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Ken and Susan Lockwood
Hatteberg's People
Reporter: Larry Hatteberg
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November 23, 2003--A Goddard couple has made a name for themselves by rehabilitation birds of prey. Susan and Ken Lockwood run Tanganyika Wildlife Park. |
Part of what they do, and perhaps what
they enjoy most, is working with, and teaching about magnificent birds.
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“Everyone here (each bird) has a different personality. Miles here, I can pretty much trust him with everything. It’s not like you are raising a child. It’s like you are putting back something the way it should be.” |
And that’s the goal of Ken and Susan Lockwood – Together they operate the Eagle Valley Raptor Center, a federally licensed facility for the rehabilitation of birds of prey that have been injured.
“If you’ve ever taken one and healed it and then thrown it up in the air and released it, that’s a pretty good feeling.”
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At their facility meet Miles the Barn Owl. Tundra, the snowy owl; Ricky, a screech owl, Bonnie, a red-tailed hawk and Talon, the majestic Golden Eagle.
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“She was shot up in Wyoming, so they either had to euthanase her or find a home for her, so we drove to Colorado to pick her up.”
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Because many of these birds cannot be released into the wild because of injuries, Ken and Susan put on educational programs to teach others about these masters of the sky.
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| “You know how you say people have a ‘calling’. So for us, it’s become a ‘couples’ thing here. We feel responsible to educate people about these birds and animals and let them know just how important they are to our environment. |
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“She’s about 12 pounds. And if you look at the tail, the white part of the tail will actually get smaller.”
They give programs throughout the state using these birds---and while they do charge for the programs, they receive no money for the birds care…. that comes out of their own pocket and from donations. |
“Every time we bring a bird out, a different bird, we get this gasp, this awe that they just love to see them and they love to learn about them.
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| Many of the birds they cannot rehabilitate, they give to zoos all across the state for educational purposes. Many eagles and hawks have made that journey. |
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But if the bird can by rehabilitated, their first goal is always to release it back to the wild.
Now they’re building a new place for their raptor rehabilitation project. It’s near Garden Plain, and with the help of some companies, who believe in their work, the land will soon house a huge area where birds can fly and the work of saving these animals will continue.
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“Eventually, we’ll build a section here, where the bird will be able to practice banking.”
Ken and Susan Lockwood….saving the creatures of the skies…for the people of the earth.
“It’s a privilege to work with them.” |
Note: If you would like to learn more about their programs or donate to the Raptor Project to care for these birds, you may contact the Lockwoods at: 316
542-5013. |
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