Effie Yeaw Nature Center
A Community Service of the
American River Natural History Association
 
KIWANIS CHALLENGE!

Kiwanis Club of Carmichael is making a donation challenge to organizations and individuals to donate the cost of a one-month food supply for the Effie Yeaw Nature Center's resident animals.  These educational ambassadors provide an exciting, close-up look at local species and inspire visitors of all ages to appreciate open space habitat.  Kiwanis is donating $500, the cost of a two-month supply of the special food required for the snakes, raptors and others, with the goal of raising $3000 for a one-year supply of food.

Reptiles and Amphibians

We have six snakes:

  • three Gopher snakes, Dragonette, Fred and Jasper;
  • two Kingsnakes, Eddy and Bullseye; and
  • one Western Aquatic Garter Snake, Sprite.  

 

Finally, we have three pond animals:  

  • Clem, a Western Pond Turtle, and
  • Speckles and Spartacus, Tiger Salamanders.
Tanner, the resident Red-tailed Hawk

RESIDENT ANIMALS


The Effie Yeaw Nature Center takes care of more than a dozen non-releasable animals native to the American River system. These animals cannot be returned to their native habitat.  In many cases they have been injured, orphaned or grown too accustomed to people.

Birds
 

We have four birds:

  • one Northern Saw-whet Owl, Sophia,
  • one Red-tailed Hawk, Tanner,
  • one Red-shouldered Hawk, Skye, and
  • one American Kestrel, Rocky. 

Sophia, the Northern Saw-whet Owl
Skye, our resident Red-shouldered Hawk
Rocky, the American Kestrel
Photo Michael Hanlon
Virginia, the Great Horned Owl
Virginia, our Great Horned Owl, after living a long life, educating and touching the lives of so many, passed on on November 18, 2010.  We will miss her very much.

Virginia had been at the Effie Yeaw Nature Center for over 25 years, and was over 35 years old.  She lived far beyond her life expectancy in the wild, at least doubling her lifetime. 

Many adults who came to the Nature Center would ask if she could possibly be the same owl that was here when they were just children themselves.  We were always delighted to say "yes!"
"A bird never doubts its place at the center of the universe."

-- Barbara Kingsolver

(Prodigal Summer)

                                           

Luna, the Barn Owl, having spent the last 14 years educating and touching the lives of so many, passed away on June 29, 2011. Over the years, if not the center of the universe, Luna was certainly the center of attention during many presentations both at the Nature Center and in the classroom.  

 

Taken to the California Raptor Center in 1997 it was thought Luna had fallen from the nest and that she might have some brain damage. She would not eat and ultimately had to be force-fed to keep her alive. Efforts to rehabilitate her failed. Having such close contact with humans Luna became imprinted on them and, consequently, could not be released back into the wild. Luna came to the Nature Center at only a few months old and throughout the years she helped teach the public the important role that barn owls play in our environment.   A stealth hunter, barn owls primarily use their acute sense of hearing to detect and capture their prey, mainly rodents. Unfortunately, in the wild, a large percentage of barn owls do not make it through their first year! We were lucky to have Luna in our lives for 14 years. We will miss her very much!

 
DOWNLOAD THE ADOPT AN ANIMAL BROCHURE HERE
Through our "Adopt an Animal" program you can help us provide for their care, food, vitamins, vet visits and medicine.