In Memory: Otus the Eastern Screech Owl

We are heartbroken to share that Otus the eastern screech owl passed away this month. At 13 years old, Otus was one of Piedmont Wildlife Center's oldest raptor Ambassadors. Otus's expressiveness and big personality proved that amazing things do indeed come in small packages.

Otus was found in 2009 as a juvenile in Wilkes County, unable to fly after colliding with a window. Upon examination at Carolina Raptor Center, he was found to have a fractured left humerus that did not heal properly. His injury left him unable to fly, which meant he couldn't be released into the wild. Instead, he came to PWC in 2010, where he soon became one of our most beloved Ambassador Animals.

Otus went on countless school programs and outreach events during his time at PWC, including visits to the NC State Fair. Most people who have any connection with PWC met Otus at some point. He was absolutely a staff and volunteer favorite, and was the closest thing PWC has ever had to an "unofficial mascot"!

In the wild, eastern screech owls live to be about 8 or 10 years old, and many only live to be 2-5 years of age. In human care, that lifespan can be expanded to about 11 to 13 years. Otus lived exceptionally longer than he would have in the wild with his injuries - a testament to our Conservation Team and raptor volunteers' dedication to giving him (and all our Ambassador Animals) a healthy, enriched life.

Thank you to everyone who provided care for, sponsored, taught programs with, or just stopped to say hi to Otus over the last 13 years. We want to extend a special thank you to Dr. Emma Bogerd at Willow Creek Animal Hospital for providing care to Otus in his last moments. Dr. Bogerd had worked with Otus as one of our conservation interns in summer 2016. It brought our team great comfort to know that our little buddy had a friend with him at the end.

Whether you were here when he arrived in 2010, or just met him at a program this year, we would love to hear your favorite Otus memories in the comments below. If you feel moved to make a one-time or recurring donation in Otus's memory, you may do so at https://www.piedmontwildlifecenter.org/donate.

Here's to Otus's legacy of wildlife education and conservation. Otie, we hope you're flying high in the sky and catching all the mice on the other side.

PWC Voted Best Summer Camp & Best-Kept Secret in Durham

You came through for us, friends: Piedmont Wildlife Center is officially the Best Summer Camp AND Best-Kept Secret in Durham County, according to INDY Week's 2023 Best of the Triangle awards! We were also a runner up for Best Kids Non-Profit in Durham County.

We're so humbled by the support you've shown us this year. Awards like this aren't just bragging rights. They help us connect even more people with nature by raising awareness of our mission and reaching new audiences who will benefit from our life-changing programs.

Whether you nominated us, voted for us, or simply spread the word, thank you. A small non-profit like PWC is only as strong as our community - and lucky for us, our Piedmont family is the best around!

Support Through The Seasons donor drive is July 17-31st!

Owl Prowls in the winter, Turtle Treks in the spring, camp in the summer, school wildlife programs in the fall: Piedmont Wildlife Center connects people with nature every day, all year round. We believe in the power of hands-on nature encounters to inspire positive change, foster community, and instill a passion for protecting the environment in people of all ages.

Who makes all this possible? The amazing nature lovers in our Support Through The Seasons monthly giving program!

July 17th-31st is PWC's annual Support Through the Seasons donor drive. Join us in celebrating our supporters whose monthly gifts connect people to nature through spring, summer, fall, and winter. Help us reach our goal of welcoming 12 new members by the end of July - and consider becoming one yourself!

Not only do our members' gifts provide much-needed financial support for PWC's educational programs, Ambassador Animal care, and box turtle research... but membership also comes with exclusive perks like:

• From the Cabin Porch quarterly donor newsletter & PWC car magnet ($5/month and up)

• Discount on online Nature Store purchases ($10/month and up)

• Early camp registration & discount on PWC camps/homeschool ($25/month and up)

• Piedmont Wildlife Center t-shirt of your choice ($50/month and up)

• Private in-person or virtual meet-and-greet with Ambassador Animals of your choice ($100/month and up)

• Naming or dedication privileges for an Ambassador Animal, garden, structure, or enclosure ($500/month and up)

• Invitation to a special donor event this September (all monthly donors!)

New and increasing monthly donors who join during the drive will also receive a brand-new, exclusive thank-you gift: your choice of either a lightweight PWC towel or a 25-oz. reusable PWC water bottle.

Learn more about our individual giving levels and perks - then show your #SupportThroughTheSeasons by starting a monthly, tax-deductible gift today!

Piedmont Wildlife Center is an IRS-designated 401(c)3 non-profit organization.

You helped us soar past our July Bonus Day goal!

July Bonus Day 2023 is in the books! Thanks to your generosity, we received a total of $6,059 in donations, including matching funds from both GlobalGiving and our anonymous donor.

What will $6,059 accomplish here at Piedmont Wildlife Center?

• $2,334 will be offered in camp scholarships, which will allow 6 kids in need to attend a week-long session of camp at no cost to their families

• $2,010 will replace worn-out radio transmitters and receivers for our on-site box turtle research and get more people involved in our citizen science project

• $1,590 will defray transportation costs and purchase binoculars, field guides, and other supplies for afterschool programs at local public schools

• $125 will replace all the light bulbs in our reptile Ambassador Animals' enclosures... with enough left over to buy Parsley a bag of hay!

Summer is our busiest season at PWC, and it's also the time when we feel the impact of your generosity most. From our entire team, thank you for helping us soar past our $3,000 goal and turning your love of nature into action this July Bonus Day!

Tomorrow is July Bonus Day on GlobalGiving!

Summer camps, wildlife programs, backpacking trips, tours, outreach events - summer is our busiest season at Piedmont Wildlife Center. It's also the time when we're reminded daily why we work hard to connect people with nature:

• Seeing a kid who's afraid of getting dirty take their first step into the woods.

• Watching a family's eyes light up when they meet Apollo and realize the bird calling outside their apartment at night is a barred owl.

• Helping teens discover inner strength they never knew they had on a backpacking trip to the mountains.

As a small nonprofit, PWC relies on your support to make these magic moments possible - and tomorrow, Wednesday, July 12th, your gift can connect even more people with nature when you give to PWC on GlobalGiving.

This Wednesday, July 12th is July Bonus Day on GlobalGiving! Starting at 9 AM EST, GlobalGiving will match all donations of $100 or more made on their platform. The bigger the gift, the higher the match:

Donations of $100-$499 will be matched at 30%
Donations of $500-$749 will be matched at 40%
Donations of $750-$1,000 will be matched at 50%

As an extra bonus, an anonymous donor has offered an additional 100% match on the first $1,000 we receive on July 12th! Between GlobalGiving and this private match, your gift of $100 becomes $230... $500 becomes $1,200...  $750 becomes $1,875... and $1,000 becomes $2,500!

Can we count on your support this Wednesday, July 12th? Learn more about July Bonus Day and view our GlobalGiving projects below - then mark your calendars for July Bonus Day on July 12th!