The Saskatchewan Burrowing Owl Interpretive Centre

The Saskatchewan Burrowing Owl Interpretive Centre (SBOIC), at 250 Thatcher Drive East be side Superstore, gives visitors a chance to become familiar with burrowing owls and the efforts to save the endangered species. Admission to the centre is by donation. Visitors have the option of taking a self-guided tour or tak ing a tour that centre staff lead. There is a display area and gift store, while the owls live in outdoor enclosures. This gives visitors a chance to see the birds in their natural habitat. Owls On Tour is a high-energy hour of environmental education. Depending on the age of the audience, the presentation may include slides, songs, skits and stories about the endangered bur rowing owl and their disappearing habitat. At the end of the presentation, participants have the opportunity to meet a live burrowing owl and engage in a question-and-answer session. During your time at the centre, you will also learn about the special characteristics of the burrowing owls, the factors that contribute to their endangered status in Canada, and some of the actions that organizations are taking to help ensure the owls’ survival. The centre opened its gates to the public for the first time in the spring of 1997. The building site, located on the Moose Jaw Exhibition Grounds, was chosen because several pairs of burrowing owls typically nested in the infield of the race track. In the beginning, SBOIC consisted of a small interpretive centre that showcased pictures and displays, while only one person worked there. Visitors used spotting scopes from an observation blind to view the wild owls nesting in the infield. Over the years the centre has expanded to include a gift store, a larger display area, and the travel

ling educational program Owls on Tour. The centre is also the permanent home to a small captive population of owls. SBOIC is a non-profit organization that does not receive provincial or federal funding. The centre depends entirely upon the generosity of individual donors, as well as funding through various educa tional and/or environmental grants. For more information about the centre and to learn about its operating hours, call (306) 692- 8710 or (306) 692-2762, or visit www.skburrowingowl.ca.