Animal Ambassadors
All members of the ambassador animal team are non-releasable. They are not capable of surviving in the wild due to a physical injury and/or have a dependence on humans. Their role at Wesselman Woods is primarily to assist in teaching the public about their species, biology, ecology, and conservation.
Animals are permitted through USFWS, USDA, and Indiana DNR.
Sybil - Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Sybil was admitted to Southeastern Raptor Center at Auburn University in Auburn, AL on Feb. 17, 2012 with a gunshot wound resulting in a fracture of the right ulna. She was found on the side of a road. After two years of rehab with physical therapy, she only has 85-90% of her normal range of motion in her right wing thus she cannot sustain flight. She joined Wesselman on April 10, 2014.
Location: Mews
Pearl - Turkey Vulture (Carthartes aura)
Pearl was admitted to West Sound Wildlife Shelter in Bainbridge Island, WA on Oct. 11, 2014. She was about 6 months old. She was thin, weak, cold, dehydrated, and wet. She was seen “falling from the sky” and was walking on the beach in Belfair, WA for 2-3 days. Her feathers were thin and malformed. She was full of lice and sand. Her left humerus was previously fractured midshaft and healed with “horrible alignment” and “complete overlap”. She joined Wesselman on May 6, 2015.
Location: Mews
Izzy - Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
Izzy was emaciated and immature when admitted to rehab. She was originally admitted to Hattaras Island Rehab and then transferred to Anita Yeattes in Disputanta, VA. She seemed to have sustained a fracture to her humerus in the nest. She has permanent tendon damage that prevents her from sustained fight over 100 yards. She was still in juvenile plumage when she arrived at WNS in July 1, 2016.
Location: Mews
Artemis - Eastern Screech Owl (Megascops asio)
Artemis was admitted to the University of Missouri on November 7, 2020 from Phelps County with a fractured right humerus. The bone healed but the patagium contracted, inhibiting his flight ability. He arrived at Wesselman on December 16, 2021.
Location: Mews
Hattie - Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)
Hattie had a collision with a car in central Indiana in the early 2000’s. She damaged the tip of her left wing and now cannot gain altitude in flight. Hattie is named after Liz and Chris Hatton. She returned to Wesselman on June 27, 2022.
She does try to nest each spring by making a divot in the corner on the ground. She will lay one to two eggs and try to incubate them, but then give up.
Location: Mews
Chip - Barred Owl (Strix varia)
Chip was found on the ground near fledging in 2012 and rehabbed in Westfield, IN. He has a deformed foot so he cannot perch normally, hunt effectively, nor maintain his feathers properly. He came to Wesselman in October 2023.
Location: Mews
Felix Lloyd - Eastern Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
Felix Lloyd was found and rehabilitated in South Elgin, IL by the Anderson Humane Society in February 2021. He was thrown off a roof during an incident with a hawk. His puncture wounds healed well but he sustained permanent head trauma. He came to Wesselman in May of that year and was named in honor of Mayor Lloyd Winnecke for the mayor’s birthday.
Location: Mews
Shelly (Chely) - Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii)
Chely was approximately 10 years old with a 10” carapace when she came to Wesselman on August 1, 2007. She was donated by Dr. Heather Kalb (University of Evansville biology department) who had obtained her from a pet shop in Pennsylvania. Chely’s species was never abundant in Indiana as the state lays on the north-most border of their natural range. DNR considers them to be state endangered.
Location: Small Classroom
Sheldon - Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina)
Sheldon was a surrendered pet whose owners found him to be difficult once he matured. He has lived at the nature center before 2014.
Location: Small Classroom
Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina)
Note: Box turtles are protected in Indiana. Collection and sale of wild box turtles, possession of their eggs and body parts (including shells) are illegal activities. These turtles are kept with permission from Indiana DNR.
Most of the eastern box turtles came to Wesselman after the Evansville Museum remodeled in 2008/2009.
Myrtle was donated on May 2, 2020. She was found in 1993/1994 and kept as a pet.
Jess was dropped off at the Vanderburgh Humane Society on May 18, 2019 in a box of junk and no information about her history. She was transferred to Wesselman on August 5, 2019.
Location: Lobby Enclosures
Eugene - Three-Toed Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina triunguis)
Eugene was kidnapped out of the wild and was brought to Wesselman Woods with quite a few medical issues. His original location is unknown as the finders refused to share the information. He was received February 18, 2014.
Location: Large Classroom
Ssstevie - Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis)
Ssstevie was hatched at Angel Mounds and hand-raised. He came to Wesselman as a juvenile in 2016.
Location: Lobby Display Wall
Roscoe - Central Rat Snake (Pantherophis spiloides)
Roscoe was hand-raised and grew up at Wesselman Woods. We believe he was hatched around 2007.
Location: Small Classroom
Larry - Eastern Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula)
Larry was found on one of the coldest winter days in January 2015 in a long-time volunteer’s basement. He was brought to Wesselman Woods with feline damage to his underside and prolonged stay due to subsequent infection.
Location: Lobby Display Wall
Achoo
Cornsnakes (Pantherophis guttatus)
Pebble
Achoo was added to the Wesselman team in 2014. She had become very obese at her previous home and is slowly returning to a normal weight. She was raised in captivity.
Pebble was a surrendered pet and was donated to Wesselman in October 2014. He/she was raised in captivity.
Location: Large Classroom
Garface aka Lady GarGar - Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus oculatus)
Garface is on loan from Mesker Zoo. He was caught in the wild by Mesker Zoo director Erik Beck with DNR in 2005. He is nocturnal but can be observed hunting minnows if the room is quiet and dark.
Location: Large Classroom