Happy Holidays from Piedmont Wildlife Center!
This season, we're especially thankful for everyone that has shown up in one way or another for PWC this year, whether you met our birds at one of our Raptor Fly-Thru events, participated in our camp programs, or showed your appreciation from afar on social media. If it wasn't for the unwavering support we've been given throughout this year, quite literally none of the work we've been able to accomplish in 2020 would have been possible. That's something to celebrate!
We're also celebrating a new addition to our menagerie of Ambassador Animals: Pepper, the Virginia Opossum! Pepper was found earlier this year as an orphaned baby along with her sister, and was brought to Our Wild Neighbors in Hillsborough, NC. Pepper was deemed too small to be released, so she is now a permanent resident at PWC. While she is only about 6 months old, she has tons of personality and has warmed right up to us. We're so excited to have her as an ambassador for the Virginia Opossum!
PWC houses and cares for 25 Ambassador Animals. And as much as we love to care for these amazing creatures, it takes a lot of time--and funding--to do so. To provide the high quality care we strive for, which includes regular (and sometimes surprise) vet visits, balanced diets, medications, and so much more, it will cost us over $1,800 a year to care for Pepper. Add in our other 24 animals--including raptors, reptiles and mammals--and things really start to add up.
In addition to providing a lifelong home to our Ambassador Animals, we have the opportunity to provide up-close encounters with these animals to the public. This gives us a unique opportunity to share each animal's individual story while also educating the public on the role of their species in the surrounding ecosystem. We are honored to bring often misunderstood creatures like Pepper to people and help them understand, respect, and coexist with our wild neighbors!
Your generosity is what enables us to bring Pepper's story to so many, and we thank YOU for being a part of Piedmont Wildlife Center's story. If you’re interested in keeping up with Pepper’s antics, join our Adopt an Ambassador program and sponsor Pepper for three months or longer!
We wish you a safe and cheerful holiday season!
-The PWC Team
