It’s a rare occasion, getting to look a turkey vulture or bald eagle in the eye but, a group of lucky ticketholders were able to do just that in Vernon, B.C., at the Allan Brooks Nature Centre.
For the fifth year, the nature centre partnered with the Pacific Northwest Raptors on Vancouver Island to teach a socially-distanced crowd about how pesticides and rodenticides can harm those who poach them.
“People want to know raptors; they are so fascinating because we can’t get close to them,” said Cheryl Hood, Allan Brooks Nature Centre manager.
“It’s really great to get people up close and educated about the raptors that they know sometimes our actions can harm them and we really want people to understand that.”
Putting on the event amid the White Rock Lake wildfire and the pandemic made it more important than ever, said Hood. The event was put on to give residents some reprieve and spread joy during uncertain times.
They are following public health orders, implementing social-distancing practices and are strongly suggesting masks be worn at the outdoor event.
The event runs until the Aug. 29. However, due to public health restrictions the size of the crowd is limited and tickets are sold out.
The event is set to return for a sixth year in 2022.