Laura Young
ECB Publishing, Inc.
The North Florida Wildlife Center's special Valentine's Day event – Love Birds – takes place right on Feb. 14, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. What better way to celebrate a day dedicated to love than with some literal love birds? Many of the birds residing at the Wildlife Center are breeding pairs involved in special programs to keep their species from the brink of extinction.
The event also includes the opening of phase one of the center's developing Tropical Treasures area, an immersive multi-aviary complex. Overall, the center protects and nurtures more than 100 mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians – and a large percentage of them are birds with unique stories and fascinating features sure to inspire lasting memories.
In addition to the opportunity to see and learn about so many of the world's vulnerable animal species, the Love Birds event includes special opportunities such as keeper talks, face painting, arts/crafts activities, local food/drink trucks and local artists and vendors. As usual, you can also feed the goats (including three newborn kids!) and arrange to add on an in-habitat animal encounter with the gray foxes Cypress and Willow; the ruffed lemurs Saka and Akondro; Sid the sloth; Evie and Ozzie the red kangaroos; King Bumi the giant anteater; and several of the very interesting birds in residence.
Admission for Love Birds is reduced. At the door it's $10 for kids and $15 for adults. Get 50% off normal admission when purchasing tickets online at www.NorthFloridaWildlife.org/event using the promo code: LOVEBIRDS.
Proceeds generated from both admission and extra opportunities keep the animal residents enriched and well-fed, as well as provide strong support for international conservation efforts associated with the animals being protected here.
These ambassador animals allow visitors to see and learn about incredible species in person and gain a new perspective on issues that might otherwise seem far away and untouchable. Operating as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, the center “strives for the highest standards of animal care, education, conservation, environmental service, and operations” while it fulfills its mission of “wildlife conservation through public educational outreach, propagation of rare and endangered species and habitat restoration efforts.”
The North Florida Wildlife Center is located at 1386 Cook Rd. in Lamont, Fla. For more information, call 850-347-0921, email info@northfloridawildlife.org or visit www.northfloridawildlife.org.