Hawaii Wildlife Center presentation today at Volcano Art Center

Hawaii Wildlife Center will give a special free presentation from 7-9 p.m. today (Thursday) at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus.

Focusing on its history, mission and vision, representatives from HWC will discuss their new science and discovery center and share some of the interesting wildlife cases they’ve had at the wildlife hospital.

Cynthia Vanderlit, Division of Forestry and Wildlife biologist, will be on hand to talk about the Laysan duck translocation project that HWC was a partner in. Samantha Christie, wildlife rehabilitation manager, will give an update on wildlife patients at the hospital.

To help raise funds for the wildlife hospital and science center, HWC will be selling logo shirts and “symbolic adoptions,” where people can adopt a bird and get a plush toy with its own cardboard carrier and a certificate. Be the first to adopt and receive a handmade Laysan albatross chick.

The Hawaii Wildlife Center also will host a special tour April 13. Participants can meet at VAC’s Niaulani Campus at 9 a.m. and carpool to the center or people can go directly to the Hawaii Wildlife Center at 53-324 Lighthouse Road in Kapaau. The cost is $20 and preregistration is required. Call Volcano Art Center at 967-8222 to reserve your space or HWC at 884-5000.

Tonight’s presentation is part of a once-a-month Thursday night series at the Volcano Art Center, focusing on art, Hawaiian culture and the environment. The series is intended to inspire, enhance appreciation of art and life experience, while fostering community connections.

The VAC’s Niaulani Campus is located at 19-4074 Old Volcano Road in Volcano Village.

The Volcano Art Center is a nonprofit educational organization created in 1974 to promote, develop and perpetuate the artistic and cultural heritage of Hawaii’s people and environment through activities in the visual, literary and performing arts.

For more information, visit www.volcanoartcenter.org.