Meet Some Furry, Winged and Quilled Guests at Eaton Canyon Event Saturday

The Wildlife Learning Center will present some furry and winged guests at the Eaton Canyon Natural Area Park and Nature Center on Saturday night

“We’re coming out for an educational presentation on California Natives and we’ll be bringing out live animals and educating people about the animals,” said Danielle Burns, General Manager of The Wildlife Learning Center.

Animals to be presented: A North American Porcupine, a Grey Fox, a King Snake, a California Desert Tortoise, a Western Screech Owl, a Gopher Snake, a Red Tailed Hawk and one of our Tarantulas.”

Which are the most popular?

“Our porcupines are always show-stoppers a lot of people don’t realize how personable they are,” Burns said. “They’re incredibly cool to see up close to be able to see the quills. The Red-Tailed Hawk is always amazing and because people see them from a distance and they’re found so often in Southern California so to see one up close it’s great.”

The Wildlife Learning Center is located in Sylmar, where it is home to more than 100 displaced, rescued, and zoo-born wild animals from about 50 different species. A lot of the animals like to stay put, and then there are those who like to travel, especially the porcupines who are the first in line to travel, Burns said.

“All the animals that travel with us are the ones comfortable coming out, and they trust the biologists that work with them. But they all like to travel. Even the porcupines, they all absolutely try to become the first one to get in the carrier to go somewhere. They’re like ‘I want to go, I’ll be the next one.’ We try to make it enjoyable for them too. Animals that don’t like to travel stay at the center.”

The center is a good place to be as in addition to plenty of space, each of the animals has a diet that closely matches its food in the wild. Their dietary needs are individual and so are their personalities, Burns said.

“Every animal at the center has a name,” Burns said. “The Grey Fox who will be visiting is likely to be Kina. We have 10 porcupines at the center and they’re all different. One is the fastest eater. A couple of them don’t have a care in the world so they snooze. They absolutely love food and they’re pretty entertaining. We give them leaves, lettuce and different types of vegetation.”

Their names?

Gerdie, Gus, Walter Jr., Freddy, Veddy, Allen and Mabel.

No guess on which porcupine would make the trip.

“We rotate through them,” she said. “Most of them travel. But all the animals love to come out, they get treats for it.”

The program starts at 7:00 p.m. and costs $3.00 per person. Eaton Canyon Natural Area Park & Nature Center is located at 1750 N. Altadena Dr. in Pasadena. For more information call (626) 398-5420.