Welcome to the Wildlife Center!
Simon & Melvin, North American Raccoons
During your visit, stop by the Wildlife Center, home to rescued, non-releasable animals that serve as ambassadors for their species and bring awareness to the important roles they play in our ecosystem.
Most of the species in the Wildlife Center are native to South Carolina, so you may see them in the wild as you explore! In our care, all of the animals routinely receive veterinary care, training, and daily enrichment. The Magnolia Wildlife Center is a USDA-licensed exhibitor and is in line with all laws under the Animal Welfare Act of 1966.
At our center, you’ll see domesticated ducks and chickens along with a donkey, miniature horses, goats, turtles, a fox, vultures, owls, a hawk, alligators, a possum, and even a tortoise. The best way to learn about our residents is with a visit to the Wildlife Center, but if you can’t make it just yet, keep reading! To learn more about Todd the Red Fox, Fern the Great Horned Owl, Simon & Melvin the North American Raccoons, and Bart the Black Vulture, visit the Wildlife Center page.
Oliver the Bard Owl
Species Spotlight:
Each week, our dedicated Wildlife Center team highlights one species to educate visitors. This week, the spotlight is on owls!
Oliver (pictured left) is our resident Bard Owl, and Fern (pictured above) is our Great Horned Owl. Great Horned Owls, called “tigers of the sky” are the biggest owls in South Carolina. They don’t really have horns, and they are almost silent in flight. Fern and Oliver came to Magnolia after a car accident. Fern is completely blind — but she always knows where her food is and enjoys listening to Oliver next door and all the wild owls that fly by.
Oliver is an adventurous eater — from shrimp to mice and many other sea creatures, he eats like a king! Bard Owls are sometimes called rain owls because they love to hoot before a storm. He has a crush on Fern, so catch him fluffing up his feathers as he dresses to impress.
Our screech owls Pip and Bruce are small but mighty! They are full grown and a fun fact - they will stretch nice and tall to mimic tree branches, or fluff out to mimic bark.