Pelican Island Wildlife Festival: Proudly for the birds!
Staff Writer
Patrick Pitts, Dr RIchard Baker, and Paul Tritaik
The 26th annual Pelican Island Wildlife Festival last Saturday drew huge crowds to Sebastian’s Riverview Park to celebrate the 115th anniversary of Pelican Island being established as the nation’s first National Wildlife Refuge.
President Theodore Roosevelt interpreter Joe Wiegand brought ‘Teddy’ to life, relating how he had made history with the March 14, 1903, enactment to protect the area’s magnificent birds from being slaughtered for their plumage.
He appointed German-born Sebastian resident Paul Kroegel as the country’s first refuge manager.
Festival attendees enjoyed live wildlife shows, educational, historical and environmental exhibits, arts and crafts, children’s activities, viewed submissions to an Amateur Photography Contest and got out on the water with boat tours to get a closer look at Pelican Island, and the birds that call it home.
Photos by: Denise Ritchie
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Patrick Pitts, Dr RIchard Baker, and Paul Tritaik
Reagan and Rylee McPartland
Jessica Bundy and Amy Selby
William Lund with Lisa Casey and Terry Casey
Phyllis Blackman and Heidi Jarvinen
Pelican Island Wildlife Festival
Pelican Island Wildlife Festival
Sherry Hanna, Sherry Tibbetts, and Sue Putney
Pelican Island Wildlife Festival
Jennifer Roberts and Alaine Roberts with Bonnie Swanson
Sheila Harnois with Julie Mars and her granddaughter Hannah Mars
Richard Paperno and Wayne Smeltzer
Carter Greenwood
Nancy Bucklew and Frank Smith with a dire wolf skull
A dire wolf skull displayed at the Pelican Island Wildlife Festival
Margaret Bartlett
Lisa Casey and Terry Casey
Mike Harrell from A&D Hives
Sherry Hanna, Sherry Tibbetts, and Sue Putney
Caroline Medlen
Caroline Medlen
Cori McWilliams and Celeste McWilliams with Don and Mary Anne Curtis
Jennifer Roberts and Alaine Roberts with Bonnie Swanson
Sheila Harnois with Julie Mars and her granddaughter Hannah Mars
Carter Greenwood
