Wildlife Wonders Spring 2016 by Lindsay Wildlife Experience

Wildlife Wonders Lindsay Wildlife experience | Spring 2016

Inside:

Lindsay educates and delights visitors with its newest exhibition, What’s Wild—What’s Not

welcome

am thrilled to be invited by the Board of Directors to join the Lindsay Wildlife Experi-

ence as its new executive director. Since arriving in January, I’ve been astounded by the expertise and commitment of staff and volunteers in providing excellence in clinical care for wildlife

hospital patients, enrichment opportunities for our animal ambassadors, and unforgettable experiences for our guests. Whether I’m in the Exhibit Hall, watching docents spark wonder in the hearts and imaginations of children, or in the rehab hospital, marveling at the skill of vet staff and volunteers administering lifesaving treat-

“

Our task must be to free ourselves by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.” —Albert Einstein

ment to injured wildlife, I am continually confronted by the complex bond that exists between people and the natural world. Our wildlife hospital patients and non-releasable animal ambassadors are a daily reminder that humans and wildlife share much in common, and that some threats to wildlife—such as climate change, invasive species, and pollutants—intersect with human lives. When I see a child light up with amazement at being face-to-face with one of our animal ambassadors, or the gratitude in the eyes of a rescuer

Connecting people with wildlife to inspire responsibility and respect for the world we share.

dropping off a wildlife patient to our hospital, I remain hopeful about the fate of the planet. At Lindsay, the work we do is a poignant reminder of the ecological consequences of our actions and our indelible connection to wildlife. In our complicated relationship with nature, it may be a bond unlike any other. If you have not been to the Exhibit Hall in the last couple of months, I implore you to come! We have recently opened our newest exhibit, What’s Wild—

What’s Not. This exhibit is, quite literally, alive with activity. It’s a visually stunning environment with a dual message: Wild animals do not make good pets, and pets do not belong in the wild. What’s Wild—What’s

Not engages visitors in exciting, interactive ways to minimize our impact on wildlife and to better understand the world around us. I hope to see you here at Lindsay very soon!

Exhibit Hall and Wildlife Hotline (925) 935-1978 — lindsaywildlife.org info@lindsaywildlife.org — 1931 First Avenue Walnut Creek, CA 94597 Executive Director Cheryl McCormick, Ph.D. Creative Staff Editor: Elisabeth Nardi Contributors: Heather Haas, Cheryl McCormick, Ph.D., and Lizzie Coyle Produced by DCP dcpubs.com

Board of Directors Gabe Togneri, President Marilyn Fowler, Vice President David Shunick, Treasurer Julie Ross, Secretary Charlie Abrams Holly Armstrong Stewart Bailey Mark E. Brown Barney Howard Nan Hudson Marc Kaplan Matt Lawson Ryan Misasi James A. Pezzaglia Kevin Schwartz Rosanne Siino Michael Stead Martha Strock Nan Walz

Photography by Paul Hara and Margaret Kowalick

Cheryl McCormick, Ph.D. Executive Director | Lindsay Wildlife Experience

W i l d l i f e Wo n d e r s | l i n d s ay w i l d l i f e . o r g

On the cover: Papaya, Lindsay’s bearded dragon, lounges on her heat rock in her new enclosure, part of What’s Wild—What’s Not.

trac k s

Seventh AnnuAl

Evening at the Bistro

save the date: An event to benefit the Lindsay Wildlife Experience September 25, 2016, at Va de Vi Bistro & Wine Bar

Meet Our New Animal Ambassador Lindsay welcomes our newest animal ambassador—a roadrunner! Found as a fledgling last year in Southern California, she suffers from impaired sight that prevents her from surviving in the wild. She uses her beak to help navigate and is trained to eat food from

Calling All Campers!

VadiVi_quarter_CMYK.indd 1

4/20/16 12:06 PM

Lindsay offers fun-filled summer camps for kids Tuesday through Thursday afternoons all summer long; the first session begins June 14. Be sure to check out one of

tweezers. Remarkably, roadrunners can reach speeds of up to 18 miles per hour! They can be recognized by their long tails, x-shaped (zygodactylous) feet, and feathers on their heads that reveal blue-and-red skin. Poor flyers, they are primarily seen on the ground, perched on low branches or fence posts. Roadrunners eat insects, mammals and reptiles; they also consume rattlesnakes by grabbing their heads and smashing them onto rocks!

our newest offerings: the Young Naturalist Club, for kids ages 11–13; the first class begins on June 16. Space is limited. And members can bring the whole

Name Our Roadrunner!

family to join us on Saturday, July 16, to

Lindsay needs your help naming our

Campout at Camp Lindsay! To learn more

new roadrunner! Submit suggestions

or to register, visit lindsaywildlife.org/

at lindsaywildlife.org/roadrunner by

education.

June 17. The winning name will be announced on June 24, at Friday Family Fun Night. The winner will get to meet our roadrunner that same evening.

FUN FACT Did you know it costs nearly

$14,000 a year to care for Shadow, our great gray owl? This amount includes food and medical care, as well as staff and volunteer time.

Choose Lindsay for Your Next Event Planning a business meeting, birthday party or retirement celebration? Consider one of the unique rental spaces we have right here at Lindsay. When you hold an event here, you can explore the Exhibit Hall and meet our animal ambassadors in person while directly supporting our mission. Contact our event rentals associate at kfishbein@lindsaywildlife.org to learn more about our spaces, pricing and amenities. Members receive 10 percent off all event rentals.

Spring 2016

From their first examination to their eventual release, injured wildlife are in good hands with Dr. Guthrum Purdin.

The Doctor Is In Veterinarian Guthrum Purdin helps get wildlife back where they belong: in the wild

released back into the wild. “I watched this big, beautiful eagle take off,” he says. “Days like that one are why I do this work.” Dr. Purdin, whose varied career includes work as a profes-

uthrum Purdin, D.V.M., never knows when his day will

sional jewelry designer as well as a prop maker for the Star Trek

start. But when it does, the director of veterinary ser-

and Starship Troopers franchises, says the idea of helping ani-

vices for Lindsay Wildlife Experience has to be ready.

mals in a professional capacity first occurred to him during the

“I sleep next to my phone,” he says. “Every once in a while, I’ll

get woken up and have to deal with an issue from my bed.” Such are the demands of a wildlife veterinarian. With more

summer of 1988, when he and his wife, Rebecca, volunteered at the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito. “I originally only intended to work for that summer,” he says,

than 200 species of animals brought into the hospital—each

“but as I worked more with the medical staff [at the mammal

with its own medical, behavioral and dietary needs—at all

center], I started to think, ‘You know, I’d like to do this for the

hours of the day and night, the first step toward returning

rest of my life.’ ”

animals to the wild is simply staying ready. And Lindsay’s resident veterinarian is up to the task. Releasing a rehabilitated animal back into the wild is reward enough for the irregular hours, Dr. Purdin says. “Last year, we had a golden eagle come in after hitting the window of an office

But thanks to the efforts of Dr. Purdin and other staff members, the golden eagle experienced a full recovery and was

After discussing it with his wife, he decided to go back to school to become a veterinarian. Now, nearly three decades later, Dr. Purdin remains just as passionate about wildlife as he was that first summer he spent volunteering. “Every time I look up, I see a vulture, I see an eagle, I see a

building; it also had a severe liver infection,” he recalls. “That

finch, and I wonder, ‘Did I handle that one?’ ” he says. “It makes

bird came in at death’s door.”

being out in nature so much more rewarding.”

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Behind the Scenes

Wildlife 911 Every day during the spring and summer, the lindsay hotline team fields questions from the public about our wild animal neighbors

s the furry creature hiding on your front porch an illegally imported Australian wombat that can sprint at 25 mph and bite through a heavy boot? Or is it a nonaggressive native

marmot that accidentally hitched a ride from Yosemite? The Lindsay hotline team has helped out with exactly this question. (It turned out to be a marmot.) More commonly, though, it gets questions like, “I saw a fawn near our house. Has it been abandoned by its mother?” Or, “I found an injured rabbit. Should I bring it to Lindsay?” The Lindsay “hotliners”—13 volunteer team members and three substitutes—answer these questions and more. They also handle the intake of wildlife patients brought to the Lindsay Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital’s accession desk. From April to September, when most baby animals are born, the hospital can

Lindsay’s hotline team, including Hedy Salter (left) and Wendy Raggio (right), helps to ensure that animals get the care they need.

receive dozens of calls and take in as many as 60 animals in one day, says Hedy Salter, who heads the hotline team. What inspires the team members to work their shifts as hotliners?

A close examination of the birds, however, revealed they had been fed recently, so Raggio gave them back to the family who had brought them to Lindsay. She explained that baby

Salter, who previously worked in the emergency response

birds eat less frequently as they get older, and since each feed-

program for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, says she

ing takes only a few seconds, it’s common for people to assume

enjoys the kind of interactions offered by the hotline job.

the babies have been abandoned.

“Sometimes, we get calls back to thank us for being there,” says Salter. “Those are always wonderful to receive.” “I love working on the hotline,” says Julie Ross, a board member and volunteer with a background in advertising, who calls herself a “wildlife enthusiast.” “We help the public better

Just minutes after the rescuers arrived home and put the nest back, the house finch parents appeared and recommenced feeding their offspring. “This story sticks with me,” says Raggio, “because the outcome warmed my heart.”

understand how to live responsibly with wildlife, which helps people as well as the animals.” Team member Wendy Raggio, a former securities trader, tells a story about baby house finches that were brought in

What to Do If You Find an Animal

by a couple and their children. The nest had been built in the

If you find an animal you think needs help, do not automat-

family’s backyard; after the babies hatched, the adult birds

ically pick it up. Please check the list at lindsaywildlife.org/

seemed to disappear, so the rescuers brought the nest of baby

found-animal to see how to handle various species. If found

birds to Lindsay.

during the hours of 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., call the Wildlife Hospital Hotline at (925) 935-1978 for advice.

Spring 2016

What’s Wild— What’s Not

Lindsay’s newest exhibition is a creative, dynamic and interactive experience that helps visitors differentiate between wildlife and their pet-appropriate counterparts 6

W i l d l i f e Wo n d e r s | l i n d s ay w i l d l i f e . o r g

With colorful murals lining the walls, rats busily running overhead through clear plastic tubes, and other furry creatures to observe and even pet, What’s Wild—What’s Not is delighting visitors. Members participated in an exclusive grand opening celebration April 16, and now the exhibit is open to everyone. Lindsay’s mission since its inception 60 years ago has been to foster respect for the world we share with our wild brethren. What’s Wild—What’s Not serves to promote that important message by teaching kids and their caregivers to distinguish between animals that are appropriate as pets and those that need to remain wild.

Lay of the Land A pair of striking murals by well-known Northern California artist Ali

Equally important is understanding why

Pearson greets visitors as they enter the exhibit. The paintings depict

the two shouldn’t mingle.

a typical East Bay grassy backyard—with a dog romping, birds overhead, a bird feeder hanging from the tree and a cat safely kept in the house, looking out the window. Beyond the garden fence, a natural oak woodland takes shape. The murals emphasize how, as developed space increasingly abuts shrinking wildlands, understanding the boundary between pets and wildlife is more important than ever. Visitors will also find tanks and hutches housing a variety of critters. Some, such as rabbits and rats, make good pets, while others, like an opossum, emphatically do not. Wild animals have natural instincts, motivations, needs and adaptations that are suited to living in the wild, and are far too aggressive to live with people. Informative signs explain the differences, and visitors can test their knowledge with an interactive true-false display that debunks common animal myths. The tanks are set in one wall of the walk-through exhibit. They can be viewed from either side and are set low enough for kids to peer in. “It was all designed with a young demographic in mind,” says Emma Molinare, interpretive programs keeper, “but people of any age will enjoy it.”

Opposite page: Two visitors point to a rat in an overhead tube in the new What’s Wild—What’s Not exhibit at Lindsay. Above: Visitors get up close and personal with a lizard. Right: Kids and adults alike enjoy the animals in the Exhibit Hall.

Spring 2016

Petunia, a Virginia opossum, looks out from her enclosure in the new What’s Wild—What’s Not exhibit.

Leave Wild Enough Alone

The Exhibition Design What’s Wild—What’s

required some finessing.

Not was designed by

Besides making sure the

James Freed, whose long

staff had easy access

history of collaboration

for cleaning, the design

Surprisingly, even adults sometimes fail to understand the distinc-

with Lindsay includes

team had to confirm

tion between wild and domesticated animals. And that leads to

designing the Raptors!

the vertical sections of

problems. “Many people take in a baby wild animal as a pet because

and Wildlife Hospital: Be-

the plastic tubing had

it’s cute and fuzzy,” says Molinare. But when that little squirrel or

hind the Scenes exhibits.

rougher sections that the

opossum reaches maturity and begins acting like the wild animal

“We had pretty specific

rats could use to climb.

that it is, trouble starts. By then, though, the animal is habituated to

goals to showcase,”

“Anytime an exhibit

humans and can’t necessarily be released. Molinare explains that

he says of the exhibit.

includes live animals,

unlike domestication, which happens over generations and alters

Seeing a bearded dragon

there are challenges,”

an animal’s physiology and the way it reacts to its environment,

lizard juxtaposed with

says Salinger. “It’s critical

habituation happens in a short time. The animal remains unsuited

an alligator lizard helps

that their needs be the

to life as a pet, yet it’s no longer equipped to survive in the wild.

get the message across.

first consideration.”

Molinare adds, “Animals that are habituated to humans don’t

“Bearded dragon lizards

understand that they need to be wary of predators and cars. Or

do well in captivity,”

mindful of the animals’

sometimes, they return to human-populated areas, which causes

Freed says, whereas

well-being. Just as it is for

conflicts.”

“alligator lizards bite

humans, moving to a new

ferociously.”

location requires some

That’s how some of the permanent Lindsay residents have gotten there, says Lizzie Coyle, development director and project man-

The fabrication and

Dawn Manley was also

time to acclimate. Once

ager of the new exhibit. Even after being rehabilitated at Lindsay’s

installation of the exhibit

the tanks were set up, the

hospital with their health restored, animals may be so habituated to

was handled by Group

animals were transferred

humans that they can’t safely be released. “For instance, Bubo, our

Delphi. Senior Account

on a day when Lindsay

great horned owl ambassador, was probably kept as a pet at some

Director David Salinger

was closed. “Then, to

point,” Coyle says. Because he was fed by people for an extended

says, “The exhibit space

ease the transition to

period of time, he lacks the skills to hunt for food.

is a cozy 500 square

their new quarters, we

feet, but we were able

let them get comfortable

nities offered by the new installation. “This exhibit helps people un-

to get a lot of content

for a week or so before

derstand how pets depend on us, and wild animals depend on their

into the small space.”

opening the exhibit to

parents and the environment for survival,” she says. “Wild animals

The overhead rat tubing

visitors,” she says.

Volunteer Kris Brady is excited about the educational opportu-

need us to leave them alone and undisturbed in their natural habitat.”

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Pets as Predators Equally important, domesticated pets should not be turned loose to prey on wildlife. “So many animals that come into our hospital have injuries as the result of interactions with pets,” says Coyle. She notes that 20 percent of Lindsay’s hospital patients have been caught by a cat, from birds to rodents to lizards. Even when owners don’t see the evidence, domestic cats can do a lot of damage if they’re allowed to roam. Exhibit designer James Freed concurs. “Keeping cats indoors not only benefits wildlife, it benefits the cat,” he says, calling that message one of Lindsay’s touchstones. Another culprit that Coyle mentions is red-eared slider turtles. “They get large,” she says, which often results in unprepared owners releasing them into the wild. “There, they outcompete native Western pond turtles to the detriment of the ecosystem.” Lindsay strives to teach people about the potential damage that releasing a nonnative pet into a habitat can cause. “Pet education is a big part of what we offer. We want to inspire kids to inspire their parents to change,” Coyle says.

Touching and Feeling

What’s Wild—What’s Not offers an interactive experience that combines education and fun, with opportunities to interact with animals, including guinea pigs, rabbits and more.

Educational programs are an integral component of the exhibit. For the daily petting time in the animal presentation area, domesticated

wild animals, like keeping garbage cans covered and not putting

animals are brought out of their habitats for kids to get close to or

out food for animals.”

touch. “They’re very engaging animals,” says Dawn Manley, director

Brady also relishes the opportunity to reinforce Lindsay’s

of animal encounters. “It really helps when you’re educating people

message. “My role as a volunteer is to educate the public about our

about pets to have that visual connection.” On any given visit, kids

native wildlife and the need to share the environment with these

might get to pet a rabbit or guinea pig, or watch a rat get a health check.

animals and support their needs. We all need to live in harmony

Susan Crawford, a retired schoolteacher who volunteers as a

with each other.”

docent, is passionate about sharing her love of wildlife with youngsters. “I try to engage their senses—touching, seeing. I encourage them to use their imagination. I ask, ‘How would you feel if you were

Lindsay Wildlife Experience would like to thank the

this animal in a particular situation?’ ” Crawford wants to spread

generous donors whose financial support made

the message about the downside of letting wild animals become

What’s Wild—What’s Not possible:

dependent on humans, which often results in them ending up in

The Wayne and Gladys Valley Foundation

Lindsay’s hospital. “We rehabilitate them with the hope of releasing

The Estate of Stephen S. Ball

them back into the wild, but if that’s not possible, we give them a

The William A. Kerr Foundation

home.” Ideally, she’d like to see fewer animals come to the hospital

The Bruns Family in memory of Violet K. Bruns

in the first place. “There are things people can do to avoid habituating

Found an Animal?

If you encounter a sick or injured animal in the wild, Lindsay’s website offers detailed advice about how to keep you and the animal safe before seeking medical help. Visit lindsaywildlife.org/found-animal or call the Lindsay Wildlife Hotline at (925) 935-1978.

Spring 2016

Kids‘ Den Welcome to the one-stop fun zone, where you’ll find games, puzzles and more! Help a rescued owl get back home, or impress your friends with some cool wildlife trivia. (Did you know a group of bobcats is called a tantrum?) And don’t forget to check out our Summer Camp program (see page 3). Sometimes, learning about wildlife is all fun and games!

Wildlife Word Search Can you spot the wild animals?

Homeward Bound

Once a wild animal is healthy, we release

(Words can run up, down, left, right

it back into the wild. Can you help the owl

and diagonally.)

find its way home?

J P Y P G O O S I T G U B U U T E M O P O S S U M A E Z W W E L P Q T I M H V C R C T I B C H G A L W O N R A B F K Y I E Q C L G O Z J Z L Y K E P R T B B I B R R B W G R N I S B O J D D E L E A S X O W N C B Y V E P X B H N Y H G A X N S O S W L A O C A F J K R H N A C I I B C G O K C E X G U J R W Y T N R F R E L G A E N E D L O G O D E E R R X O F Y A R G V I H V W T M K Y Y Y T E Q J BOBCAT GOLDEN EAGLE HONEYBEE COYOTE DEER

OPOSSUM GRAY FOX BARN OWL GOPHER SNAKE

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HOME

Kids’ Den

tg r ay owl

Helping Wildlife Poem

collective noun (e.g. the

From spots far and wide.

collective noun for a group

Fisherman, take home

l l a l i z a rd

Or we’ll attract creatures

k wa

Match the animal to its

Keep pet food inside,

Com

Cover our trash cans;

Matching Quiz!

By Diane Lang

of crows is a “murder”)

All fish hooks and line:

That a critter can find.

A nest

Street drains connect

Re d

-ta

Two of the worst

Right to ocean or bay, So let’s never use them

A parliament

To throw things away.

Cali

fo r n i a m o

ki ng

A lounge

That’s not where it stays;

When pests swallow poison,

s n a ke

It’s passed on to others Who take them as prey.

A creep

Sticky traps also Have outcomes not planned,

A cast

Both from air and from land.

With animals caught

r to

ise

All those birds nesting In summer and spring Means pruning in winter’s A wise and kind thing.

Don’t feed the animals. Even if

No matter how cute they are, wild

an animal looks hungry, do not

animals are not pets! Follow these tips

feed it. Many wild animals have

when encountering wildlife.

sensitive stomachs, and your food might make them sick!

animals. Wild creatures are exactly that—wild. They might look cute and fuzzy, but they will attack if they feel threatened.

Tell an adult. If you think an animal needs help, let an adult know. Never try to help an animal by yourself.

Matching Quiz: 4,1,2,5,3

Don’t touch or approach wild

Answers J P Y P G O O S I T G U B U U T E M O P O S S U M A E Z W W E L P Q T I M H V C R C T I B C H G A L W O N R A B F K Y I E Q C L G O Z J Z L Y K E P R T B B I B R R B W G R N I S B O J D D E L E A S X O W N C B Y V E P X B H N Y H G A X N S O S W L A O C A F J K R H N A C I I B C G O K C E X G U J R W Y T N R F R E L G A E N E D L O G O D E E R R X O F Y A R G V I H V W T M K Y Y Y T E Q J

Wildlife Advice

Spring 2016

a dva n c e m e n t

Securing a Lindsay Legacy G

emma Niermann’s involvement with Lindsay Wildlife began in 1988, when a volunteer brought a red-shouldered hawk into her classroom at the Athenian School.

“I was more mesmerized by the hawk presentation than my

students were!” she recalls. “I asked the Lindsay volunteer a lot of questions about the program, and when the new Raptor Team was created, I was hooked.” Over the years, Niermann has dedicated hours of time and care to raptor animal ambassadors, something she never tires of doing. “I usually interact with the same two or three birds every week. It is so awesome to work with these amazing animals. They inspire me to give back to Lindsay.” One way Niermann supports Lindsay Wildlife is through her planned gift. “I am not a millionaire; I am a teacher. But when I created my will and trust, the lawyer asked me if I had any ideas about leaving bequests to charities. Of course, Lindsay immediately came to my mind.” By making a planned gift, Niermann ensures that Lindsay will be here for generations to come and for others to get

“I am not a millionaire; I am a teacher. But when I created my will and trust, the lawyer asked me if I had any ideas about leaving bequests to charities. Of course, Lindsay immediately came to my mind.”

A longtime volunteer, Gemma Niermann is passionate about caring for Lindsay's raptor ambassadors.

—Gemma Niermann

hooked. “First of all, it’s for the animals. Secondly, I thought a bequest to Lindsay would go farther than it would at a larger organization, which spends more dollars on sending out requests for support than it does on its charitable cause,” she says. Niermann has seen Lindsay change and grow, from the original pump house to the new building in 1993. “I want Lindsay Wildlife to endure as an institution—and as a haven for the animals that arrive here—well into the future. My planned gift is my way of helping to achieve that goal.”

W i l d l i f e Wo n d e r s | l i n d s ay w i l d l i f e . o r g

The Planned Giving Advantage Make a decision today to ensure the future of Lindsay tomorrow. Support Lindsay Wildlife Experience in your will, and become a member of the Alexander Lindsay Heritage Society. To find out more on how to include Lindsay in your will or other estate plans, contact Lizzie Coyle, director of development, at (925) 627-2928 or lcoyle@lindsaywildlife.org.

Tribute

The Legacy of Sam Smoker

Remembering Lindsay’s inspired—and inspiring—first executive director

rmed with a small band of volun-

He especially loved insects! People loved

teers and two paid staffers, Sam-

Sam, because everything became part of

uel Smoker was the first full-time

a grand adventure.

director and the visionary behind what is today the Lindsay Wildlife Experience. Smoker passed away on December 24, 2015, at the age of 91 from pneumonia. When Smoker was hired as a full-time

“He believed in us,” she adds. “Some of us were bright children but underachievers in school because we didn’t fit in. At the museum, when we were with Sam, we fit in. Everyone did.”

director, Lindsay Wildlife was known as

Scout Wilkins (née Nancy Schrock)

the Alexander Lindsay Junior Museum

echoes these sentiments: “The amazing

and was housed in an empty pump house.

thing about Sam was his undying willing-

Members of the board wanted to

ness to trust us at a level beyond what we

increase Lindsay's size and scope, and

thought we could accomplish—because

Smoker—an educator, leader and pho-

he believed we could. And we did.”

tographer who was passionate about the

Wilkins adds, “Sam was so present and

natural world—was the perfect person

nonjudgmental. He was a truly great man

to do so. He envisioned a place “for the

and mentor.”

museum to educate local and regional

“You could always find ‘Smiling Sam’

residents about the wild creatures that

surrounded by animal friends and natural

lived around them, and how to get along

history paraphernalia,” says Barney How-

with them,” explains Gary Bogue, former

ard, a current board member of Lindsay

curator at Lindsay who created and ran

Wildlife Experience. “With a welcoming

the wildlife rehabilitation program. “Sam

handshake, he would astound you with

developed the education program, the

his knowledge and was always busy with

docent program, and a special program to

an animal or plant project.”

train the docent volunteers.”

Bogue agrees. “Sam got along with

One of the ways Smoker expanded

everyone, and he knew more about the

Lindsay's reach was by including young-

local environment and the wildlife that

sters who took part in the school, aide,

lived in it than anyone I ever knew. He

and docent programs. The impact he had

motivated young volunteers to grow up,

upon these children is evident from

to go to college, and to get into environ-

the stories and anecdotes of adults who

mental sciences and natural history as a

credit him with helping them grow as

career field.”

individuals. As Karen Peterson (née Kari) remembers,

Concludes Bogue, “Sam’s legacy was turning Lindsay Wildlife from a small,

“Sam had a fascination for the natural sci-

local museum into one of the most unique

ences that was so much a part of him, he

natural history museum and wildlife

sucked in anyone who came into his orbit.

rehabilitation hospitals in the nation.”

Spring 2016

fac e s a n d p l ac e s

An Evening for the Ages!

a: John and Nan Walz make “great gray owl faces.” b: KPIX-5 News This Morning Anchor Michelle Griego emcees the gala. c: Board members Rosanne Siino, Barney Howard and Nan Walz, and guest Marla Lev enjoy the festivities.

With an amazing outpouring of support, Lindsay had its most successful fundraising evening ever. On March 19, the Sixth Anc

nual Faces of Wildlife Gala raised nearly $80,000 to benefit Lindsay’s wildlife rehabilitation and education programs—and we had fun doing it. The gala was held at the Diablo Country Club.

d: Artists Guy Combes and Linda Darsow Sutton (pictured), along with Andrew Denman and Joel Kratter, do a “quick-draw” of Houston, Lindsay’s barred owl. The art was sold at auction, with the proceeds donated to Lindsay’s wildlife and rehabilitation programs. e: The Campbell family checks out the live auction items.

f: Animal keeper Amber Paczkowski with bearded dragon, Papaya. g: Jo Howard , Michele Hobza and a guest bid in the cocktail auction. h: Gala committee member Sue Angeli auctions off an item. i: Veronica Sibley and Chak Nanga meet Lauren Amy and Lord Richard, Lindsay’s 42year-old turkey vulture. j: Volunteer Bob Johnson and Jessica and Chris Jordan chat at the auction. k: Roxy and Jenny Schneider and Mara and Mia Jay pose with Shadow, a great gray owl, and handler Brittany Buenvenida.

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j k

fac e s a n d p l ac e s

Members Get More!

Over the past few months, Lindsay has presented many inspiring and fun events. From a Valentine’s Day party to visits from hedgehogs and c

monkeys, Lindsay is always abuzz

with activity. And as always, members get more! Visit lindsaywildlife. org/events to learn more.

a: Guests attend Kiss & Tail, Lindsay’s annual Valentine’s adults-only event. b: A black-andwhite lemur in March Monkey Madness, part of Lindsay’s monthly Live. Wild. Animal exhibitions. c: Turkey vulture–inspired treats. d: A Lindsay visitor is delighted by monkey antics. e: A handler from Wild Things mimics a Capuchin monkey. f: A child gets up close with a snake at Lizard Lady, the November exhibition of Live. Wild. Animal. g: Volunteer extraordinaire Scott Smith and sweetheart Sherri Scott at Kiss & Tail.

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Free, one-year family membership to Lindsay Wildlife Experience

1-888-686-4483 | lindsaywildlife.org/vehicle-donations Lindsay-VehicleDonation-10x3.25-v2.indd 1

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Spring 2016

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Walnut Creek CA PERMIT NO. 525 Lindsay Wildlife Museum 1931 First Avenue Walnut Creek, CA 94597-2540

Event Calendar

June 4: Neon Scorpion Evening Hike 14–16: Summer Camp ages 4–6 15–August 14: Artist Laurie Wigman exhibits

Drawing With Sticks in the Buckeye Room 17: Free Friday 18: Live. Wild. Animal Exhibition: Mammals at a California Campout 20: Mini Monday: Cozy Critter Campout 24: Friday Family Fun Night

July 9: Neon Scorpion Evening Hike 15: Free Friday 16: Members-only Family Campout at Lindsay 25: Mini Monday

August 16–18: Summer Camp ages 7–10 19: Free Friday 20: Bee Bop—National Honeybee Celebration! 20: Breakfast with the Animals 29: Mini Monday

September 6–9: Closed for Renovations 16: Free Friday 25: Evening at the Bistro! Va de Vi fundraiser for Lindsay Petunia, a Virginia opossum, is one of Lindsay's newest animal ambassadors. She came to Lindsay after having been kept as a pet.

For a complete list of upcoming events, visit lindsaywildlife.org.