SUMMIT HILL, Pa. — Ravens, Vulture, Hawks, and a Bald Eagle are among the birds living at the Carbon County Environmental Education Center in Summit Hill.
Despite living in captivity, naturalist Franklin Klock says the birds only recognize whole fish as food, the way they'd find it in nature.
"Fish with heads on, fish that aren't gutted," explains Klock. "You'd find fish filets and so forth at the supermarket. They'll still eat it, but there's more nutrition in whole fish."
Klock is putting out the call on social media for fishermen in the area to donate whole fish to the center.
He says he started the fish donation program earlier in the summer when he was caring for an Osprey, which only eats fish, and the community has been extremely responsive,
"As if you need a reason to go fishing, well we're giving you one. But, with businesses opening back up, and people going back to work, it has tapered off."
When Newswatch 16 arrived, the center was completely out of fresh fish, but a large donation is expected to arrive soon.
In addition to being whole, un-gutted fish donations should also be caught with a lure rather than with traditional bait.
" The reason for that is with lures we see less swallowed hooks and less swallowed lead," said Klock. "Lead is very very bad when it comes to birds, especially eagles. If there's any chance those fish have ingested lead we can't use them."
To purchase fish of this quality, the center would need to work with an all-natural hatchery but that can be really expensive.
With some of their birds eating multiple fish per day, the donation program could save them thousands of dollars each year.
With many of these birds being rescued from Carbon and surrounding counties, he says donated fish is often from the same geographical areas where they'd find their natural prey.
If you'd like to make a donation you can contact the center by phone.
The phone number for the center is (570) 645-8597.