After calamity, center's fundraiser takes flight

ST. MARIES — The storm system that raked and jolted the Panhandle on Tuesday evening underscored the vulnerabilities and limitations of the Birds of Prey Northwest facility in Benewah County.

Mya Jinright, a Birds of Prey intern and certified veterinary technician, said winds toppled an 80-foot tree onto a great horned owl aviary, which released or killed three owls that were recuperating and the facility’s foster owl, a valuable resident of the aviary.

The three owls were not ready to be released, Jinright said. She said it was not immediately clear if all four owls made it out of the aviary.

“We haven’t seen any of them yet. There’s a chance they might be around, but it’s a small chance,” Jinright said on Wednesday afternoon.

Jinright said the facility’s remote location can hamper Birds of Prey’s ability to carry out its education mission. It is also more vulnerable to natural calamity, as was demonstrated in Tuesday’s storm.

Birds of Prey, which is sustained entirely by grants and donations, embarked on an ambitious online fundraising campaign on Wednesday to build a raptor center in a less remote location, making it more accessible to students on field trips to students from across North Idaho.

“We’re looking for the public’s help on this project,” said Jinright.

Jinright said the new center’s location could be in Bonner or Kootenai counties. It would have to be located near a body of water for bald eagles to forage and a field where red-tailed hawks can perch.

Founded by raptor biologist Janie Veltkamp, Birds of Prey Northwest celebrated its 25th year of existence in 2018. The nonprofit’s additional mission is to provide medical treatment to injured, sick or orphaned raptors with the goal of returning them to the wild. It currently houses more than 30 birds of prey.

The raptor center project on gofundme.com has a fundraising goal of $500,000.

To donate, visit gofundme.com/raptor-center-project