With over 100,000 annual participants, The Raptor Center educates about raptors. Starting small, it now inspires stewardship through its Gabbert Raptor Center, founded in 1988, and continues to kindle a lifelong love for these birds.
In the early 1990s, the "tie-in" fixator method, initially designed for small animals, revolutionized avian orthopedic surgery at The Raptor Center. Success rates soared, healing raptors' fractures more swiftly.
In the 1990s, the University of Minnesota partnered with the Raptor Center to pioneer osprey migration tracking using satellite-equipped backpacks. This effort sparked an educational revolution through the 'Highway to the Tropics' online course, enlightening students about nature and technology.
Decades of dedicated conservation efforts have led to the remarkable recovery of the peregrine falcon in the Midwest, with over 200 nesting pairs now producing over 350 young peregrines annually.
In the 1990s and early 2000s, The Raptor Center (TRC) welcomed veterinary medicine residents from around the world. Dr. Jalil Abu, one of these residents, shares her transformative experience at TRC and how it continues to influence her work today.
The Raptor Center (TRC) is fortunate to have the help of a phenomenal network of more than 300 active volunteers and more than 1,000 who have enlisted to help through the years. An elite group of volunteers has been supporting its work for 30-plus years, helping TRC become what it is today. What has fueled t heir 30 years of passion?
So far, the total number of raptors admitted to the hospital is similar to that of recent years. Looking back, this number has been at a slow but steady increase for the most common species found in Minnesota.
In 1998, a fledgling eagle survived a fall from its nest on a pickle factory property thanks to the swift action of Gedney staff and The Raptor Center. Reunited with its parents, this eagle later became a vital contributor to its species' recovery.
As The Raptor Center (TRC) celebrates its 50th anniversary, we reflect on five decades of remarkable success in raptor rehabilitation, conservation, and global impact. Join us on this journey from humble beginnings to a promising future.
