Volunteers are the backbone of any non-profit. At the World Center for Birds of Prey, there's one woman who makes it her mission to help educate everyone about how important is to protect endangered raptors.
Maril McCord has been volunteering at the center for the last four years. She knows how important it is to be an advocate for all these birds of prey.
"Birds don't have a vote, but people have a vote so if we educate people, the little ones, and the Elders to understand the balance of the environment we want clean water not only for us but for the birds."
Birds like the California Condor almost became extinct thirty years ago. But through captive breeding programs, the numbers began to rise in the 1990s.
"In the wild, an older bird might be thirty years old, but in captivity with regular food, good health care, and all the love they can live up to sixty years."
McCord explains. "That's what we want to help the number of these endangered species to grow in the wild."
The Snake River Canyon is home to one of the densest breeding populations of Prairie Falcons in the entire world. One of the Center's major goals is worldwide conservation and recovery efforts of rare and endangered raptors.
Because of essential programs at the World Center for Birds of Prey, our feathered friends can rest a little easier at night.
