Arctic Fest: Wings and Wolves
Winter may be a wonderland for wolves, but with each passing snowstorm the season has become more and more of a challenge for the WCC's operations and programs. Finally, on February 28, 2010, the WCC staff and volunteers made peace with Mother Nature by celebrating one of the iciest places on earth: the arctic.
Arctic Fest: Wings and Wolves, a new WCC program, dared attendees to use their imaginations to travel far from NY to the high arctic, a frozen region shrouded with snow and ice and veiled in darkness during the long winter season. With reminders of the most recent blizzard all around, this challenge wasn't a stretch...
The snow seemed appropriate when guests witnessed how comfortable winter can be for four very special arctic ambassadors: Dynamite the Gyrfalcon, Juno the Snowy Owl and the WCC's own Apache and Atka. Master falconer Brian Bradley, of Skyhunters in Flight, discussed some of the similarities that these arctic animals can share as he walked his large birds about the classroom. Dynamite interrupted Bradley's talk on a number of occasions with his falcon squawks and peeps and once stopped to ogle the bucket of meat set aside in the corner for a later encounter with the wolves!
When it was time to visit the wolves, Apache, Kaila, Lukas and Atka howled away along with the guests. Apache, like Dynamite, interrupted conversation with his beautiful song... nobody complained! The event ended with an exciting flight demo from Dynamite. Guests oohed and aahed as Dynamite climbed high above the WCC’s meadow and dove through the crowd! I think I'll look at winter differently now. I can't wait until next year when the Skyhunters will hopefully return!
