ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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Our center has a wildlife sanctuary, with close to 100 species. Almost all
are rescued former pets (ranging from those confiscated for being illegal to
those given up by their owners to some that were just turned loose). A few
years back, someone left a pet carrier on our doorstep with an 8 month old
bobcat in it.

Some of the animals are injured wild animals that can't be returned to their
native habitat - including 3 owls (great horned, barred and screech). The
former two are imprinted on people to some extent, and are handle-ble, the
screech much less so. None of them can fly well enough to survive in the
wild (wing and eye problems, mostly).

The owls are all very striking and visitors are generally fascinated by
them. There are frequent questions about how we got them, do they get to go
outside (yes) can they go back to the wild etc. We have a staff of animal
curators who care for all our critters.

A few years back we had 2 blue and gold macaws, but we turned them over to a
private group that cares for parrots that are former pets. I wouldn't
recommend them as exhibit animals.

BTW, hopefully within a few weeks, our website
(http://www.sciencecenterct.org) will once again have a webcam up on the
nest of two peregrine falcons who nest in Hartford. Last year they fledged 4
chicks!

Jonah Cohen
Outreach & Public Programs Manager
Science Center of Connecticut

"On blind faith they place reliance,
what we need more of is science"
           -MC Hawking
-----Original Message-----
From: martin weiss [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Friday, March 17, 2006 9:49 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Birds in exhibitions

ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
institutions.
****************************************************************************
*

	Has anyone had experience including live birds in science 
museum exhibitions? I am interested in husbandry issues, visitor and 
staff reactions (positive and negative) and any evaluations.

Thanks,

Martin
-- 
Martin Weiss, Ph.D
Vice President, Science
New York Hall of Science
47-01 111 th Street
Corona, New York 11368
718 699 0005 x 356

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More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message  SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
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