As most of you know, we lost Leslie Landcaster and her daughter in a bad car accident almost 2 months ago. She was the only caretaker and presenter of Petra the bald eagle in Bird TLC's Education Progam. We have 3 other bald eagles in the program. Now we have too many eagles and not enough handlers.
Cindy had members apply for the handler position and decided to have multiple handlers work with Petra. All that applied had not worked with an eagle before and only one has worked with a raptor. From those she selected three.She also reached into her bag of tricks and got Alex Carter, long time Bird TLC member, eagle handler
and trainer to help out. Yesterday was the third class but it was the first day Petra was put on fist since Leslie had done so last. Petra did a fine job however you could tell she was a little lost because she misses her caretaker and there's new people trying to take her place.At left clockwise; May Bethe, Golden Eagle caretaker and handler. Greg MacDonald, Linda and Todd Boren, Steve Ross in training. Cindy Palmatier, Rehab Director, Alex and Petra.
4 comments:
So sad about Leslie and her daughter. Such a terrible loss. I'd like to think if I lived up there, I'd definitely volunteer to help out and work with the Bald Eagles. I'm glad to see people showing up and wanting to train. Wonderful
I agree with Robin; it doesn't seem so easy here to have the opportunity to work with birds if you want to.
I'm sure Petra will be glad to be handled again once she, and you all, get used to the idea. I'd bet Leslie would want that.
Opportunities are out there if you look...I started out as a lowly grunt at RAPTOR.
It blows me away that you have so many presenters. We have....me.
I dream of a day that I have STAFF.
I hope Petra grows to accept another human. What a loss, Leslie.
Robin - we would be glad to have you.
Laura - I hope that's what Leslie would want. She did have a person in training at the time of her death, but she lives hours away from Anchorage.
Susan - recruit, recruit, recuit.
Post a Comment