Because we are animal lovers, Jim and I went to the Wildlife Center, and what a thrill. We were thrilled to see the animals, but we were impressed by the dedication of the staff and volunteers. A great facility!
FACTS ABOUT THE WILDLIFE CENTER: The Wildlife Center in north Santa Fe county just south of Española, is New Mexico's only wildlife hospital.
The Wildlife Center was established in 1986 as a raptor rehabilitation center under the name "Las Aves." In 1991, The Center changed its name to The Wildlife Center to reflect an operation that was expanded to include rehabilitation of all indigenous New Mexico wildlife.
The Center’s success rate for return to the wild is around 55 percent.
The Center is the only rehabilitation center in New Mexico permitted by the federal government and state of New Mexico to rehabilitate large mammals, such as the New Mexico black bear, endangered species and the eagle, our national bird.
Thirty educational animals reside at the Center and are the center piece of over 120 educational programs and over 400 public tours each year at the Center and throughout northern New Mexico. These programs and tours reach about 8000 adults and children each year.
Nine staff and 55 volunteers, who give over 10,000 hours of their time annually, enable the organization to provide leadership for programs and in the rehabilitation of wildlife.
Primary funding comes to The Center from individual donors and private foundations. The Center receives no regular funding from the state or federal government. (From the Wildlife Center website).
To see a video of the Wildlife Center, click
here.
To see more Camera Critters, click
here.
These two ceremonial masks are additional authentic Native American art pieces from Kiva Gallery on Water Street in downtown Santa Fe. Learn more about this outstanding gallery by clicking here.
If you're interested in seeing quite a few unclothed female figures, hop right over to Canyon Road. Interestingly, I saw few representations of males. Go figure! I recall reading a poem years ago establishing the difference between naked and nude. Which description would you chose? 
Just one of the many spectacular vistas on the road up the mountain to get to the ski area. The road is curvy and not one to take during bad weather. Check our first unsuccessful attempt to reach the ski hill here.
What a view!! The ski area at the top is pretty spectacular, too!
A plaque on the street reads: Wood peddlers, farmers and merchants used Burro Alley. Burros economically served the many cultures of New Mexico for many years. The people of Santa Fe relied on the burro for their welfare. 
