Animal Ambassadors

Soren was found in Highland, Michigan in November 2021. She was thin, missing her left hallux talon, and we later discovered after getting x-rays done that she has been shot. While able to fly, Soren cannot be released because the missing talon is vital for hunting.

Fun Fact: Soren is a very curious bird and has been observed chasing leaves in her aviary.

Bridgette, the non-releasable Red-tailed Hawk, hatched in 2023. She sustained a soft tissue injury that formed scar tissue on her right elbow, preventing her from fully extending that wing. Rescued and rehabilitated by Tamarack Wildlife Center, Bridgette can still fly, but the wing injury would make it extremely difficult for her to survive in the wild.

American Toads are common here at Audubon. Males are smaller than females. Toads prefer to eat worms, crickets, and sowbugs. Toad “warts” are really just bumpy skin that act as camouflage.

Fun Fact: Toad really enjoys meal time. On feeding days you might find him trying to climb the walls in excitement. 

Lincoln is a captive-bred box turtle, a hybrid of Eastern and Florida subspecies. He hatched in 1992 and came to Audubon in 2006.

Fun Fact: Lincoln is very protective of his habitat and often approaches visitors with a fiesty attitude, thinking they’re intruders to his home.

Milton is a wild-caught Eastern Box Turtle. A family illegally picked him up in Kentucky or Tennessee. He has the characteristic red eye of male Eastern Box Turtles and the yellow markings on his legs and shell.

Fun Fact: Milton is very shy and often burrows in his moss pit.

Oneka and Tweeg were part of a breeding program through New York State Department of Environmental Conservation at the Buffalo Zoo. Changes to hellbender habitat from runoff, pollution, dams, and unkown diseases put hellbenders at risk. This program is one way people are working to help these salamanders. 

Fun Fact: Hellbenders breathe through their skin. The wrinkles on the sides of their bodies increase their ability to absorb oxygen. 

Oneka and Tweeg were part of a breeding program through New York State Department of Environmental Conservation at the Buffalo Zoo. Changes to hellbender habitat from runoff, pollution, dams, and unkown diseases put hellbenders at risk. This program is one way people are working to help these salamanders. 

Fun Fact: Hellbenders breathe through their skin. The wrinkles on the sides of their bodies increase their ability to absorb oxygen. 

Rocky is a False Map Turtle, the western relative to the Northern Map Turtle found in the region. Map turtles are incredible swimmers. They use their large, webbed feet like flippers to push through the water with ease. 

Fun Fact: Sometimes Rocky lays eggs (they are infertile because she lives alone). You might see them on the bottom of the tank from time to time. 

This snake came to Audubon as a previous pet. Milk Snakes live in a variety of habitats, including farms. Sometimes they are incorrectly called “Spotted Adders” or confused with rattlesnakes. 

Fun Fact: Milk Snakes are not venomous but may shake their tail rapidly when threatened.

This turtle was removed from a house as an illegal pet. Painted Turtles are native to the region. She will not be released into the wild to prevent the possible spread of disease. Note the yellow and orange markings on her head, neck, and legs, identifying features of this species.

Fun Fact: Sometimes Munny basks on her float with both of her back feet stretched out behind her. This pose allows her to absorb more heat and UV rays from her lamps. (The other aquatic turtles can also be caught striking this adorable, yet practical, pose.)

This is not a native turtle to the region. This turtle was found injured and is most likely a released pet. Sliders can live for 30-40 years and may grow up to 11 inches. Released pet turtles compete with native species for food and space and often spread diseases.

Fun Fact: Slider is very shy out of the water, but is curious while he’s in the water and often swims over to visitors to say “hello”. 

Snapping Turtles get their name because they snap to protect themselves. Turtles do not have teeth, their sharp beaks are what can cause injury. They prefer to stay in the water, but females will often be found on land looking for a place to lay eggs.

Fun Fact: Snapper spends the warmer months outside in one of the small ponds in front of the Nature Center.

These turtles are state-endangered due to habitat loss and illegal collection for the pet trade. These turtles were rescued from owners who had them illegally. Spotted Turtles are small when fully grown and are very secretive, preferring marshy habitats.

Fun Fact: You can tell the male and female Spotted Turtles apart by the shape of their shells. The female has a more domed shell (extra space for eggs) while the males are flatter shaped.