Adopt an Animal at the Leslie Science & Nature Center

You can provide direct support to the wildlife at the Leslie Science & Nature Center by joining our Animal Adoption program. By sponsoring one (or more!) of our animal ambassadors, you help us buy food, pay for veterinary care, develop training programs, and more. On behalf of our entire team, thank you for your invaluable partnership.

What does it cost to care for our wildlife?

  • Annually, we spend about $6,000 on fruits, veggies, and other food for our reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, and mammals.

  • Feeding our birds of prey is even pricier, with expenses amounting to $14,000 every year.

Did you know . . .

A two-year Oak Level adoption ($250) feeds our raptors for a week!

How does your adoption help?

  • The cost of a one-year Oak Level adoption ($150) feeds both Great Horned Owls, both Turkey Vultures, the Bald Eagle, and the American Kestrel for a week.

  • A Hickory Level adoption ($100) offsets the cost of a week’s worth of produce.

  • If four people adopted at the White Pine Level ($500) in 2023, it would feed the Bald Eagle for a whole year!

Choose from four levels:

Redbud: $25 (one year)

You will receive a digital adoption packet with a certificate, a photo of your animal, and a species fact sheet. Your name will be featured on our website.

Hickory: $100 (one year); $50 (one year; for schools and classrooms only)

You will receive a physical adoption packet with a certificate, a photo of your animal, and a species fact sheet. Your name will be featured on our website and on a plaque displayed outdoors at LSNC.

Oak: $150 (one year); $250 (two years)

You will receive a physical adoption package with a certificate, a photo of your animal, a species fact sheet, and a plush animal.* Your name will be featured on our website and on a plaque displayed outdoors at LSNC.

White Pine: $500 (one year)

You will receive a physical adoption package with a certificate, a photo of your animal, a species fact sheet, and a plush animal.* Your name will be featured on our website and on a plaque displayed outdoors at LSNC.

You will also have the opportunity to schedule a customized, hour-long program with our knowledgeable wildlife staff. This unique, private experience will involve a live animal encounter and a tour of the Critter House and Raptor Loop.


*Depending on availability, the plush animal you receive may be from a different species than the one you adopted. You may indicate preference for a particular species on the adoption page.

Explore our wildlife ambassadors to begin your adoption:

Support our wildlife through item donations:

Follow this link to our Amazon Wish List

Gift cards:

We can also always use:

  • Newspaper

  • Paper towel rolls