>>> THE WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA NATURE CENTER IN ASHEVILLE IS
PART NATURAL HISTORY RESOURCE AND PART ZOO.
ITS MISSION IS TO CONNECT PEOPLE WITH THE PLANTS AND ANIMALS OF
THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN REGION.
AND IT'S A FAVORITE DESTINATION FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS AS WELL AS
VISITORS TO THE ASHEVILLE AREA.
>> THE WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA NATURE CENTER IS LOCATED ON 42
ACRES OF LAND JUST MINUTES FROM DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE.
>> WE'RE OWNED BY THE CITY OF ASHEVILLE, SO IT'S A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO WELCOME PEOPLE NOT JUST TO ASHEVILLE,
BUT ALSO TO KIND OF SHOW THEM SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE CITY
SUPPORTS, LIKE PARKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
>> IT'S ALSO A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE PEOPLE TO THE
NATURAL HISTORY OF THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS.
>> WHEN PEOPLE COME HERE, IT REALLY GIVES THEM A GOOD KIND OF
SLICE OF WHAT THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS LOOK LIKE
NOW AND ALSO ANIMALS THAT MIGHT HAVE LIVED HERE AT ONE TIME.
WE EXHIBIT ABOUT 60 DIFFERENT SPECIES OF ANIMALS.
WE HAVE ABOUT 250 SPECIMENS HERE, SO WHEN PEOPLE COME AND
VISIT, THEY'RE SURPRISED AT JUST HOW MANY ANIMALS ARE NATIVE TO
THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY.
AND I THINK WHEN PEOPLE COME TO VISIT THIS NATURAL PART OF THE
STATE, IT'S A GREAT INTRODUCTION TO SOME OF THE WILDLIFE THEY
MIGHT SEE.
>> A GOOD PLACE TO START IS IN THE APPALACHIAN STATION.
>> THIS GIVES US A CHANCE TO SEE SOME OF THE SMALLER ANIMALS THAT
YOU'D SEE IN THIS AREA.
>> HERE YOU'LL BE INTRODUCED TO AMPHIBIANS LIKE FROGS AND
TURTLES -- A SPOTTED SALAMANDER --
AND TO THE LITTLE FURRY MAMMAL CALLED THE LEAST WEASEL.
HERE IS ALSO A FINE COLLECTION OF SNAKES FROM THE CORN SNAKE,
THE PINE SNAKE, WHICH CAN GROW UP TO 6 FEET LONG --
TO COPPERHEADS AND TIMBER RATTLESNAKES --
AND BRANDON'S OTTER FALLS WHERE THE NORTH AMERICAN RIVER OTTERS
ARE ALWAYS WILLING TO ENTERTAIN.
THE WORLD UNDERGROUND EXHIBIT LETS VISITORS GET A LOOK AT
WHAT'S UNDER THE SURFACE IN THE NATURAL WORLD.
>> WE HAVE A FANTASTIC NORTH CAROLINA FARM AREA WHICH FOCUSES
ON ANIMALS THAT ARE TYPICALLY USED AS DOMESTIC STOCK IN THIS
PART OF THE STATE, BUT ALSO ANIMALS THAT MIGHT COME INTO A
BARN.
WE HAVE A GREAT SKUNK EXHIBIT.
>> A 250-FOOT BOARDWALK TAKES YOU OUT OVER THE BLACK BEAR
HABITAT.
>> WE'RE AN ACCREDITED MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATION OF ZOOS AND
AQUARIUMS, WHICH MEANS THAT WE HAVE CERTAIN ANIMAL HUSBANDRY
STANDARDS AND CONSERVATION PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE VERY
ACTIVELY INVOLVED WITH.
ONE OF THE SPECIES I THINK THAT WE WORK WITH THAT FOLKS ARE MOST
INTERESTED IN ARE THE RED WOLVES.
RED WOLVES ARE ANIMALS THAT ARE VERY CRITICALLY ENDANGERED.
THERE IS A WILD POPULATION IN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA.
BUT A LOT OF ZOOS HAVE COME TOGETHER WITH NATURE CENTERS AND
ZOOS TO HELP SAVE THIS ANIMAL.
>> IN ADDITION TO RED WOLVES, OTHER APPALACHIAN PREDATORS
INCLUDE GRAY WOLVES AND -- [BARKING AND HOWLING]
-- SOME VOCAL COYOTES AS WELL.
OTHER FAVORITES ARE THE APPALACHIAN CATS.
>> LIKE THE COUGARS.
OUR COUGARS WERE ORPHANED ANIMALS THAT CAME FROM --
CAME TO US FROM THE OREGON ZOO IN PORTLAND, OREGON.
AND THEY'VE GROWN UP WITH US HERE AT THE NATURE CENTER.
WE'RE NOT SURE WE HAVE COUGARS STILL IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA,
ALTHOUGH THERE ARE REPORTS.
BUT ONE THING WE KNOW FOR SURE IS WE DON'T HAVE AN ACTIVELY
BREEDING POPULATION OF WILD COUGARS HERE IN WESTERN NORTH
CAROLINA, BUT IT GIVES PEOPLE A CHANCE TO SEE ANIMALS THAT
PIONEERS MIGHT HAVE SEEN WHEN THEY FIRST VISITED THE AREA.
OUR OVERALL GOAL IS WHEN PEOPLE COME AND VISIT US IS, NUMBER
ONE, TO HAVE A GOOD TIME AND TO FEEL COMFORTABLE WHEN THEY VISIT
US AND TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE ANIMALS AND
PLANTS THAT WE HAVE HERE.
BUT WE REALLY HOPE PEOPLE WILL GAIN AN APPRECIATION FOR THE
DIVERSITY OF WILDLIFE THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE WESTERN PART OF
NORTH CAROLINA.
>> THIS IS DEREK LONG FOR "NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND."