Hey, Charleston. 👋 #DYK that today is National Wildlife Day? Well, technically today is a National Wildlife Day.

Fun fact: This holiday is actually celebrated on two days each year. Originally, it was only on Sept. 4, but Feb. 22 was added to honor wildlife warrior, Steve Irwin. 🐊

Last month, Reader Jacqi J. emailed us about her experience with The Center for Birds of Prey. She told us about her + her friend finding an injured owl in Hampton Park. They called the center and stayed to watch the injured bird, while crows circled + hovered overhead.

Birds of Prey’s Avian Medical Clinic sent volunteers to retrieve the owl + Jacqi was so excited to see the work they do in the community + how much they were able to help.

Jacqi’s email was such a wild ride from start to finish, we just had to share it with everyone + thought National Wildlife Day was the perfect time to tell you owl you need to know about The Center for Birds of Prey, a local nonprofit organization that you can learn more about here. 🦉

Eurasian Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo) | @chrisandcami (Instagram)

Rescuing owls isn’t the only thing they do. The Center’s Avian Medical Clinic is open 365 days a year + they see an average of 800 bird patients yearly, including birds of prey + shorebird species with various levels of injuries.

The Center has one of the US’s biggest + most diverse collections of birds of prey from across the globe. 🦅

The Avian Conservation Center is the official repository for oiled birds in SC + is the only permanent avian treatment center of its kind along the Eastern seaboard.

The Center offers internships in their avian medicine and rehabilitation + education and husbandry departments, as well as one-day job shadows and service-learning opportunities.

They also have events open to the public, including education programs, weekly tours + flight demonstrations, programs highlighting specific species, and owls by moonlight - a night show where participants can learn about + witness how the nocturnal birds behave.

And if you haven’t seen their new Avian Ambassador, you are definitely missing out. This ridiculously cute Burrowing Owl is only ~10 weeks old + she will be part of future education programs. We think she is absolutely hoo-tiful.

Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) | @centerforbirdsofprey (Instagram)

The Center has been closed for ~6 months but is reopening tomorrow on a limited schedule with COVID-19 health + safety protocols in place. Find the schedule and purchase tickets here.