Have you ever wanted to give an otter a hug?
It’s hard not to, especially watching the Nature Center’s otters, Olive and Obi, run and swim and play together. They’re so cute! And they look so soft.
“Obi Wan’s a tough dude, adorable as he is,” says Dr. Ross Prezant, the Nature Center’s veterinarian. Dr. Ross, along with the Animal Staff,...
What’s the first thing you run to when you head through the doors of the main lobby and into the Nature Center? Straight to the otters? Maybe the timber rattlers?
How about to the rhododendron?
Sometimes in the excitement of seeing wild animals we run right past the other wildlife featured at the Nature Center: our native flora. But spring is the perfect time of year to...
Late Tuesday afternoon, we learned that the City of Asheville has proposed to close the WNC Nature Center, along with a number of other city resources and programs, to balance the city budget, which will be short $5.7 million if recent bills introduced in the North Carolina General Assembly are passed. To see a list of bill names, sponsors, descriptions and considerations about how the bills...
He is, pound for pound, the most ferocious animal at the WNC Nature Center.
Any guesses?
Here’s a clue: he’s about five inches long (at the most). He’s also the smallest living carnivore.
Give up? That’s alright, he’s easy to miss! We’re talking about the least weasel, a deceptively cuddly-looking critter who lives in Appalachian Station...
Take a field trip with the Nature Center! On Tuesday, March 12, journey with us to Cataloochee Valley in Great Smoky Mountains National Park to see the native elk species that has returned to the mountains of North Carolina. The program runs from 3-8 p.m.
Fee $20.00/person non-Asheville resident, Friends members are $18.00.
Reservations/tickets required: 828-259-8082
“Mommy, mommy! I want to see the snakes!”
From my desk in the Friends office here at the Nature Center, I always give a little cheer when I hear a little girl or boy in the lobby begging their parents to visit the reptiles and amphibians at Appalachian Station. When I was their age, I wasn’t as enthusiastic about critters that crawled and slithered.
Like a lot...
You're invited to a Chili's Give Back Night to benefit the Friends of the WNC Nature Center!
Here's how it works:
Visit the Chili's at 253 Tunnel Road in Asheville or at 420 Airport Road in Arden on February 4th from 11 am to 11pm. Present your voucher to your server at either Chili's in print or on your smartphone during the Give Back and Chili's...
Come join the fun! The WNC Nature Center will celebrate Groundhog Day with Carlton Burke, who will bring us his whimsical presentation on groundhogs. We'll explore the folklore of this native rodent species through stories and songs, and meet live groundhogs raised by humans from infancy.
The fun begins at 2pm on Saturday, February 2.
And, of course, we'll have a special...
The WNC Nature Center presents
2013 Critter Time for Tikes and Tots
Critter Time is a creative way to learn about animals, designed primarily for 3-5 year olds and parents, presented every other Wednesday January through March from 10:00am – 12:00noon for 4 weeks.
Activities are geared toward the basic understanding of animal life...
