Raptors Wild<\/a>, a nonprofit based in Aztec, said his small education center at 563 Main Ave. was created not only to provide information about birds of prey but also to raise money.<\/p>\nBecause of COVID-19, Fauteaux could not resume raptor educational shows he put on last year at the La Plata County Fairgrounds, and that cut off one of his major sources of fundraising.<\/p>\n
\u201cCOVID shut us down in February and one of our main goals here is to open up a way to raise funds. We want to buy feed through winter,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The education center asks for a $6 donation to enter. In addition, a $50 donation is asked to touch Spooky, a Eurasian eagle-owl, one of the largest owl species. Female Eurasian eagle-owls can reach 30 inches in height with a wing span of 6 feet, 2 inches. Female raptors are typically 30% bigger than males.<\/p>\n
Spooky is the star of the center, which usually displays seven to nine birds from the Raptors Wild collection of about 32 birds.<\/p>\n
\u201cKids love Spooky when they come in, they see birds and it gives them respect for them. They say, \u2018I\u2019ve seen them on TV, but they\u2019re real,\u2019\u201d Fauteaux said.<\/p>\n
Fauteaux, who has been a falconer for 42 years, said one of his goals is to purchase a male for Spooky so he can breed them. The $50 donation to touch Spooky goes to Spooky\u2019s romance fund, Fauteaux said.<\/p>\n
Jay Jeter holds his daughter, Leslie, 18 months, while she pets Spooky, a Eurasian eagle-owl, on Friday, as Mike Fauteaux, executive director of Raptors Wild, looks on at his downtown location at 563 Main Ave. Raptors Wild may relocate to the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum next year and resume raptor shows at the La Plata County Fairgrounds.<\/span>Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>Most of Fauteaux\u2019s birds come from captive breeding programs. A few of his birds are rescue birds.<\/p>\n
Al Harper, owner of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, said he and Fauteaux are discussing relocating the Raptors Wild education center to the D&SNG Museum\u2019s outdoor grange area next year.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really like what he does,\u201d Harper said. \u201cIt\u2019s fascinating, and the more activity we can get downtown, the better,\u201d Harper said.<\/p>\n
Besides looking at the D&SNG Museum, Fauteaux is looking at returning to the fairgrounds next year. He said the location for his education center and perhaps the return of the raptor shows will be dependent on what is allowed given the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n
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