Community Corner
The Call of the Wild
Visitors learn how coyotes, deer, hawks and other animals are cared for at the California Wildlife Center's open house in Calabasas.
The California Wildlife Center in Calabasas opened its doors Sunday for its fall open house and welcomed the community to learn how it cares for more than 2,000 wild animals a year.
The 300 people who stopped by were shown the center's baby animal hospital, the intensive care unit, and some of the outdoor enclosures where wild birds, squirrels and deer are held.
"It's cool!" said attendee Kate Bolkin after the tour. "I wish I could work here."
Find out what's happening in Calabasaswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Although she has a few more years before she's 18 and eligible to volunteer, many of the current staff members have been working with the center for years since it opened in 1997.
"This is our way of letting people physically come and see what we do here," said Juliet Beynon, vice president of the California Wildlife Center board, "because otherwise you may not know what we do."
Find out what's happening in Calabasaswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
A nonprofit organization, the California Wildlife Center rehabilitates about 2,700 wild animals a year. It spends $800 a day caring for marine animals and wildlife.
Animals in need of care are brought to the center where they are treated until well enough to be released back into the wild.
"We're like an animal paramedic," said Beynon.
The only animals the center doesn't accept are bears and mountain lions because of their size, and raccoons because of the multiple diseases they carry.
Many participants said the open house was a great introduction to the center and an opportunity to learn more about wildlife. Some of the parents said they wished the event had been more hands on for the kids.
"It's very educational and great but I was wishing we could see more animals," said Amy Wheeler, who brought her children hoping to get closer to the wildlife.
Attendees were kept away from some of the animals for safety and to ensure the health of the recovering animals, but the center broadcast live video of coyotes, owls and other animals in their cages to give people a view of the rehabilitation process.
The open house was an educational experience for visitors but for volunteer Jerry Murphy, it was an opportunity to share something close to his heart.
"We do this out of love," he said.