The Saskatchewan Burrowing Owl Interpretive Centre
The Saskatchewan Burrowing Owl Interpretive Centre (SBOIC), at 250 Thatcher Drive East beside 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. During a regular year, visitors have the option of taking a self-guided tour or taking a tour that centre staff lead but during this time undergoing the pandemic, it is recommended to call in advance for information. 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 burrowing 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 racetrack. 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 educational 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.
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