Friday, March 13, 2009
BIRDS OF PREY IN FLIGHT
An amazing new experience at the Vancouver Aquarium
Vancouver, BC: A brand new limited engagement show has landed at the Vancouver Aquarium. BIRDS OF PREY IN FLIGHT is now on!
BIRDS OF PREY IN FLIGHT showcases a Bald eagle, Red-tail hawk & Turkey vulture.
Visitors to the Vancouver Aquarium can see their amazing flight skills, learn how these raptors co-exist with marine ecosystems and be inspired toward conservation efforts to protect their kind. In cooperation with Pacific Northwest Raptors, come see the show and get to know the three raptors featured in this limited engagement. By name, the three are: Manwe (Bald Eagle) Judge Dredd (Turkey Vulture) and Chinook (Red-tail Hawk).
BIRDS OF PREY IN FLIGHT runs only until June 28 three times daily. It’s also
part of Spring Break 2009 at the Vancouver Aquarium which features a rare opportunity to win a baby beluga encounter with Tiqa in our fun SEA the World Passport Challenge. Also for Spring Break, BOBS & LOLO return for a limited engagement with fun songs & sing-alongs for kids of any age. Plus, we’re presenting
a new 10-minute short film, ONCE UPON A TIDE, to teach children how all life – including yours – depends on a healthy ocean. Kids can also take part in FACE-PAINTING, CRAFTS & TOUCH POOLS where they roll up their sleeves and discover how sea creatures actually feel.
Find out more about BIRDS OF PREY IN FLIGHT and watch an amazing HD video of them in action, online at www.vanaqua.org/birdsofprey
The Vancouver Aquarium is a self-supporting, non-profit association dedicated to effecting the conservation of aquatic life through display and interpretation, conservation practices, education, research, and direct action.
Media Inquiries:
Kent Hurl
Supervisor, Public Relations
604.659.3752
kent.hurl@vanaqua.org
ABOUT THE BIRDS OF PREY
"Manwe” – Bald Eagle hatched 2003 under human care in Ontario. He has lived at PNWRaptors since he was 8 months old, and is the superstar of the centre. He flies in demos year round, showing off his incredible flight skills. He has flown at Kamloops Wildlife Park and the Comox Eagle Festival as well as The Vancouver Aquarium. He has also flown for films, commercials or media work in Squamish (he flew over a lake – it was fantastic!), Kamloops, North Vancouver Film Studios (inside a studio!), and various other locations. A highlight is when the PNWRapotrs team went on a field trip to a nearby field to give him more space to fly. He decided to start soaring (it was a perfect windy day) and ended up soaring for about 45 minutes with four other bald eagles. At first the team was terrified they might hurt him, but after a few minutes couldn’t even tell which one was Manwe – he was at least 800 feet up. It was spectacular.
"Chinook” – Red Tailed Hawk hatched 2003. Chinook fell out of a nest in the wild, and was rescued by humans. They took care of him, hoping to release him once he could fly. However, raptors have a critical period during their development when they “imprint” on their parents – when they learn who and what they are. Chinook was raised with humans and cannot be released to the wild on his own because he associates people with food and could present a hazard to himself and humans. As a result he stays at PNW Raptors (flying daily, of course), and is a fantastic ambassador for his wild cousins – helping to teach everyone how important birds of prey are in all our ecosystems. Chinook is an adept hunter who shows off his hunting skills in daily demos.
" Judge Dredd” is a notorious Turkey Vulture hatched 2005 in Ontario under human care. He has lived at PNWR since March 2007 and is a well known, much loved character. He has flown all over B.C., been featured in many films, (you can see him on the Andromeda Strain), commercials and media work, as well as stunning the crowds with his beauty in daily flying demos. He has also been to Miami and Seattle promoting tourism to BC. He has so much personality it is very difficult not to fall in love with him.