Grand Canyon National Park Invites the Public to “Celebrate Wildlife Day”

Grand Canyon, AZ. – Autumn has arrived. Squirrels and chipmunks are busily collecting nuts; and elk are bugling as they gather their harems. These signs of fall are a wonderful reminder that the first Celebrate Wildlife Day will take place at Grand Canyon National Park on Saturday, November 1, 2008. This event, developed to honor the life of wildlife biologist Eric York, will provide an opportunity for people to learn about regional wildlife and about the work of wildlife biologists.

The celebration will take place at the Shrine of the Ages on the South Rim between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. There will be an all day open house at the Shrine with exhibits, touch tables, informal activities and book sales. There will also be indoor and outdoor programs, including talks on bats, condors and mountain lions and workshops on tracks and scat and birds of prey, just to name a few. A much anticipated highlight of the event will be educational demonstrations with live animals provided by the Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center of Phoenix, Arizona from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The day will conclude at the Shrine of the Ages with wildlife skits prepared by the students of Grand Canyon Unified School District at 7:00 p.m. and a special presentation on mountain lions provided by guest speaker Kevin Hansen of New Mexico State Parks at 7:30 p.m. Kevin is an interpretive ranger, wildlife biologist and author. A book signing will follow his presentation.

Celebrate Wildlife Day is being made possible through a partnership between the National Park Service, Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center, the Arizona Game and Fish Department and the Grand Canyon Association.

For more information on Celebrate Wildlife Day, please call Park Ranger Lori Rome at 928-638-7783. For a copy of the event schedule, please visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/grca/naturescience/wildlife-day.htm. For information about Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center, visit www.azwildlifecenter.net, for the Arizona Game and Fish Department visit www.azgfd.gov; and for the Grand Canyon Association, visit www.grandcanyon.org.

-NPS-