WNC Nature Center

WNC Nature Center Asheville's Wildlife Park
Plan your next visit at wildwnc.org! The WNC Nature Center is Asheville's premier wildlife park!
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This page is managed by the Friends of the WNC Nature Center, a 501c3 whose mission is to support and grow the facilities and programming of the WNC Nature Center through fundraising, events, membership and other outreach initiatives.

What could be more romantic for all you lovebirds❤🐦 than getting out into nature and listening to birdsong? The Great Ba...
02/14/2025

What could be more romantic for all you lovebirds❤🐦 than getting out into nature and listening to birdsong? The Great Backyard Bird Count starts today and goes through Monday, February 17.

Spend 15 minutes a day this weekend looking for and listening to birds to help researchers learn more about the health of the bird population. It’s free, fun and easy! Just go to https://scienceacrossnc.org/events/bird for the details.

🦁Did you know that just a year after our zoo opened in 1925, a pair of lions welcomed twin cubs? One of them is pictur...
02/13/2025

🦁Did you know that just a year after our zoo opened in 1925, a pair of lions welcomed twin cubs? One of them is pictured here, making headlines in 1926.

💘The proud parents shared their names with one of the most famous couples of all time. Can you guess who they were? Hint: Tomorrow might have been their favorite holiday! Drop your guesses in the comments!

💩Did you forget a Valentine’s Day gift? DOO we ever have an idea for you! Go to www.wildwnc.org/love to get the scoop. Be sure and get your order in before 5 p.m. today.

❤

🌞WNC Nature Center summer camp lottery registration ends TODAY at 5 p.m. It only takes a minute to register, so hop on o...
02/12/2025

🌞WNC Nature Center summer camp lottery registration ends TODAY at 5 p.m. It only takes a minute to register, so hop on over to www.wildwnc.org/education/summer-camp and sign up now!

Hey, there! ❤️Valentine’s Day is around the corner! Don‘t worry, Swiss and our barnyard friends are DOOing something to ...
02/10/2025

Hey, there! ❤️Valentine’s Day is around the corner! Don‘t worry, Swiss and our barnyard friends are DOOing something to make things easy.

This year, you can dedicate a steaming pile of love (AKA barn animal compost) to someone special! Whether it’s for a sweetheart, a bestie, or someone who appreciates p**p jokes, your dedication will support the care of our animals. Honorees will receive a special e-Valentine with your personal message delivered on February 14.

❤️DOO IT FOR LOVE❤️ and give now! Go to www.wildwnc.org/love for the p**p sheet.

It’s Superb Owl Sunday here at the Nature Center! Hooo will win? Well, according to barn owl Boris, the real champion is...
02/09/2025

It’s Superb Owl Sunday here at the Nature Center! Hooo will win? Well, according to barn owl Boris, the real champion is whoever can spot their target from 100 yards away, swoop in, and sn**ch victory without making a sound! Now that‘s an MVP (Most Valuable Predator)!

Are you a night owl? Join us for Night at the Nature Center on Feb 27 and March 8. Tickets at www.wildwnc.org/calendar

🐾Our Nature Center Members had an amazing time on our final Wild 100 Walk tours! A huge thank you to everyone who joined...
02/07/2025

🐾Our Nature Center Members had an amazing time on our final Wild 100 Walk tours! A huge thank you to everyone who joined us on these special walks. We love sharing these experiences with you!

🌜Night at the Nature Center, is coming up on Feb 27 & March 8. Join us for a nocturnal adventure that will take families on a tour of animals who are active in the dark. This program is designed for families with kids ages 5-12.
🎟Get tickets at www.wildwnc.org/calendar
Tickets $20-$30

Each month during our centennial year, we'll be chatting with people who have had an impact on the Nature Center. We're ...
02/06/2025

Each month during our centennial year, we'll be chatting with people who have had an impact on the Nature Center. We're kicking off this
"More Than a Zoo" series with Q&A with Leland Arnsdorff. Leland is a volunteer docent whose passion for wildlife conservation is contagious!

Check out the interview at www.wildwnc.org/2025/01/mtaz-arnsdorff

Are your little adventurers ready for an unforgettable summer? The Nature Center is thrilled to host action-packed, natu...
02/05/2025

Are your little adventurers ready for an unforgettable summer? The Nature Center is thrilled to host action-packed, nature-filled fun from June 16 to August 8!

We're offering separate camps tailored to:
Rising first and second-graders
Rising third and fourth-graders

A lottery system will make registration smooth and fair for everyone!

Lottery opens: February 5 at 9 a.m.
Lottery closes: February 12 at 5 p.m.

Give your kids a memorable summer exploring wildlife, making new friends, and creating lifelong memories. We can't wait to spend the season with you!
Register here: www.wildwnc.org/education/summer-camp

We have an idea for Valentine's Day that you won't pooh-pooh! For $15, dedicate a pile of barnyard compost to someone wh...
02/03/2025

We have an idea for Valentine's Day that you won't pooh-pooh! For $15, dedicate a pile of barnyard compost to someone who's REALLY SOMETHING SPECIAL! Your dedication doesn't just make someone's day - it helps our planet. Our barnyard manure is composted to spread the love and create rich, healthy soil. Honorees will receive a fun e-Valentine letting them know that you really DOO care! All proceeds support our animal care and education programs.

To make your donation visit www.wildwnc.org/love

As we celebrate we're taking a trip down memory lane! On this in 2008, Andie MacDowell visited the WNC Nature Center...
02/02/2025

As we celebrate we're taking a trip down memory lane! On this in 2008, Andie MacDowell visited the WNC Nature Center to celebrate with Nibbles. Nibbles was our groundhog ambassador from 2008 until 2016. Andie MacDowell needs no introduction!

Photo credit: anoldent/Flickr

We are deeply saddened to share the loss of our Sicilian Donkey Eeyore. Over the past few years, the veterinary team had...
02/01/2025

We are deeply saddened to share the loss of our Sicilian Donkey Eeyore. Over the past few years, the veterinary team had been managing his Equine Cushing's Disease and arthritis. Sadly, after a sudden decline, he passed away from liver failure.

Eeyore arrived at the Nature Center in 2002 and quickly became a favorite of guests and volunteers. Many of us have fond memories of watching him and his friend W***y play tug-of-war. Our staff and volunteers were fortunate to work alongside Eeyore. He was a pleasure to care for, enrich daily, and be enriched by.

We have been monitoring W***y, his donkey stall-mate, closely. He has done exceptionally well with his passing and has been given lots of special attention to ensure his positive behavior in this transition.

✨Flashback to 1973!✨ We can't hide these lion eyes that popped up in our stash of old news clips. Over the past 100 ye...
01/29/2025

✨Flashback to 1973!✨ We can't hide these lion eyes that popped up in our stash of old news clips. Over the past 100 years, our zoo has been home to several lions. A pair named Romeo and Juliet were the first to arrive in 1926, This is Pandora pictured here.

We're just getting started on our walk down memory lane as we celebrate at the WNC Nature Center! Sign up for our newsletter here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/6XrMTPA
You don't want to miss all the fun ways we'll be celebrating!

👏A big thanks to 12 Bones Smokehouse for smokin' up some good times and inviting us to be a part of their Family Bingo n...
01/27/2025

👏A big thanks to 12 Bones Smokehouse for smokin' up some good times and inviting us to be a part of their Family Bingo night last month. We were thrilled to join in on the fun and games, and thanks to YOU - our amazing community - we walked away with hundreds of dollars to support the WNC Nature Center!

With your support, we can do amazing things like provide top-notch care for animals like the Eastern Box Turtle (pictured here) and teach the next generation about the importance of wildlife conservation.

🐢Fun fact: Eastern Box Turtles are one of 5 turtle species included in the AZA SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) American Turtle Program, which is dedicated to protecting turtles and their habitat across the country.



We loved seeing our members back at the Nature Center today for our free Wild 100 Walk tours. If you missed it, we do ha...
01/25/2025

We loved seeing our members back at the Nature Center today for our free Wild 100 Walk tours. If you missed it, we do have a few tickets left for our Feb 7 event. Here are a couple more ways to enjoy the Nature Center until we officially reopen: Wild Walk on Feb 15 and Night at the Nature Center on Feb 27 and March 8. Get your tickets at www.wildwnc.org/calendar

Many of you have been asking about our gray wolf, Nova, so we want to share some positive news. Our resilient gray wolf ...
01/23/2025

Many of you have been asking about our gray wolf, Nova, so we want to share some positive news. Our resilient gray wolf is doing well and being closely monitored by our dedicated animal care team after the loss of her brother, Wayah, last month. While it’s been a tough time for her, she’s finding comfort in her enrichment activities and the care she receives from our team.

🐾You can help support Nova’s well-being by contributing items from the list we've created here: https://www.ottoenvironmental.com/gift-registryiii/gift-registry-161490

🐾You can also make a general donation and write "for Nova" in the gift notes. www.wildwnc.org/donate

It's a spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum)! We have two at the Nature Center: Kudzu and Mimosa. And guess what? Y...
01/22/2025

It's a spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum)! We have two at the Nature Center: Kudzu and Mimosa. And guess what? You can visit them! While we're still closed to the public, you can sign up for a private event!

✨The Feb 15 Wild Walk and Wild Walk Jr. tickets are on sale now!

✨Are you a Nature Center member? We have a few spots left on Feb 7 for our Wild 100 Walk. Hurry, hurry, free tickets are going fast.

Go to www.wildwnc.org/calendar for tickets.

We have a mystery for you to solve! Which of our WNC Nature Center animals is this? Leave a comment and we'll let you ...
01/22/2025

We have a mystery for you to solve! Which of our WNC Nature Center animals is this? Leave a comment and we'll let you know this afternoon!

Who said TRUE to today's trivia question? You're right! Squirrels have 2 upper and 2 lower teeth that never stop growi...
01/21/2025

Who said TRUE to today's trivia question? You're right! Squirrels have 2 upper and 2 lower teeth that never stop growing. Squirrels file their choppers by chewing on nuts, bark, and other hard objects. Happy

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75 Gashes Creek Road
Asheville, NC
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Mmmm, bitter pine with hints of citrus hits the spot for Bryan and Roddy. This Christmas tree was a special treat for our goats earlier this month. It's one of the many ways we show our Nature Center animals love. Daily enrichment keeps animals active, engaged and curious which improves their well-being! #wildwnc #wncnaturecenter #keepashevillewild

With Thanksgiving around the corner, Tufts is busy, busy making the biscuits! #wncnaturecenter #wildwnc #keepashevillewild #thanksgiving #bobcat

We've got what you're searching for.... fun summer evenings at Brews & Bears! Get your tickets for June 14, July 12 or August 9 on our website www.wildwnc.org/brews-and-bears

It's Bear Awareness Week! Our friends at BearWise have an important message: Never feed or approach bears! #wildwnc #keepashevillewild #wncnaturecenter #bearawarenessweek #blackbears

Bamboo is just one of those foods that's hard to eat quietly, as red panda Leafa demonstrates! #wncnaturecenter #wildwnc #keepashevillewild #redpanda

Our friends at BearWise want you to know what to do if you see a bear. #bearwise #keepashevillewild #wildwnc #wncnaturecenter

We’ve got some eggs-clusive footage of Elvis enjoying his Easter egg enrichment! #keepashevillewild #wncnaturecenter #wildwnc #skunk

Happy Presidents Day! Our Barn & Aviary Keeper, Ben, has some fun facts to share about U.S. Presidents and their White House pets! #wildwnc #keepashevillewild #wncnaturecenter #PresidentsDay #whitehousepets

This Groundhog Day, how about we change things up a bit? If our gray wolf, Wayah, captures the snowflake, then spring is near!🌷If he misses, it’ll be six more weeks of winter.❄️Could this become a thing? #wildwnc #wncnaturecenter #keepashevillewild #animalenrichment

No extravagant gifts for our bobcats, Tufts and Kohana. They're happy with a pile of dirt to play in!

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