-

ence includes the wildlife in our live collection and

the thousands of animals we treat each year in our

wildlife hospital.

What will experience mean as we nurture the

connections we all yearn to have with nature and its

creatures? Outdoors it will mean up close and per-

sonal experiences with our animal ambassadors in the

Raptor Redwood Grove. We plan to bring this expe-

rience to the public free of charge and look forward

to inspiring even more people to respect and care for

the natural world we share with our magical wildlife.

Experience will mean a new experience inside as

well. What’s Wild, What’s Not will offer new educa-

tional programming and animal activities with our ani-

mal ambassadors to inform visitors of the importance

of keeping wild animals wild. Our staff and volunteers

will face the many challenges of caring for more ani-

mals as we enter a fourth year of drought. Only your

continuing support will make this experience more

successful for the animals brought to our door.

In October, we’ll celebrate our 60th anniversary

with an open house and community festival in Larkey

Park! We invite you to become involved in this new

event, one that could become an annual celebration

of Lindsay Wildlife Experience.

So let’s continue the conversation. Tell us about

your Lindsay Experience and how we can share the

connections we have with the natural world.

Norma BishopExecutive Director | Lindsay Wildlife Experience

Wildlife Hotline925-935-1978 —[email protected] —1931 First AvenueWalnut Creek, CA 94597

Executive DirectorNorma Bishop

Creative StaffElisabeth Nardi, Marketing Project ManagerRachel Simmons, Marketing & PR Manager

Produced by DCPdcpubs.com

Board of DirectorsMarilyn Fowler, PresidentGabe Togneri, Vice PresidentJames A. Pezzaglia, TreasurerJulie Ross, SecretaryCharlie AbramsHolly Armstrong Stewart BaileyMark E. BrownNan HudsonMarc KaplanMatt LawsonKevin SchwartzDavid ShunickRosanne SiinoMichael SteadMartha StrockNan Walz

On the cover: Tyto, one of Lindsay’s resident barn owls.

This is our new logo, an abstract image of our beloved barn owls. Some see the owl’s profile while others see the owl looking straight on. That’s the point: Animals are magical, and there is no

one way to see them.

“ We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”

—Maya Angelou

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New WebsiteLindsay Wildlife

Experience now offers a better, easier-to-navigate

and more beautiful website. In the works

for months, the website focuses on what Lindsay

is known for: the animals! Explore the new site at

lindsaywildlife.org.

PERCENT

This spring is turning out to be a record-

breaking season for Lindsay Wildlife

Rehabilitation Hospital. As of the start of

spring, the hospital had taken in 791 animals

since the beginning of the year. At the same

time last year, the hospital had taken in 425

animals: That’s an increase of 186 percent!

Summer Fun at LindsaySummer means there are plenty of

opportunities for kids to learn about

wildlife at Lindsay! Summer Camps

are available for kids from 4 to 10 years

old. Whether it’s learning to “Bug Out”

and explore insects and arachnids, or

a special girls-only camp where young

women shadow Lindsay’s professional

animal caretakers, there are new expe-

riences for all children. To see what’s

available and register, please visit

lindsaywildlife.org, or call the educa-

tion registrar at 925-627-2913.

Special Traveling Exhibit Makes Stop at Lindsay Felines: Fierce and Friendly! will be on

display at Lindsay Wildlife Experience

June 6 through August 31. A sequel to

2003’s exhibit, which traveled to museums

across the country, Felines: Fierce and

Friendly! offers 50 paintings and sculp-

tures by artists who specialize

in cat subjects. To help

celebrate, ARF will hold

a Cat Adoption Day at

Lindsay on Saturday,

June 20, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.

SAVE THE DATE!

Mark your calen-dar for Sunday, September 13, for a delightful evening at Va de Vi Bistro & Wine Bar in Walnut Creek. Enjoy fine food, fine wine and fine company in Va de Vi’s beautifully appointed court-yard, under an ancient oak tree. The evening includes an opportunity to bid on unique items at an auction to benefit Lindsay Wildlife Experience. Proceeds will help fund the rehabilitation and education programs at Lindsay Wildlife. For more information, please visit lindsaywildlife.org.

MEET OUR NEW SQUIRREL!This cute ground squirrel is Lindsay’s newest animal ambassador. Found as a baby, she

was raised by a well-meaning individual, but she needed more care and was brought to

Lindsay in December 2014. Now, this little squirrel needs a name to match her boister-

ous personality. Help name the squirrel by going to lindsaywildlife.org for more details.

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A group of kindergartners, eyes wide with wonder and appre-

hension, gathers around a California mountain kingsnake.

Who will be brave enough to touch it? The Lindsay Wildlife

volunteer invites them closer to meet Jake.

The reptile’s scales are brilliantly contrasted in glossy bands of

red, black and cream. Who knew a snake could be this beautiful? The

first little girl to glide her fingers across it gets an even bigger surprise:

This snake is soft. She giggles, and laughter soon infects the rest of the

children, now eager for their turn to touch.

Chances are the kids will remember this experience for years.

They have just made a special connection with wildlife that they

couldn’t get from a book or a video, or an exhibit behind glass in a

typical museum.

And that’s the reason Lindsay Wildlife Museum, now celebrat-

ing its 60th anniversary, is changing its name to Lindsay Wildlife

Experience.

“The word museum does not fully explain the type of experi-

ence people can expect when they come here,” says Executive

Director Norma Bishop. “Even museums today are interactive.

Many are on the cutting edge of technology. But Lindsay is so much

more than a museum.

“This word experience really captures what our animal ambassa-

dors provide for people,” adds Bishop. “When you look into the eyes

of a great horned owl, you’re connecting with a sentient being that

knows things—a creature that knows the magical world of nature that

we’re all too often out of touch with.”

SPIRIT OF LINDSAY WILDLIFE CAPTURED IN NEW NAME

An audience in Larkey Park,

outside of Lindsay Wildlife, watches

Houston, a barred owl, in the Raptor Redwood Grove.

The Lindsay Experience

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Animal keeper Brittany Buenvenida in the Raptor Redwood Grove with Fire, a red-tailed hawk.

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For the past several years, the Lindsay

staff and board have contemplated the need

for a name change. They reflected on the

60-year history of the nationally renowned

institution that receives 100,000 visitors per

year, showcases nearly 60 animal ambassa-

dors and treats 5,000 injured wild animals

in the nation’s oldest (and one of the largest)

wildlife rehabilitation hospitals.

But what struck staff most were the

countless stories and memories that Lind-

say has shared with people. It turns out that

a Lindsay “wildlife experience” is something

distinct and special.

For starters, it’s up close and personal.

Where else can you come within two feet

of magnificent raptors perched on the

gloves of their handlers? At this distance,

you notice the intricately patterned wings

of Red, the red-shouldered hawk. You’re

mesmerized by the deep black eyes of Hous-

ton, the barred owl, “who will stare at you for

minutes at a time, like she’s gazing into your

soul,” says Dawn Manley, curator of the live

collection at Lindsay.

At its best, a Lindsay wildlife experi-

ence imparts not just respect and awe for

California native wildlife, but stewardship.

Recently, a worried

6-year-old boy walked into the rehabilitation

hospital with his sister and father, clutch-

ing a shoebox that held a tiny sparrow, yet

another songbird wounded by a house cat. It

is animals like these—injured to a point that

they can’t go back into the wild—that find a

permanent sanctuary at Lindsay as animal

ambassadors.

These rescues awaken children’s com-

passion and connection to the world around

them. Families learn how their own choices

can help protect local wildlife—keeping

cats indoors, supporting regional habitat

preservation, ceasing the use of pesticides

in their gardens.

“Lindsay Wildlife Experience empha-

sizes the importance of passing on this

knowledge, appreciation and respect to our

next generation,” says Melissa Strongman,

director of education.

After 60 years of success in this en-

deavor, the next step for Lindsay is to think

outside the box and deliver Lindsay wildlife

experiences in new ways, beyond the build-

ing’s walls.

That vision becomes a reality in the

Raptor Redwood Grove, a clearing near

Lindsay’s front entrance. Here, Lindsay

animal ambassadors enjoy sunshine on a

daily basis: Snakes slither through a slalom

course, hawks perch on logs or take swiftly

to the air, and turtles burrow into piles of

leaves. Guests and park passersby are invit-

ed to participate.

Odin, a female Swainson’s hawk, leaps

from Dawn Manley’s glove to a nearby log in

the clearing, and three little girls run up to

watch. The smallest girl, dressed in a pink

hoodie, grabs her mother’s iPhone to snap

a picture. She’s just saved her first Lindsay

wildlife experience.

Share Your Lindsay Experience on FacebookShare your favorite Lindsay experience on our Facebook page! Each week in the month of June, we’ll randomly select one person who posts to receive a $20 gift certificate at our store!

“Lindsay Wildlife Experience emphasizes the importance of passing on this knowledge, appreciation and respect to our next generation.”

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Marcia Meltzer, a technician who has been with

the Lindsay Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital for

some 20 years, goes to great lengths to feed the

tiny baby animals in her care.

Because it’s crucial that they don’t associate food with

humans—which would compromise their ability to sur-

vive in the wild—Meltzer camouflages herself at feeding

time. “I wear a shrub costume when I feed the babies,” she

says. “It’s like a big poncho that covers my hands, arms

and legs. I look like a big bush!” When she has to drop food

into birds’ mouths, she disguises her hand with a bird

puppet. “We try to expose them to the kinds of things they

will see in the wild before we release them.”

Many of these are tiny birds that have fallen from their

nests, been harmed by a cat or caught in a trap. Some are

no bigger than jelly beans when they arrive at Lindsay,

dehydrated and cold. The number of these vulnerable,

newborn creatures delivered to Lindsay spikes in spring-

time, when the majority of animal births occur. Upon the

animals’ arrival, the veterinary team and volunteers make

sure the little orphans are calmed down, warmed and

rehydrated. Then, the hospital team of vets, technicians

and volunteers diagnose each animal for wounds, broken

bones and illnesses.

“They need to be mollycoddled a bit, especially

the ones who are altricial [unable to feed and care for

themselves],” says veterinarian Guthrum Purdin, who

sees anywhere from 30 to 130 animals a day in the spring.

“But we are very careful how we do it. They are wild ani-

mals, so it would be stressful for them if we held them or

talked to them. We are careful to keep our distance.”

Under Dr. Purdin’s leadership, the staff and volunteers

assist with surgical procedures and splinting, administer

medications, and help to feed the youngsters. Because

many of the creatures did not get enough time in the nest

to observe adult behavior, members of the same species

are kept together so they can learn from their own kind.

When the time does come for release, Lindsay follows

strict protocols to increase an animal’s chance for sur-

vival. Flocking birds are released together. If possible,

mammals are returned to the same habitat where they

were found. Some birds are even returned to their own

nest—what hospital staffers calls a “reunite”—and the ani-

mals’ parents resume their care and feeding.

For a veteran like Meltzer, wildlife rehabilitation is more

than a job: It’s a calling. “So many of these animals are here

because of things we humans have done, whether it’s due

to gunshots, traps, letting our cats outdoors or tree trim-

ming, which can destroy nests,” she says. “So it’s satisfying

to know we help get them back where they belong.”

The Littlest PatientsThe Lindsay Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital team cares for injured and orphaned baby animals with expertise, compassion—and a healthy distance

Associate Veterinarian Lana Krol holds a baby great horned owl.

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F A C E S A N D P L A C E S

Far right: Company C Contemporary Ballet dancers entertain guests at the gala.

Right: Scott Smith bids on a “quick-draw” portrait.

Left: Board member Nan Walz (center) and friends.

Far left: Guests look on as talented artists work on their “quick-draw” portraits of Lindsay’s barn owl Tyto.

Below: Gala Committee member Connie Loosli is recognized for her service to the cause.

Below right: Guests of Michael Stead Porsche applaud for a bidder who raises his paddle for wildlife.

Right: Executive Director Norma Bishop, Rick Fowler and Lindsay Board of Directors President Marilyn Fowler.

An Affair to RememberTHE FACES OF WILDLIFE GALA MARKED A MAJOR MILESTONE FOR LINDSAY

On February 28, more than

240 guests mixed and mingled at

Diablo Country Club to celebrate

60 years of Lindsay Wildlife.

Highlights included a special

performance from Company C

Contemporary Ballet; live music

from Locust & Main; and live

“quick-draw” animal portraits by

artists Guy Combes, Andrew

Denman, Joel Kratter, Linda

Darsow Sutton, Kathryn Wills

and Joan Yao. Special thanks to

the evening’s premier sponsor,

Michael Stead Porsche, for mak-

ing the event a smashing success.

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Lindsay Wildlife Museum

1931 First Avenue

Walnut Creek, CA 94597-2540

NONPROFIT ORGU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDWALNUT CREEK CA

PERMIT NO. 525

MAY16: Members-only breakfast with

the animals

18: Mini Monday: Wings, Wings and More

25: Exhibit Hall open 10 a.m.– 5 p.m.

JUNE6: Felines: Fierce and Friendly!

exhibit opens

17: Exhibit Hall summer hours begin:

10 a.m.–5 p.m., Wednesday–Sunday

22: Mini Monday: Digging Dinosaurs

26: Family Night at Lindsay!

JULY4: Exhibit Hall closed

20: Mini Monday: Bug Bonanza

AUGUST 15–16: Bee Bop at Lindsay

24: Mini Monday: Caring for Critters

Event Calendar

FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF UPCOMING EVENTS,

VISIT LINDSAYWILDLIFE.ORG.

Follow us!

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On March 5, Lindsay Wildlife’s rehabilitation team released a female bobcat in the hills of Brentwood. She was brought to Lindsay in October 2014 after being snarled in a barbed wire fence in nearby Oakley. Veterinarian Guthrum Purdin provided lifesaving treatment for a wound on the bobcat’s neck, allowing this fierce feline to have a second chance at life.