Celebrate Wildlife Day, which is scheduled for Saturday, May 1, at Shrine of the Ages on the South Rim at Grand Canyon National Park, will offer great opportunities for visitors to learn about the Grand Canyon’s fascinating wildlife and the work of the biologists who study them. Now in its third year, Celebrate Wildlife Day has become one of Grand Canyon’s most eagerly anticipated annual events.

Throughout the day, Celebrate Wildlife Day will have indoor and outdoor programs for all ages and interests. At the Shrine of the Ages auditorium, the event epicenter, there will be posters, interactive exhibits, educational demonstrations, talks on animal adaptations, owls, reptiles and amphibians, and other activities and attractions, including live animals from the Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center in Phoenix.

Outdoor programs will include telemetry, scat/track workshops, and even a hands-on opportunity for kids to dissect owl pellets and learn about owl diets.

Two evening programs will cap the day. Students of the Grand Canyon School will present a wildlife skit at 7:30 pm, and at 8:00 pm the Peregrine Fund’s Chris Parish will present a special program on “Condor Recovery at the Grand Canyon.”

A kickoff event has been scheduled for Friday evening, April 30. At 7:30 pm in Shrine of the Ages auditorium, wildlife biologist Brandon Holton will make a presentation on “The Canyon’s Lions.”

A complete event schedule is available at this site. Visitors are reminded that programs and activities are subject to change due to weather and staffing. (Rain or shine, snow or sun, be prepared for the elements.)

Visitors staying at Grand Canyon Village can walk to Shrine of the Ages (about 1.5 miles), take the Blue Route/Village Route shuttle, or drive (park in Lot A).

Celebrate Wildlife Day is made possible through a partnership between the National Park Service, the Grand Canyon Association, Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center, the Arizona Game and Fish Department, Grand Canyon Unified School District, Leave No Trace Center of Outdoor Ethics, Xanterra Parks And Resorts, Grand Canyon Railway, and Delaware North Companies Parks and Resorts.

For additional information about Celebrate Wildlife Day, and to see a brief slide show about the event, visit this site. You may also direct questions to Park Ranger Lori Rome at 928-638-7783 or to Shannan Marcak at 928-638-7958.