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Community Corner

Walnut Creek's Little Gem

The Lindsay Wildlife Museum is more than just a museum, with 3,000 animals treated in the museum's hospital so far this year.

When walking into the Lindsay Wildlife Museum, it is easy to become captivated by the display of live birds perched near the entrance, including a variety of hawks, owls and even a bald eagle.

Although it was voted as Diablo Magazine’s Best Museum in the East Bay in the magazine’s “Best of” list, the facility is much more than a museum.

Each year, the museum’s wildlife hospital rehabilitates around 5,000 injured animals and releases them back into the wild.

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There are two full-time veterinarians and several veterinarian technicians on staff to care for and treat the injured animals.

In addition, roughly 500 people volunteer there. Most of the injured animals are brought into the center from people who find them.

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“People are amazing to go through the trouble to save animals,” said Julie Ross, the museum's director of public relations and marketing. “They have hearts of gold for doing that.”

All of the animals are hand fed and even have charts, much like a hospital would for its human patients.

Ross said the most common injuries are birds that were attacked by cats, which is why she recommends people keep their cats indoors.

Another common injury is animals that eat rat poison or animals, such as foxes and owls, who eat the poisoned rodents.

While being treated, the animals are covered to limit human exposure. The wildlife hospital treats a variety of animals, such as birds, foxes, opossums, squirrels, snakes and other wild animals native to the area.

The animals kept on display have injuries that would make it impossible for them to survive in the wild. One example is the bald eagle perched near the museum’s entrance, which had to have one of its wings removed after it flew into an electric power line.

The museum also has a hotline people can call for advice on what to do if they find a wild animal. Ross said 15,000 calls are made to the wildlife hotline each year.

“It’s a huge community resource,” Ross said. “It’s unique because people can call us.”      

Classes, tours, field trips, birthday parties and a variety camps are also available at the museum.

“It’s nice when you see the kids, and teaching them how to live peacefully and respectfully with wildlife,” Ross said.

The museum also has a taxidermy department, and people, such as teachers and artists, can rent the stuffed animals for educational purposes. Taxidermy classes are also offered at the museum and are given by Marty Buxton.

There are different types of animals that have been stuffed available for rent, ones that have to be protected and covered, and ones that can be touched and felt.

Buxton said the animals at the museum that go through the taxidermy process were either brought to the museum already dead or were animals treated at the facility that did not survive their injuries.

Since Buxton is a docent and former teacher, she said she also helps teachers develop lesson plans on how to use the animals if needed.

Buxton said the taxidermy classes she teaches does not include taxidermy for commercial use, although she often has people ask for commercial lessons.

“I don’t do heads and I don’t do fish,” Buxton said. “Those are the two biggest sellers commercially.”

The museum is currently undergoing construction, with two new exhibits planned.

One new display will be a hospital presentation room, where visitors will be able to watch the veterinarians work on the animals. Ross said the rooms will have one-way glass mirrors so the animals and veterinarians will not see the visitors.

There will also be a new Birds of Prey exhibit, expected to open sometime this fall. One of the features the exhibit will have is a flight simulator so visitors can experience what it feels like to fly like a bird.

The Lindsay Wildlife Museum is located at 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek. Click here for additional information on the museum.

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