Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Hopi's Day at the park!
Please welcome Hopi, Forever Wilds newest Wildlife Ambassador! Hopi is a two year old male Harris Hawk that came into the rehabilitation center with a badly injured wing. The wing healed but sadly the damage was too great for Hopi to be released back into the Arizona skies. To become a Wildlife Ambassador an animal must have a few very important traits; wit, charm, style. Hopi has it all (in excess sometimes!) And so his training, and ours began. Anyone that has ever worked with Harris Hawks can tell you that these birds present some very special challenges during training. Called the "Wolves of the Sky" because of a cooperative hunting technique that is unique among birds these guys are problem solvers. While you are trying to figure out how to get Hopi to come to the fist for his dinner he is trying to figure out how to make you trip over his water dish and drop his dinner so he can steal it!In the end training is really all about both animals, the human and the non human, learning to communicate. Hopi learned what we needed from him and he taught us what he needed from us. Now it was time to put those lessons to the test!
The Arizona Animal Fair is a wonderful spring event held in Reid Park that brings animal rescue groups, pet related businesses and animal lovers from all over Tucson together. The last few years Elmira, the barn owl, another of our Wildlife Ambassadors has been a big success at the fair. Giving many people their first ever glimpse of these beautiful ghostly birds. It was the perfect place for Hopi to make his debut! We had anticipated that he would quickly become overwhelmed with all the people and pets. The plan was to keep a close eye on him for signs of stress, and to make sure to give him as many breaks as he needed through out the afternoon. It was very important that his first experience be a good one. We need not have worried. I think Hopi had as much fun a we did! Only twice did I see him act concerned at all. Once when a gentleman let his dog jump up on the back of one of our volunteers to get a closer look at Hopi, and once when a lady brought her pet bunny by!
