Skip Maine state header navigation
Skip First Level Navigation | Skip All Navigation
 |
| Home | Contact Us | IFW Home |
Site Map |
|
|
Home
> Press Releases
Wildlife Park Press ReleasesFor Immediate Release Contact: Lisa Kane Telephone: (207) 287-3303 May 14, 2012 FRIENDS OF THE MAINE WILDLIFE PARK ANNUAL PLANT SALE! From Saturday May 26th through Memorial Day Monday, the 28th, the FRIENDS OF THE MAINE WILDLIFE PARK will be conducting their annual and extremely popular annual plant sale. The Friends volunteer group helps out the wildlife park in so many ways; this year fundraising specifically for a new and more spacious Canada lynx exhibit.
Any plants that are left over will continue to be sold in front of the Snack Shack well into June or until they are gone. www.wildlifeparkfriends.org May 7, 2012 Endangered Species Day Although National Endangered Species Day is on Friday May 18th, we will continue and celebrate this national event on Saturday May 19th from 11am – 2pm, at the Maine Wildlife Park in Gray.
Governor Paul Lepage has proclaimed the month of May 2012 as Endangered Species Month throughout the state, and he urges all citizens to recognize this observance. The wildlife park is home to 6 different Maine species that are listed as either endangered, threatened or of special concern. The bald eagle, another species at the park that was formerly listed as endangered, is now happily ‘delisted’, because its population has made such a tremendous comeback in Maine and across the US.
Join the Endangered Species Coalition to learn more about the importance of protecting over 50 different species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fish listed as endangered or threatened in Maine. A special guest will include the Alaska Wilderness League’s Polar Bear Mascot, who will be available for photo opportunities with the kids at several times during the 3 hour exhibit. There will be endangered species activities, coloring books, posters, masks and kites that the kids can ‘make and take’. April 30, 2012 Migratory Bird Day at the Maine Wildlife Park INTERNATIONAL MIGRATORY BIRD DAY On Saturday May 12th from 11am – 2pm, join Steve Oliveri, Assistant Superintendent of the Maine Wildlife Park on Route 26 in Gray, to celebrate International Migratory Bird Day.
This international event is recognized in Canada, US, Mexico, Central and South America. Bird migration is one of the most important and spectacular natural events on the continent.
Semipalmated Sandpiper Learn about the birds that come to Maine to breed and raise young. Practice using binoculars and spotting scopes. Compare your ‘wing span’ to that of hawks, osprey and eagles. Meet and photograph the Park’s resident bald eagle; and help color a giant bird mural. This will be a fun and educational event for the whole family. www.birdday.org April 23, 2012 Maine's Big Cats Gray, Maine - On Friday, May 4th at 11:00am, wildlife park visitors and local media are invited to enjoy the Grand Opening of the Park’s new, state of the art Mountain Lion Exhibit. MDIFW Commissioner Chandler Woodcock will be in attendance and will assist Ray Clark, President of the Friends of the Maine Wildlife Park, to officiate the ribbon cutting ceremony. Over a year in construction, this ambitious project was funded in large part by the Friends of the Maine Wildlife Park. Additional and substantial contributions in time, labor and landscaping came from Park volunteers, inmates from Windham Correctional Center, MDIFW engineering and wildlife park staff. This new, spacious cougar exhibit is a total of 3500 square feet, the largest exhibit of its kind in New England! It features boulders, caves and large trees to simulate the cougar’s natural habitat; as well as large glass viewing panels the length of the exhibit to allow for wonderful viewing and photography opportunities. The exhibit has been dedicated to Connie Kippax, a former wildlife park volunteer whose favorite animal was the cougar, and who spent thousands of hours leading tours and teaching about the park’s wildlife. On Saturday May 5th from 11am – 2pm, the Maine Wildlife Park on Route 26 in Gray will feature special exhibits and displays about the 3 wild cat species indigenous to Maine – the Canada Lynx, Bobcat, and Mountain Lion. Three Big Cat ‘Discovery Stations’ will be staffed with activities and games designed for kids and their parents to learn more about Maine’s wild cats. Special Big Cat feeding times have been scheduled on Saturday for visitors to view the cats -- and what and how they eat. At 12 noon, the bobcats will have lunch; at 1:00pm the Canada Lynx will eat and at 2:00pm, watch the mountain lion dine! Canada Lynx are listed as a Threatened species in Maine and are fully protected; however a 7 year MDIFW study of our lynx population revealed there are up to 600 animals living in remote, northwestern regions of the state. Bobcats are found statewide, and their overall population is considered healthy and stable. Although a reproducing population of Mountain Lions has long been extirpated from Maine (they are no longer found in the state; but healthy populations exist elsewhere); sightings of individual cougars are reported to the Department of Fish and Wildlife regularly. The relocation of the wildlife park mountain lions allowed us to move the 4 bobcats into the former cougar exhibit, giving them much more room to roam both horizontally and vertically. This active family of wild cats should provide great viewing for Park visitors. View photo's of the big cats! April 2, 2012 Maine Wildlife Park Opening for the 2012 Season The Maine Wildlife Park on Route 26 in Gray will be opening for the 2012 season at 9:30am on Saturday April 14th this year. With close to 97,000 visitors during 2011, we are looking forward to welcoming both returning and new folks this year. Visitors will be enjoying a new, state of the art mountain lion exhibit, funded by the Friends of the Maine Wildlife Park and the Park itself. This new, spacious exhibit is a total of 3500 square feet, the largest exhibit of its kind in New England! It features boulders, caves and large trees to simulate cougar’s natural habitat; as well as large glass viewing panels the length of the exhibit to allow for wonderful viewing and photography opportunities. With the relocation of the mountain lions, our 4 bobcats have moved into the former cougar exhibit, giving them much more room to roam both horizontally and vertically. This active family of wild cats should provide great viewing for Park visitors. In 2011, over 8100 visitors took advantage of our free, guided audio tour of the park’s exhibits via their own personal cell phones! By dialing the access number provided, and punching in the number of the exhibit they’d like to hear more about, a short recording gives fun wildlife facts, information and history about the individual animal(s) being viewed. The most popular animals were surprisingly the fisher and the raccoon – for the 2nd year in a row! Over 20 weekend events have been scheduled throughout the summer and into the fall, as well. Our kick off day is May 5, with Maine’s Big Cats and the grand opening of the new Mountain Lion Exhibit. Other weekend presentations throughout the summer include the Endangered Species Coalition, Sparks Ark, ATV Maine, the Ancient Ones, Maine Apple Day and much more. The Final Charge, a museum quality re-creation of the final battle between 2 adult bull moose with antlers locked together will be exhibited at the park through the week of August 18th. The wildlife park will be open just in time for school vacation in April, so pack up the kids and a picnic and plan a day long visit. There’s plenty to see and do, with lots of room for the kids to roam. Hope to see you this year! BASIC INFORMATION The Maine Wildlife Park has over 30 species of native wildlife on display, plus wildlife gardens, nature trails, a fish hatchery and other interactive exhibits and displays. The park is open daily from April 15 through November 11th from 9:30am-4:30pm; visitors must exit the premises by 6:00pm. GEMS OF ROUTE 26 |
| Copyright © 2007 All rights reserved. |
