NORTH AMITY, Maine – In northern Maine, children are familiar with black bears, moose, deer, coyotes and other animals, which roam through their native woods. But, do they actually know how an animal acts in its natural habitat?
That is what Arthur Howell has been trying to teach over the last two decades at the A.E. Howell Wildlife Conservation Center and Spruce Acres Refuge in North Amity. Howell’s goal at the refuge is to rehabilitate injured wildlife and return them to their natural habitat.
On Saturday, Howell will host an open house with a visit around his 50-acre animal refuge from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with tours beginning each hour. Admission is by donation.
“I will be featuring all of the different animals we have here that are in rehabilitation and some that are going to be released, and others who have to stay,” Howell explained. “I want to share the area commitment of J.M. Huber, J.D. Irving and Forest Products and Paradis Shop ‘n Save, along with others who have helped keep the refuge going. We’ve made a lot of improvements with new roofs and buildings.”
Howell said that thousands of people pass through the refuge each year, but those who take the greatest advantage of learning about the refuge and its resources come from Aroostook, Penobscot and Washington counties.
“We also work with 70 schools statewide,” he said.
Even with all of the publicity the refuge has received locally and nationally, Howell said he comes across people who still don’t know much about the refuge.
“I feel we have been a significant resource to the community,” he said. “We won’t be doing sportsman’s shows anymore. We are here and have been here to educate not for controversy. We want people around Houlton to be proud of what we have accomplished.”
During the open house, people can visit the gift store, purchase raffle tickets to help offset operating expenses, and door prizes will be given away, as well. Howell also needs volunteer tour guides.
“We now have a script that identifies each animal and tells a story,” he said.
The feature attraction for the day will be 614-pound Baxter the Bear, and purebred wolves, a mother and her two pups, which were brought to the refuge on March 28 after being confiscated in Rochester, N.Y.
“They were brought illegally into the lower part of the state,” said Howell. “We can’t release them back into the wild again because they have been spayed and federal guidelines won’t allow it.”
Wolves are a common sales item where people crossbreed them to use for hybrids, which are now illegal in Maine since 2003.
“The hybrid gives a true wolf a bad name,” Howell said. “Biologists have found that hybrids actually have a different temperament than a true wolf.”
During the tours, Rhiannon Foxfire will be entering the wolf cage to show people how docile the mother wolf is as she plays with the 21-week old pups.
“I send my grandchild in there to show how safe they are,” Howell added. “You can’t do that with coyotes though.”
If anyone is unable to attend this Saturday’s open house, Howell will be holding another one on Aug. 4.
For more information, call Howell at 532-6880 or e-mail eagleman@mfx.net.
