Alaska Raptor Center Looks Forward to the Visitors Season and Beyond

Founded by two friends in a garage on the Sheldon Jackson College campus in 1980, the Alaska Raptor Center begins in 36th year with much to look forward to now and in the future. With a new director on-board, a donation of land in the works, and renewed focus on extending its story to patrons around the world, the Center feels there are still many untapped opportunities to execute its mission of rehabilitation, education and research and share the story every day with new patrons.

Late last year, Pete Colson was installed as the new director at the Center, replacing Debbie Reeder who successfully guided the Center for eight years. With a robust passion for raptors and a diverse background in the administration of nonprofit, government and education programs, Pete will be working diligently with staff, the board of directors and donors to build out the facilities and create opportunities to engage patrons worldwide through on-site opportunities, outreach programs and the internet, including streaming Center activities such as bird releases, veterinary telemedicine and the rehabilitation of eagles in the flight training center. High priority on the new director’s list of projects is creating a sustainable plan for housing interns, volunteers, and scientists. Pete believes that there are many people who would welcome the chance to be part of the Center’s story and mission.

By early summer, the director expects to close a land deal that will transfer approximately 8-10 acres of undeveloped forest and Indian River shoreline to the Center. One of the last remnants of the Sheldon Jackson campus, the donation will likely grow the Center’s campus to over 25 acres. In turn, the Center has agreed to match the donation with part of its own land for placement in a conservation easement, securing approximately 17 acres from further development. An important element in the production and research of the salmon population in Sitka Sound, the preservation of the Indian River watershed and salmon forest ecosystem also helps sustain an important habitat for local and migratory raptors. The Center additionally sees this as an opportunity to further educate and interpret for patrons the important ecological relationships that exist in the temperate rainforest. The Center plans to add new interpretive signage, trails and knowledgeable guides to work this part of the campus starting this season.

This year again, the Center be exporting its program to the Rainforest Sanctuary in Ketchikan to give visitors along the Inside Passage the opportunity to learn more about Alaska’s birds of prey. A smaller program, three curators and five raptors, will give visitors a chance to look into the penetrating blue eyes of a bald eagle and learn about the importance of conserving their environment.

Staff stayed busy this past winter with rehabilitation work. With approximately 15 eagles currently in the flight training center, a steady stream of small owls admitted to the clinic and 24 resident birds to care for every day, the bird curators provided a plethora of services during the past five months, including processing 25-30lbs of fish and rodents for diets each day, hand feeding injured owls and trimming the beaks and talons of the resident birds. The Center is expecting to add new birds to the education team before the beginning of the season. Many of the favorites birds will again be displayed and part of the programming this year, including Qigiq, a snowy owl; Boris, a great grey owl; and Sunset, a bald eagle.

The Alaska Raptor Center is looking forward to a new season of extending our knowledge and passion to our patrons and helping Sitka and the Earth become more habitable and humane.