Juneau Raptor Center facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Juneau Raptor Center |
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An injured eagle on display in the JRC's Mount Roberts Tramway habitat
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| Type | raptor rehabilitation center |
| Location | The Wharf Mall, 2 Marine Way, Juneau and Mount Roberts Tramway |
| Created | 1987 |
| Operated by | Janet Capito (President) |
| Other information | Exhibits: Bird rehabilitation center |
The Juneau Raptor Center (JRC) is a special place in Juneau, Alaska. It's a raptor rehabilitation center. This means they help birds of prey, like eagles and hawks, get well.
The center started in 1987. It's located in the beautiful Tongass National Forest. Their main goal is to help sick or hurt birds. They care for eagles, hawks, falcons, owls, ravens, and even tiny hummingbirds. These birds come from Juneau and other parts of Southeast Alaska.
The JRC is allowed to care for eagles and other migrating birds. They follow important rules to protect these amazing animals. The Juneau Raptor Center is a private, non-profit group. This means they rely on donations to keep helping birds every day. People can donate money or even food for the birds.
How the JRC Helps Birds
The JRC helps many birds each year. For example, in 2012, they treated 145 birds. Forty of these were raptors, and 105 were other types of birds.
All the staff who treat the birds are volunteers. They are very dedicated! Sometimes, they even keep the birds in their own homes while the birds recover.
The center also has a special place for visitors. It's at the top of the Mount Roberts Tramway. Here, you can see birds that are too hurt to go back into the wild. Volunteers are there to answer your questions. They teach you about the birds' lives and how they are cared for.
Amazing Bird Rescues
The Juneau Raptor Center helps many different kinds of birds. Even though it's called the "Raptor Center," they help any bird that needs care.
In 1998, they helped a young bald eagle. It had flown into a car. Volunteers took the eagle to a safe home. Luckily, the eagle was not badly hurt.
On one day in 2008, the JRC released three bald eagles! Their names were Truston, Gus, and Pete. Each eagle had different injuries. Some had torn muscles or trouble digesting food. But the JRC staff helped them all get better. Then, they were set free.
In 2010, the JRC rescued three baby barn swallows. They had fallen out of their nest. Two of the swallows did not make it. But the staff saved the third one. They named it Clinger. Clinger was fed and cared for. Soon, it was strong enough to fly free.
