Carolina Raptor Center

We’re gearing up for our biggest day of the year - STEAM Day at Latta - on April 5th! At this totally free event, visitors can go beyond a typical day on the Raptor Trail thanks to our amazing partners: Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Charlotte Wildlife Stewards Central Carolinas Master Naturalists Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden Digi-Bridge Discovery Place Deer Track Wildlife Rescue EPRI Mecklenburg Audubon Society Queens University of Charlotte Biology It’s going to be a fun-filled day full of learning for all ages. We’ll see you there!

Interested in interning for the Carolina Raptor Center? Hear directly from our current interns as they share their amazing experiences at the Carolina Raptor Center! Visit the link in our bio to discover all available opportunities and apply today. Applications for Summer 2025 are open until April 1st! #carolinaraptorcenter #charlottenc #exploreclt #wildliferehab

Interested in interning for the Carolina Raptor Center? Hear directly from our current interns as they share their amazing experiences at the Carolina Raptor Center! Visit the our website to discover all available opportunities and apply today. Applications for Summer 2025 are open until April 1st!

Our Raptor Hospital sees patients with a wide variety of reasons for admission. Here is the story of a patient we released recently due to a common reason: lead poisoning. Patient #26876, a Turkey Vulture, was admitted on February 1st, 2025 showing symptoms of being lethargic, dehydrated, and unable to fly. Diagnostic tests, including radiographs and blood analysis, confirmed toxic levels of lead in its system. Turkey Vultures play a crucial ecological role as nature's clean-up crew but can fall victim to lead poisoning after consuming fragments from lead ammunition in a discarded carcass—a common hazard when lead bullets scatter invisible particles that dissolve in a vulture's stomach acid and enter the bloodstream. To counteract lead poisoning, Patient #26876 underwent intensive medical care, including: ? Fluid therapy - Supporting kidney and liver function to help flush toxins from the body. ? Chelation therapy - A crucial treatment for heavy metal poisoning, using Dimercaptosuccinic Acid (DMSA), an oral chelating agent that binds to lead, allowing it to be safely excreted through urine. After treatment costing $3,409.20, lead levels dropped significantly, and the vulture was moved to an outdoor enclosure to rebuild strength. We are delighted to share that this Turkey Vulture made their return to the wild earlier this week! While lead poisoning is a tragedy, hunters can be the solution. We encourage you to: ? Choose non-lead ammunition - Many leading manufacturers offer high-quality lead-free alternatives. ? Bury gut piles - If using lead ammo, burying remains can prevent scavengers from ingesting toxic fragments. ? Spread the word - Encourage fellow hunters, outdoor enthusiasts, and suppliers to switch to non-lead ammunition. By making small changes, we can ensure that lead poisoning becomes a rarity in our Raptor Hospital! #CarolinaRaptorCenter #WildlifeRehab

Thank you for joining us for the Harriet Tubman Legacy Speaker Series at the Carolina Raptor Center! A special thank you Dr. Cassandra Newby-Alexander for speaking today. We explored Harriet Tubman’s deep knowledge of the natural world and how swamps served as vital refuges for freedom seekers on the Underground Railroad. Thank you again to @charlottemuseumofhistory, and @levinemuseum for your partnership!

Carolina Raptor Center is looking for skilled photographers to join our team in a brand-new volunteer role. This is a unique opportunity to use your photography skills to support conservation and education by capturing images of raptors, staff, volunteers, and visitors for marketing, training, and social media. What You’ll Do: - Photograph raptors, events, and behind-the-scenes moments - Capture images for marketing, educational materials, and social media - Collaborate with our marketing team to align with key campaigns - Deliver high-quality, watermark-free images What to Expect: - Flexible, as-needed volunteer shifts - One-year commitment - Must provide your own photography equipment - Images will be used exclusively by Carolina Raptor Center This is an exciting opportunity to make an impact while refining your skills in a dynamic environment. If you're passionate about photography and wildlife, we’d love to have you on board. ?? Apply today: https://lnkd.in/eD3F9VS9

Looking for a one-of-a-kind summer experience? Carolina Raptor Center is now accepting applications for our Summer 2024 Internship Program! ?? Whether you're passionate about animal care, wildlife rehabilitation, education, or social media, we have an opportunity for you. ?? Education Intern – Help create and lead engaging conservation education programs while connecting visitors with the natural world. (Note: This role does not work directly with live animals.) ?? Raptor Hospital Intern – Assist in rehabilitating sick and injured raptors, gaining hands-on experience in wildlife medicine and patient care. ?? Social Media Intern – Gain experience in content creation, marketing strategy, and digital storytelling while promoting our mission to protect raptors. ?? Avian Keeper Intern – Learn the ins and outs of raptor care, from feeding and cleaning to positive reinforcement training and public presentations. Qualifications for all internships: ? Must be 18+ years old ? Able to work in a fast-paced environment with diverse teams ? Willing to work outdoors in all weather conditions ? Strong communication skills and a proactive attitude! ?? Application Deadline: April 1 Unpaid positions | Flexible start dates | Weekend availability required Ready to spread your wings this summer? Apply now! ? https://lnkd.in/eF4N_X3P

Say hello to our Spring 2025 interns! Starting in January we have 6 interns that are helping around our center: - Avian Keeper Interns work closely with staff to learn about husbandry, training, and education. Interns help care for our avian ambassadors by preparing diets, distributing food, and cleaning enclosures. - Raptor Hospital Interns develop medical skills to care for wild raptor patients alongside staff, including administering medications and treatments, preforming intake exams, and participating in rescues and releases. - Social Media Interns work closely with our Marketing Manager to gain hands-on experience in social media management, digital marketing, and content creation within a nonprofit environment. Interested in interning for the Carolina Raptor Center? Our applications for Summer 2025 are open until April 1st. Click the link here to apply: https://lnkd.in/eF4N_X3P

Join Our Team as a Raptor Tech! Our Raptor Hospital is hiring a Raptor Tech to support our mission of rehabilitating wild raptors. If you have experience in animal husbandry or medicine and want to make a difference, we want to hear from you! Read the full job description and find out how to apply at: https://lnkd.in/esGKnD8W Come be a part of a dedicated team working to give these birds a second chance!

Thanks to the help of some hardworking volunteer groups, you might notice some upgrades the next time you walk our Raptor Trail! We recently received a generous donation of 100 tons of gravel from Vulcan Materials Company to make our trail safer and easier to navigate. Last week, team members from EPRI I helped spread this gravel in honor of MLK National Day of Service. This week, volunteers from Bank of America joined us to add walls to our brand-new Peregrine Falcon enclosure. We're thrilled that, thanks to their help, our beloved Peregrine Falcon will be returning to the Raptor Trail soon! Do you have a team looking for a way to give back? We are always seeking volunteer groups to help with larger projects around our site. To find out more and request a group volunteer project, head to: https://lnkd.in/eypM4Pnp