Wildlife Center Needs Rescue

Rhea Virginia Angell, Holtsville:

In the Brookhaven Town budget for 2013 is a proposal to close the Wildlife & Ecology Center in Holtsville. For those who have never been there, the center has lots of rehabilitated animals that cannot be returned to the wild, a common gardening area for neighborhood plantings, a huge greenhouse, a walking and running track of 1.2 miles, and a viewing area that enables one to see all over.

Thousands of schoolchildren have seen their first bears, buffalo, owls and peacocks at the center. They have petted baby goats and laughed at the antics of the wild mustangs in the Kaeli Kramer Humane Education Center. Veterinarians donate time and supplies to help run this nonprofit, free sanctuary.

At all times of the day, people of many ages walk, run and rollerblade around the paved path. With the emphasis on the obesity epidemic, why would we want to take away this facility now? Surely we can cut the budget in some other place.

Published in the Opinion section of Newsday

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