The Oatland Island Wildlife Center: Savannah's Educational Nature Center

The Oatland Island Wildlife Center, a unit of the Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools, is located about 15 minutes southeast of downtown Savannah. It can be reached via the Islands Expressway, which runs southeast out of the Historic District. This road also goes to the Fort Pulaski National Monument and Tybee Island, which would make a nice day trip along with a visit to the Wildlife Center.

The Wildlife Center, which uses more than 100 acres of Oatland Island, is both an educational facility and a tourist attraction. Through their various exhibits and natural animal settings, the center educates the public about ecology and conservation. The exhibit areas at the center include:

Wolf Wilderness. The wolf area uses the notes of a team of researchers to guide visitors through the area. A cabin has exhibits of small animals and information about wolves and their behavior. A trail winds through the woods and culminates with a visit with a pack of tame gray wolves. Other animals in this area include armadillos, peregrine falcons and snakes.

Alligator Wetlands. Several young alligators are the attraction here. A 10,000-square-foot aviary has a viewing walkway above the gators. Also in this section are a pair of Florida sandhill cranes, as well as ibis and herons.

Pollination Station. This area has a bee exhibit showing how pollination works. The area also features a gopher tortoise burrow.

Predators of Georgia. The predators on display here include cougars, bobcats and foxes.

Birds of Prey. Birds of prey at the center include several hawks and owls native to Georgia, as well as a bald eagle. These birds came to the center as a result of injury and are not able to return to the wild.

The Georgia Farm. All of the common Georgia farm animals, including cows, pigs, chickens and donkeys, are here. These animals are domesticated and make up the center's petting zoo.

As a unit of the local school system, the Wildlife Center's primary mission is education. To that end, they offer a variety of programs designed for all grade levels. Programs come with a curriculum pack that helps teachers relate programs to Georgia educational standards. School groups from outside Chatham County are welcome but must pay a slightly higher fee. Programs cover subjects like animal habitats, the various ecosystems found on the island and the history of human life in the area.

Several annual events at Oatland Island are very popular. The area's only Medieval Festival is held here in September. A Halloween Hike has dressed-up characters handing out treats at night on the trails. The Cane Grinding Festival in November shows how cane is pressed to make sugar. Sheep Shearing Day in March, put on by the Fiber Guild of the Savannahs, shears the Center's sheep and demonstrates how to card and spin wool. In addition to these festivals, there are overnight camping trips and a summer camp for students.

Internet reviews of the Oatland Island Wildlife Center are very positive. Visitors always mention the beauty of the setting and that the children had a great time. One person said, "A bit small...but the exhibits are well done. ... The kids loved it and we would go again and again.'' Another recent visitor summed the experience up, saying, "The trails were beautiful, the staff were friendly, and the kids had an amazing time learning new things.''