Education & Advocacy
Our Director, Judith (Dina) Spanomanolis, is a licensed falconer, and has a special interest in raptors (birds of prey, such as hawks, falcons, eagles, owls, etc.). She uses her expertise to provide educational opportunities to the public, including schools, churches, and other organizations.
MWRA: Maryland Wildlife Rehabilitators Association
If you are not in Maryland and need to locate a rehabilitator to help you, please refer to these links:
Trego Mountain Sanctuary is dedicated to educating the public about the need for conserving Maryland’s natural resources. We stress the consequences of meeting human needs, and the environmental impact of people's actions and choices on the land and the creatures that inhabit the air and that land. Habitat loss can cause some native species to become endangered or in severe cases extinct. In some cases, however, urbanization alters the habitat such that native and non-native species can flourish. For example, urbanization caused populations of some species of animals to be above their natural levels, causing problems associated with this abnormality.
Coastal ecosystems such as wetlands, swamps, marshes and tidal flats are very popular for urban development. Often these ecosystems are drained and filled in prior to development. Wetlands act as a natural flood control, support many different species and are effective in filtering out pollutants. Development of these areas not only eliminates their productivity but can lead to enhanced coastal erosion with the ensuing loss of habitat for many birds and animals and the food supply that is necessary for their survival. Each spring, for example, over a million shorebirds that represent 10 species of shorebirds arrive in mass to use Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey as a pit stop on their migration to the Arctic breeding grounds. Survival of the migratory bird red knot (Calidris canutus) depends on the horseshoe crab (Limulus Polyphemus). Every year in May, the horseshoe crab lays its green eggs in sand along the shorelines and beaches. While traveling from the southern tip of South America to their breeding grounds in the Canadian Arctic, red knots stop to gorge on these fat-rich crab eggs. Sadly, however, studies have shown a significant decline in the spawning horseshoe-crab population during the past decade. With a lower concentration of crab eggs, many migrating shorebirds are left without enough food to eat and are unable to gain sufficient weight and energy for their long journey and to reproduce. Biologists of the Department of Environmental Protection have discovered a dramatic decline in red knots - from 95,000 in 1989 to fewer than 32,000 in 2002. The count for May 2003 was the lowest ever - just 16,000 red knots. Scientists predict these species of birds could be extinct within 7 years if conservation measures are not taken.
As shown, there is a real need to improve numbers of horseshoe crabs and create safe havens for injured shorebirds like the red knot and other defenseless animals. To help hundreds of thousands of horseshoe crabs that die each year from being stuck upside down during their yearly spawning ritual, just flip them over by the side when you see these remarkable, harmless creatures. There is no need to be cautious; the horseshoe crab does not bite or sting and its claws are very gentle. Please visit the links below to gain other insights of wildlife and environmental problems in Maryland and the surrounding area to see how you can help. Hopefully, individuals, private organizations, and state and federal government programs will insure wildlife’s safety and preservation for present and future generations.
"In the end, we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand, we will understand only what we are taught." Baba Dioum
References & Additional Sources of Information
- Maryland Department of Natural Resources - Wildlife and Heritage Service
- Maryland Department of Natural Resources Home Page
- Horseshoe Crabs and Shorebirds Fact Sheet. Department of Environmental Protection Division of Fish and Wildlife. 1996-2004.
- Chesapeake Bay Restoration in Focus
- Red Knot Fact Sheet
- The Delaware Bay Shorebird Project 2002
- The Uncertain Future of Shorebirds on the Delaware Bay
- The Search for Red Knots in the Canadian Arctic
- Horseshoe Crab: Natural History, Anatomy, Conservation, and Current Research
Trego Mountain Sanctuary provides lectures and educational programs for groups of all ages – from children to senior citizens. If you are interested in scheduling a program with us please call (301) 432-8148 or email for availability and additional information. Our talks are informative, interesting, and we always have question and answer sessions. As of this writing, our good-will ambassadors, the beautiful eagle owl "Nicky" and the red-tail hawk, "Jeremiah" accompany us to our educational programs.
"If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder… he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in." —Rachel Carson