Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo
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| Location | Pueblo, Colorado |
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| Coordinates | 38°16′18″N 104°40′41″W / 38.271543°N 104.678078°WCoordinates: 38°16′18″N 104°40′41″W / 38.271543°N 104.678078°W |
| Website | http://natureandraptor.org/ |
Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo is a nature preserve, formerly known as "Greenway and Nature Center of Pueblo," which is located in Pueblo, Colorado, United States. It is a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt corporation and includes a raptor rehabilitation facility.
The Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo is located in Rock Canyon on the banks of the Arkansas River, and includes a blend of aquatic, riparian, transition, and semi-arid grassland habitats. The mission of the Nature and Raptor Center is to provide unique experiences in education, conservation and recreation that environmental stewardship.
History
The Arkansas Valley Audubon Society founded the Audubon River Trails Nature Center in 1979 to preserve an area where people from Pueblo and the surrounding areas could observe, explore, and enjoy nature. In 1981, the Raptor Center was added. In 1983 the nature center incorporated as a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt organization as "The Greenway and Nature Center of Pueblo." In 2008 the name was again changed to "Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo."
Facilities
The Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo includes a blend of aquatic, riparian, transition, and semi-arid grassland habitats, and offers picnicking, wildlife viewing, fishing, kayaking, and nature walks, as well as access to the Pueblo River Trail System.
The Raptor Center, which was founded in 1981, specializes in rehabilitation of birds of prey. Injured and orphaned birds of prey from throughout southeastern Colorado are admitted to the facility and cared for with the hope that they can be returned to the wild. In 2016, the Raptor Center had 16,360 visitors.
Events
The Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo hosts the Colorado Owl Festival each fall and the Raptor Resolution Run each December. In February, the Nature and Raptor Center and Colorado Parks and Wildlife team up and put on Eagle Days. In April, the Nature and Raptor Center puts together their annual Earth Day Dinner to honor their environmental heroes in the community. In November, the Nature and Raptor Center has their annual fundraising breakfast.
Education
In 2016, the Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo provided 527 environmental education programs both raptor and non raptor related. There are Weekend Raptor Talks at 11:30am on Saturdays and Sundays, a monthly 4th Saturday Birdwalk (led by members of the Arkansas Valley Audubon Society) and Full Day Summer Nature Camps for children entering Kindergarten to 12th grade.
Conservation
In 2016, the Raptor Center admitted 372 raptors and released 100 back to the wild.