Raptor rehabilitation and conservation education in Montana.

Our organization consists of two programs: Raptor Rescue and Rehabilitation, and Raptor Conservation Education. 

Our Rescue and Rehabilitation program has taken in 229 injured raptors so far this year from all across the state of Montana; a number that rises each day. Our Director of Rehabilitation works closely with 14 trained volunteers, and a volunteer veterinarian to give these birds the medical care, food, and rest they need to recover and be released back into the wild. 90% of these injuries are human caused and completely preventable. Approximately 40% of the injured raptors we take in are able to make a full recover. Sadly, many of these birds are too badly injured and do not survive. Lead Poisoning is another exacerbating factor, with nearly 95% of the birds that come through our center having abnormally high levels of lead in their bodies as a result of eating improperly disposed of carcass remnants left by hunters. 90% of the injuries we see are human caused and completely preventable.

Our Education Program reaches over 12,000 people each year through small classes at local schools and businesses, and both public and private events. We have 14 full-time resident Education Birds who live at MRCC. All of our Education Birds were rescues that could not be released into the wild due to various injuries, or imprinting on humans. The Education Birds come to all of our classes, and help people understand firsthand why these birds are so important to our ecosystem. The goal of this program is to educate communities on steps they can take to mitigate their impact on raptor populations, and help conserve habitat. We begin raptor education with young children in local schools so they can learn the importance of collective impact on conservations for raptor, and all species, from a young age. 

This grant would support the operations of the rescue, including costs for staffing, medicine, and food for the birds. It would also support our Education program with staffing, materials, and care for our education birds.