Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., or you may pay at
the door with exact change or check. Nov. 30,
from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Evening Fireside Talk - Raptors
Raptors are birds of prey including eagles,
hawks, and owls. Join a Park Naturalist and
discover fascinating facts about these birds
in this family-friendly talk. This program will
take place at the Rotary Pavilion, Presque Isle
State Park. An indoor fire and hot beverages
will provide warmth.
Feel free to bring a blanket and your
favorite mug. Registration is recommended by
visiting http://events.dcnr.pa.gov/presque_
isle_state_park. Fee is $3 per person.
Advance payment is recommended by
calling the park office at 814.833.7424,
Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
or you may pay at the door with exact change
or check. Nov. 30, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
OBSERVING WILDLIFE
AT PRESQUE ISLE STATE
PARK
Nearly four million visitors each year enjoy
the natural beauty that Presque Isle has to
offer. With this many visitors, the challenge
of minimizing the impact to flora and fauna
is daunting. To ensure the safety of both
humans and wildlife, proper etiquette must
be observed. This includes watching from a
distance and not feeding the animals.
Feeding wild animals threatens not only the
safety of humans, but wildlife as well. Certain
species, such as coyote and geese, can become
reliant on humans for food. When this
happens, the wild animals don’t get a proper
diet, such as when people feed bread to
Canada Geese who require aquatic vegetation.
They simply fill up on non-nutritious things
and become weak even though they have
a full stomach. Even after a short period
of receiving handouts from well-meaning
visitors, these animals may alter their normal
routines in order to maximize their exposure
to humans to seek food rewards. This can lead
to unintended consequences such as chasing,
scratches, bites, disease and vehicle strikes.
Vehicle strikes have taken a heavy toll on our
resident foxes in recent years.
Other wildlife, such as
owls, use the peninsula for
nesting, feeding and shelter
during times of migration.
Eagles may nest at the
park. It is important to
give these animals the
space they need so that
they don’t abandon their
nesting efforts. For example, 1,000 feet of
buffer space for eagle nest viewing, and 200
feet for an owl nest is recommended.
Some of these animals, such as hawks,
owls, and all other birds of prey are protected
by federal law. Harassment of these animals
is prohibited by law and violators face
arrest and/or fines. Harassment includes
approaching nesting areas too close,
attempting to startle a bird into flight to
get that great picture, lingering too long,
and shouting or yelling to get an animal’s
attention.
We require all visitors to practice proper
viewing etiquette, so a great experience will be
shared by all.
For more information contact the Park
Office located on the second floor of the Tom
Ridge Environmental Center at 814.833.7424
between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., weekdays. n
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