In addition to the American Red Wolves that Reflection Riding Nature Center and Arboretum protect, the property houses several injured animals. Many of those injured animals fall into the birds of prey, or raptor category. Raptors in particular are susceptible to injury as they react to prey in an ever-evolving landscape. Often times by the conditions humans create.
“You are driving down the road, you’ve got your apple core and you throw it on the side of the road thinking that it will bio-degrade,” explains Tish Gailmard. “It takes some time to do that. And while it’s sitting there it attracts rodents, mice, squirrel, and chipmunks. And these gorgeous birds of prey are the ones attracted to those rodents. So they swoop down to grab their dinner or swoop back up and get hit by a car.”
