Welcome, Twizzler!

We're excited to welcome another friend to Piedmont Wildlife Center! Twizzler, our Coastal Plains Milksnake, joins us after being unable to find a home at a local pet store. While he is still very small, Twizzler has a big personality! He is full of energy and loves exploring his enclosure as he settles into his new home. 

Twizzler is one of six Snake Ambassadors, including Izzy, our Eastern Milksnake. Although they're both milksnakes, they look quite different. Izzy has tan and brown markings with more muted colors, while Twizzler has bright red, black, and white bands. Both snakes are on the smaller side, with most milksnakes growing to be only 14 to 36 inches long.

Milksnakes have one of the widest ranges of any snake species in North America. They can be found from southern Canada all the way to Venezuela! There are as many as 24 milksnake subspecies, each living in a variety of habitats and sporting their own unique colors and patterns.

Speaking of, Twizzler's bright colors aren't just beautiful—they also keep him safe! Coastal Plains Milksnakes have bold red, black, and white bands that resemble the venomous Eastern Coral Snake. This is an example of mimicry, where one harmless animal resembles a dangerous one to scare away predators. You may have heard the rhyme, "Red touching black, friend of Jack. Red touching yellow can kill a fellow." While this rhyme can sometimes help identify snakes in parts of the southeastern United States, it isn't reliable everywhere. The safest thing to do is always admire wild snakes from a distance and never try to handle them.

Like all snakes, Twizzler uses his forked tongue to "smell" the world around him. Every time he flicks his tongue, he collects tiny scent particles from the air and ground. He then brings those scents to a special organ in the roof of his mouth, helping him find food and learn about his surroundings. If you meet him, you may even catch him flicking his tongue as he explores!

Despite being a milksnake, Twizzler doesn't drink milk! The name "milksnake" comes from an old wives' tale that these snakes sneak into barns at night to steal milk from cows. In reality, milksnakes visit barns because they're looking for prey like mice and rats. As carnivores and non-venomous constrictors, they help keep rodent populations under control. Here at Piedmont Wildlife Center, Twizzler enjoys a diet of small mice.

We are so excited to welcome Twizzler to his new home! We can't wait for you to meet our colorful new ambassador and discover why snakes like Twizzler are such an important part of healthy ecosystems.

Meet Penn, Our Newest Wildlife Ambassador!

It’s always an exciting day when we welcome a new Wildlife Ambassador! Meet Penn, our newest Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin), who recently joined us from the NC State Turtle Rescue Team.

Penn was brought to the Turtle Rescue Team after being struck by a car, leaving him with a fractured shell and a traumatic brain injury. While his shell healed, his brain injury permanently impacted his ability to swim. Because he can't survive in the wild, Penn has found a new home at Piedmont Wildlife Center, where he has a specially designed shallow habitat that allows him to move through the water safely while receiving the care he needs.

If you've met our longtime resident Diamondback Terrapin, Terra, you'll notice Penn looks quite different! Terra is about twice Penn's size. Female Diamondback Terrapins grow much larger than males because their bodies need extra space to produce and carry eggs. Penn also has darker coloring than Terra because of natural genetic variation that makes every Terrapin unique. The "diamondback" in Diamondback Terrapin comes from the beautiful diamond-shaped patterns on the scutes, or scales, of their shells.

Diamondback Terrapins are the only turtles in North America that spend nearly their entire lives in brackish water (a mix of fresh and salt water) along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States. Today, they face many threats including habitat loss, road mortality, crab traps, and climate change. Because of these challenges, they are listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and are considered a Species of Greatest Conservation Need by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

Penn may not be able to return to the wild, but he has an important new role as a Wildlife Ambassador. By meeting Penn, visitors can discover the amazing adaptations of Diamondback Terrapins and discover how simple actions, like watching for turtles crossing roads and protecting coastal wetlands, makes a big difference for wildlife.

SUPPORT PENN'S CARE WHEN YOU ADOPT AN AMBASSADOR

Trade Screentime for Sunshine this Earth Day

If you asked me to describe camp, I would proudly tell you, as I've told many before, that "It's like going back to a time before technology took over."

What I really mean is this:

Step into camp for a day, and a child will instantly take you under their wing. They'll parade you around, and suddenly you have a dozen new friends. These new friends will point out the trees above you, identify bird songs before you even notice them, and eagerly include you in all of their games and activities.

If you're like me and mention that you don't remember how to do the macarena, you'll find yourself suddenly surrounded by campers gleefully demonstrating and encouraging you to try. You'll be dusted in dirt and slick with sweat, laughing with leaves in your hair and that rosy-cheeked glow that can only come from a day spent under the sun.

I experienced this magic firsthand last week when I stepped into Homeschool in the Wild at Umstead State Park, and the collective joy was palpable. It's a feeling that blooms when you're fully present, together, and outside.

At Piedmont Wildlife Center, we protect the magic of childhood. We know that when kids swap tablets and televisions for climbing trees, exploring creeks, and trekking trails, they aren’t just going to have fun, but will become more engaged, resilient, and connected to the world around them. 

Today, we encourage you to make a meaningful-to-you contribution in honor of Earth Day and Children and Nature Awareness Month.

Can we count on you to help turn screentime back into sunshine for kids across the Triangle?

Happy Earth Day,

Madeline Preiss

Development Manager

Volunteer Appreciation Week 2026

Happy Volunteer Appreciation Week! We truly could not do what we do without our incredible volunteers. Today, we’re spotlighting three volunteers: Kerry, Leena, and Libby!

Kerry

Kerry, our longest serving volunteer, joined us as an Animal Care Volunteer in 2009. Animal Care Volunteers like Kerry support our Wildlife Education Team by feeding our mammals and reptiles every day.

For Kerry, spending time with our Wildlife Ambassadors is the perfect break from his day job as a Project Manager. He enjoys interacting with each animal and learning what makes them unique.

Leena

Leena has jumped into a variety of volunteer roles at PWC: Raven Enrichment, Outreach Events, and Animal Enrichment. As an Animal Enrichment Volunteer, Leena facilitates unique experiences for our Wildlife Ambassadors that encourage natural behaviors and keep their stress levels low.

Leena’s favorite part of volunteering? The sense of community and opportunity to learn new things! She shares: “Volunteering at PWC has been such a rewarding experience! If you have even a little curiosity or passion for wildlife, I can’t recommend it enough.”

Libby

As a Raptor Care Volunteer, Libby prepares meals for our hawks, owls, and raven, in addition to cleaning their enclosures. Libby values spending time with each raptor and learning their unique needs. 

In addition to volunteering with the raptors at PWC, Libby participates in Duke Forest’s Herp Research Program.

Thank you so much, Kerry, Leena, and Libby for your incredible commitment to Piedmont Wildlife Center and our Wildlife Ambassadors!

Vote for Our 2026 Summer Camp T-Shirt Design!

We received 20 outstanding submissions to our camp t-shirt design contest; each one inspired by the parks, Wildlife Ambassadors, and experiences that make Piedmont Wildlife Center special.

Explore all 20 designs in the slideshow below, then cast your vote for your favorite using this Google Form!

Voting Deadline: Monday, 4/20/2026

Option 1

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Option 20