Open 361 Days a Year: Admissions 10:00am – 3:30pm; park closes at 4:30pm
Welcome to the WNC Nature Center! Reservations are not required, and tickets do not need to be purchased online in advance.
Tyto alba
Appearance: Barn owls have a white, flat, heart-shaped face that is distinctive to its species and acts like a satellite dish to funnel sounds to their ears. Their plumage is mostly made up of white to gold colored feathers. This unique appearance has earned them nicknames like the Golden Owl, Ghost Owl, and Monkey Owl. Compared to other owl species, the barn owl has a beak that is hidden behind stiff feathers that protrude out from its nostrils. Their eyes are also relatively smaller than that of most other owl species.
Range: Barn owls are very commonly found in the south and live all across the United States. Their species has learned to adapt to a decreasing number of habitats by building nest in human populated areas. Barn owls can be found nesting in barns and abandoned city buildings.
Diet: Barn owls are carnivores and require a lot of space for hunting. They need a minimum of 70 acres of land as their hunting zone, and they will hunt and eat various small mammals such as mice and voles. Barn owls have a unique flight style, and they can hover in the air for as long as a minute.
Date of Birth: February 2011
Bela was donated to the WNC Nature Center by the Arizona Fish and Game Adobe Mt. Wildlife Center in April 2014. Due to her permanent injuries from a collision with a car, she lacks the skills needed to survive without human care. Bela was named by her keeper after Bela Lugosi, who was the original actor who played Dracula. Bela covers her face with her wing much like the character Dracula.
Date of Birth: April 2009
Boris joined Bela in the Birds of Prey area in December 2021. He came to the WNC Nature Center from Ross Park Zoo in Binghamton, New York. Boris’ name keeps with Bela’s vampire name origins!
Generally shy and reclusive animals, black bears avoid human contact and are not normally aggressive. Two black bears, Uno and Ursa, live at the Nature Center.
Red wolves are highly endangered species that has been eliminated from almost all of its natural range. Our breeding pair of red wolves, Karma and Garnet, are part of the AZA Species Survival Plan.
River otters are masterful in the water. Obi and Olive, the two otters at the Nature Center, love to show their playful side in their habitat!
Angoras are primarily browsing animals and thrive best where there is a good cover of brush, weeds, and grass. Disliking the rain, Angoras are well adapted to a dry, mild climate.
WNC Nature Center
75 Gashes Creek Road
Asheville, NC 28805
Getting Here
General Inquiries
828-259-8080
admin@wildwnc.org
Friends of the
WNC Nature Center
PO Box 19151
Asheville, NC 28815
828-259-8092
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