We wanted to share some sad news. Juneau, one of TRC’s winged ambassador
peregrines, was humanely euthanized recently.
She had begun to display some neurological signs, and very quickly her
condition declined. Her condition was
complicated by pathological changes in her cardiovascular system, which were
noticed during her diagnostic work-up.
Here are some statistics about
Juneau. She was brought into the Education Department in 1998 during her first
year. She was 17 years old in 2015. To give you an idea of how much work
Juneau did for TRC:
*She was in 273 programs in 2014.
*We estimate that she was in a
whopping total of more than 3875 programs for 116,340 people in her time here at
TRC!
*She visited classrooms and events
all over Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, and North Dakota and as far away
as Florida.
It is clear that her impact is not
numbers alone. She was a living embodiment of efforts to save a species. She
was part of a larger story of The Raptor Center’s (with many partners)
successful efforts to restore the peregrine falcon in the Midwestern United
States. Juneau was instrumental in telling the story of the Endangered
Species Act, banning DDT, and of people working together to ensure a future with
intact and healthy ecosystems.
Her legacy is in the children that
have seen her --- a real live peregrine falcon. Not in pictures, in books or on
video, but living right in front of them. You could see it in their eyes.
In that moment the children understood how incredible it is that these animals
exist. These children are the future that will ensure peregrines continue to
fly free. They are the legacy of The Raptor Center’s mission: To ensure the
health of raptors and the world we share through teaching, research and
service.
Juneau, you will be missed, but your
impact will not be forgotten.
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