[ MUSIC ] [ MUSIC ] >>> IT'S NO SECRET THAT COLUMBUS IS CONTINUING TO EXPAND AND CONTINUING TO GROW AND WHILE THAT'S GREAT FOR OUR STATE IT'S GREAT FOR OUR STATE ECONOMY, IT IS A DETRIMENT TO OUR ANIMALS.

THE MORE HOUSES WE BUILD AND THE MORE BUILDINGS WE BUILD AND THE FURTHER OUT WE KEEP GOING AND THE MORE THESE ANIMALS ARE LOSING THEIR HABITAT.

OHIO WILD LIFE CENTER IS THE LARGEST IN THE STATE FOR WILD LIFE REHABILITATORS AND THEY'VE THE FRONT LINE IN TEACHING PEOPLE THIS IS WHAT AN ANIMAL NEEDS HELP AND THIS IS WHEN THEY DON'T NEED HELP AND WE HAVE A WILD LIFE HOSPITAL THAT TAKES IN ANIMALS THAT ARE EITHER INJURED, OR FANNED OR COME TO US BECAUSE THEY'RE ILL. >> WHAT WE HAVE OFTEN ARE WILD LIFE CONFLICT AS HUMANS AND THAT INCLUDES ORPHANED ANIMALS MOSTLY.

THAT MAKES UP 70% OF OUR PROGRAM, THAT INCLUDES SQUIRRELS, RABBITS, RACCOONS AND SONGBIRDS AND OF COURSE, OUR FAVORITE O OPOSSUMS.

WE TOOK OVER A THOUSAND THIS YEAR WHICH IS A LOT, BUT THEY'RE NORTH AMERICA'S MARSUPIAL.

WE LOVE THAT LITTLE KIDDO AND WE ALSO TAKE INJURED ANIMALS.

HIT BY CARS IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON AND FOLLOWED BY CATS AND BY DOGS.

[ MUSIC ] [ MUSIC ] >> WE HAVE DIFFERENT ROOMS FOR EACH OF OUR SPECIES.

THINGS LIKE TANKS FOR WATER FOWLS TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN SWIM DURING THE DAY AND ENCLOSURES FOR LARGER MAMMALS AND THEY CAN MOVE AROUND AND CREATE HOUSING IN DENS AND OTHER SONGBIRDS SO THEY CAN'T ESCAPE AND IT FITS THEIR NEEDS, AS WELL.

WE ALSO HAVE THINGS OFF-SITE, WINE COOLERS FOR OUR BATS AND THE WINE COOLERS ARE WAYS WE CAN HIBERNATE OUR BATS AND THEY CAN PRACTICE THEIR NATURAL HORMONES OF HIBERNATION.

SO THEY GO INSIDE A WINE COOLER WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 41 DEGREE ASKS REPLICATES THE WINTER FOR THEM AND THEY STAY THERE ALL OF THE WAY UNTIL MAY.

[ MUSIC ] [ MUSIC ] [ MUSIC ] >> WE HAVE THREE INCREDIBLE WOMEN, OUR EDUCATION TEAM AND THEY ARE DEDICATED TO BRINGING KNOWLEDGE, INFORMATION AND UNDERSTANDING TO THE COMMUNITY.

>> OOH, BIG BOY!

WHERE ARE YOU GOING?

>> I GET TO TAKE CARE OF THE ANIMALS THAT ARE NON-RELEASABLE.

SO WHETHER THEY HAVE BEEN STOLEN TO BE A PET OR WHETHER THEY ARE TOO INJURED TO RELEASE BACK OUT INTO THE WILD OR SOMETIMES WE AREN'T ALLOWED TO RELEASE THEM BACK OUT AND THEY'RE PLACED IN AN EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT CAN BE WITH US OR IN OTHER PERMIT FACILITIES.

[ MUSIC ] [ MUSIC ] >> WE'RE ABOUT TO HEAD INTO TORCH AND RUSSIA'S ENCLOSURE AND THEY'RE TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF HAWKS.

WE HAVE TORCH THE RED-TAILED HAWK WHO HAS A VERY STEREO TYPICAL ORANGEY RED TAIL AND WE HAVE RUSS WHO IS OUR OUR AMBASSADOR ANIMALS AND THEY'LL BE WITH US FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIFE AND TYPICALLY BIRDS LIKE THIS CAN LIVE UNDER HUMAN CARE FOR 20, 30 YEARS AND IT'S A PRETTY GOOD LIFE THAT THEY CAN LIVE WITH US.

THEY HAVE REALLY KEEN VISION THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE USING MOSTLY TO FIND THEIR PREY.

THAT IS PART OF THE REASON WHY OUR HAWKS ARE WITH US AND THAT THEY CAN'T BE RELEASED AND IT'S BECAUSE THESE TWO IN PARTICULAR HAVE ISSUES WITH THEIR VISION.

SO TORCH, OUR RED-TAILED HAWK, GOT CAUGHT UP IN A GAS LEAK, LOTS OF PLANTS WILL RELEASE CERTAIN GASSES AND IGNITE THOSE GASSES AND UNFORTUNATELY, HE WAS IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME.

HE HAD BURNT OFF MOST OF HIS FEATHERS AND WE LIKE TO SAY HE LOOKED LIKE THE ROTISSERIE CHICKENS YOU BUY AT KROGER AND HE HAD BROKEN HIS BEAK, AS WELL AND NONE OF THOSE ARE GOOD FOR A HAWK AND WITH ALL OF THOSE ISSUES HE WOULD NOT BE RELEASABLE MOSTLY WITH THE EYE ISSUE.

WE LIKE TO CALL HIM OUR HOT MESS.

>> THANK [ MUSIC ] [ MUSIC ] [ MUSIC ] >> THIS IS CHASE AND CHASE IS ONE OF OUR TURKEY VULTURES.

OUR ONLY TURKEY VULTURE.

CHASE IS WITH US BECAUSE HE WAS BORN WITH TERRIBLE CAT RABLTHS CATARACTS AND HE IS ALMOST ALL OF THE WAY BLIND AND HE CAN SEE SHADOWS AND WE CALL HIM TIPPY TAPPY TOES BECAUSE TO GET AROUND HE LIKES TO KIND OF TEST OUT WHERE HE'S ABOUT TO WALK.

VULTURES ARE VERY, VERY SMART.

THEY ARE REALLY SOCIAL SO THEY LIKE TO LIVE IN BIG FAMILY GROUPS AND UNFORTUNATELY WHAT HAPPENED WITH CHASE IS HIS FAMILY WOULD LEAVE HIM FOR THE DAY.

HE WAS NOT REALLY FINDING APPROPRIATE FOOD SO HE WAS PICKING UP TRASH, BEING FED BY PEOPLE SOME INAPPROPRIATE THINGS LIKE CHEETOS AND DORITOS AND ALL OF THAT.

LUCKILY SOMEONE KNEW THAT IT WAS NOT A GREAT LIFE FOR A VULTURE TO NOT BE ABLE TO DO WHAT NORMAL VULTURE THINGS CAN DO AND WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH HIM RIGHT NOW IS GETTING A GOOD WEIGHT ON HIM.

HE WEIGHED 1678, ABOUT THREE-ISH POUNDS.

YOU WANT TO GO HOME?

[ MUSIC ] [ MUSIC ] [ MUSIC ] [ MUSIC ] [ MUSIC ] >>> MY NAME IS ALLISON SULLIVAN AND I'M THE EDUCATION PROGRAM COORDINATOR AND I HANG OUT WITH AMBASSADORS ALL DAY LONG WHICH IS GREAT AND IN THIS HOUSE WE HAVE OUR TWO COYOTES THAT LIVE WITH US FULL TIME.

DRYDEN IS OUR OLDEST KAY OATY AND HE'S 12, ALMOST 13 YEARS OLD NOW AND CASPER IS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD AND HE IS A PUPPY AND DEFINITELY HAS THE PUPPY PERSONALITY.

WE NAMED HIM CASPER BECAUSE THEY'RE FRIENDLY LITTLE GHOSTS AND CASPER IS FRIENDLY, AND LOVES TO SEE PEOPLE AND WE'RE WORKING ON HIS CONFIDENCE.

DRYDEN WHO WAS TAKEN FROM THE WILD WHEN HE WAS A PUP.

THESE GUYS ARE NOT PETS.

THEY ARE WILD ANIMALS AND HE GOT TOO COMFORTABLE WHEN HE WAS A PUP WE PEOPLE AND WHEN CASPER WAS BROUGHT TO THE HOSPITAL HE WAS FOUND NEXT TO HIS MOM WHO WAS FOUND HIT BY A CAR.

>> THEY WERE TOO HABITUATED AND COMFORTABLE WITH PEOPLE AND A LOT OF ANIMALS MAKE COOL, EXOTIC PETS AND THEY KEEP WILD LIFE IN THE WILD WHERE THEY BELONG.

THESE TWO WOULD BE OUT HUNTING RODENTS OUT IN THE WILD.

THEY ARE A TOP PREDATOR IN OUR ECOSYSTEM, BUT WHEN THEY CANNOT GO BACK OUT INTO THE WILD AND THEY ARE FRIENDLY LIKE THESE TWO, THEY MAKE EXCELLENT AMBASSADORS FOR THEIR SPECIES AND PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE AFRAID OF COYOTES CAN COME LEARN ABOUT THEM AND SEE THAT THEY'RE NOT AS SCARY AND NOT AS BIG AS PEOPLE THINK.

WE ARE GOING TO MOVE TO OUR NEXT ENCLOSURE WHERE THE FOXES LIVE.

EVY LIVES ON THIS SIDE.

EVIE'S COLORATION YOU WOULD NOT FIND IN THE WILD AND SHE WAS A CAPTIVE BRED FOX AND UNFORTUNATELY, FARMS ARE STILL IN EXISTENCE IN OHIO.

SHE'S NEVER LIVED OUT IN THE WILD AND SHE WAS FOUND OUT IN THE WILD WANDERING AROUND BEING VERY COMFORTABLE PEOPLE AND WALKING RIGHT UP TO PEOPLE WHICH WE NEVER WANT FOR A WILD ANIMAL.

PENELOPE IS A RED FOX THAT'S NOT SO RED.

SHE'S ANOTHER ONE WHO WE THINK WAS CAPTIVE BRED AND HER COLORATION WAS NOT SOMETHING YOU WOULD FIND NATURALLY IN THE WILD.

MR. POPO, HE WAS A KID AND HIS DEN WAS FLOODED AND HIS SIBLINGS WERE SPREAD OUT AND HE WAS FOUND BY A POLICE OFFICER AND WE NAMED HIM POPO.

EVERY DAY WE GIVE HIM A CARDBOARD BOX OR A NEW SMELL OR A NEW TOY TO PLAY WITH AND THEY'RE MUCH SMARTER THAN PEOPLE GIVE THEM CREDIT FOR.

THESE GUYS LIKE TINY BOXES, WHETHER IT BE A TOOTHPASTE BOX OR A MILK DUD BOX AND WE'LL PUT THEIR KIBEL, FRUIT OR MEAT INSIDE AND THEY LIKE TO CARRY IT AROUND AND FOXES ARE SOMETIMES DIGGERS AND SOMETIMES THEY'LL DIG A HOLE, HIDE THEIR FOOD FOR LATER AND THEY LIKE TO HAVE FUN JUST LIKE WE DO.

[ MUSIC ] >>> MY NAME IS DELANEY GALBRAITH AND I'M A PRE-RELEASE FACILITY MANAGER AND WE ARE INSIDE OF OUR LARGE RAPTOR ENCLOSURE.

IN HERE IS WHERE OUR LARGE RAPTORS, ANYTHING FROM RED-TAILED HAWKS, A GREAT-HORNED OWL TO A BALD EAGLE SPEND THEIR TIME AFTER THEY'VE BEEN INJURED AND BROUGHT TO OUR HOSPITAL.

HERE THEY LEARN TO FLY AGAIN.

THEY LEARN TO MANEUVER AND CATCH THEIR WILD PREY.

THEY GET THEIR BRAINS TICKLED SO ONCE THEY GO BACK OUT THEY ARE SET UP FOR SUCCESS.

>> OVER AT THE EDUCATION FACILITY, IT'S TOTALLY FINE IF THEY'RE INTO PEOPLE AND OBVIOUSLY, IF THEY ARE GOING BACK OUT TO THE WILD WE DON'T WANT THEM TO BE HABITUATED TO PEOPLE AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC DOESN'T LIKE IT WHEN A GREAT HORNED OWL COMES UP FOR FOOD.

WE TRY TO KEEP TALKING TO A MINIMUM ESPECIALLY WITH THE A DULTS.

WHEN THEY'RE YOUNGER YOU HAVE TO WEAR A FACE MASK AND NOT TALK AT ALL AND THEY WILL IMPRINT QUICKLY AND THEY LIKE TO DIVE BOMB PEOPLE ONCE THEY GET RELEASED.

I'LL GET THE BOPPER AS THEY CALL IT.

THE BOPPER IS A PVC PIPE WITH A POOL NOODLE IN THE END AND THEY ENCOURAGE THEM.

WE COME UP BEHIND THEM AND GIVE THEM AN OVERHEAD VIEW AND NONE OF THEM LIKE IT AND SOMETIMES THE RED TAIL DECIDES NO, I DO NOT WANT TO FLY.

I WANT TO FIGHT YOU, INSTEAD.

WHICH IS, UNFORTUNATELY, RATHER COMMON WHEN THEY'RE FIRST COMING OUT HERE.

THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE BOPPER IS AND THEY SPEND TIME AT THE HOSPITAL TRYING TO HEAL SEVERE FRACTURES.

WE HAVE A RED-TAILED HAWK HERE WHO FLEW THROUGH A GAS PLUME.

HE HAS BEEN WITH US FOR QUITE A FEW MONTHS NOW.

HE CAME IN WITH COMPLETELY SCORCHED FEATHERS NOT ABLE TO FLY AT ALL, AND WE HAVE BEEN DOING A PROCESS CALLED IMPING.

[ MUSIC ] [ MUSIC ] >> TODAY WE ARE GOING TO BE IMPING A RED TAIL AND WE'LL BE TAKING OFF DAMAGED FEATHERS AND TAKING THEM ON AND GIVING HIM'S DONOR FEATHER.

THEY'LL MOLT THOSE FEATHERS OFF AND THEY'LL WORK THEIR MUSCLES DURING THE TIME OF THAT MOLT.

SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE A METHOD USING GLUE AND DOWEL RODS.

WE INSERT THE DOWEL ROD INTO THE SHAFT AND WE WILL ATTACH IT TO THE OTHER RED TAIL TO CREATE A NEW FEATHER.

THESE FEATHERS CAME FROM A DONOR.

A DONOR RED TAIL HAD A NON-REHABABLE INJURY AND RATHER THAN HAVE THAT BODY GO TO WASTE IT'S GREAT TO USE THAT FOR OTHER RESOURCES.

[ MUSIC ] [ MUSIC ] [ MUSIC ] [ MUSIC ] [ MUSIC ] >>> RED-TAILED HAWKS AND MOST OF OUR RAPTORS ACTUALLY HAVE THEIR OWN TERRITORY.

SO WE RELEASE WITHIN A HALF MILE OF WHERE THEY WERE FOUND INITIALLY.

WE ALLOW FOR THE HALF MILE BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO RELEASE THEM ON THE SIDE OF 71 AFTER THEY GOT HIT BY A CAR.

[ MUSIC ] [ MUSIC ] >> AN IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE IS HOW CAN WE HELP SUPPORT WILDLIFE HERE IN OUR BACKYARD AND JUST MAKING SURE IT IS PEACEFULLY COEXISTING IS SO IMPORTANT.

TURNING ON A LIGHT BEFORE YOU'RE GOING OUTSIDE.

MAKE SURE YOU'RE SCARING AWAY A SPECIES BEFORE THE DOG GOES OUT.

KEEPING THE DOG ON A LEASH IF POSSIBLE AND CHECKING FOR A RABBIT'S NEST AND MAKING SURE THERE'S NOT A WILDLIFE ANIMAL LIVING THERE THAT WOULD BE ORPHANED OR NO LONGER WITH A PARENT.

>> MAKING SMALL EFFORTS TO HAVE THE CONSCIOUSNESS AND HAVE THE HEART TO CARE FOR THESE ANIMALS WILL HELP THEM SURVIVE.

[ MUSIC ] [ MUSIC ]