Animal Ambassadors
For video, images and detailed information about our Animal Ambassadors and their natural histories, visit EarthRangers.com.
To learn more about how our Ambassadors help us to pass on our environmental message to kids, read the article Animal Ambassador Spotlight.
Shriek
Red-Tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
Sex: Male
Birthday: Spring of 2002
Favourite food: Rodents
Favourite toy: Red Kong with food hidden inside
How did Shriek get his name? Shriek has a very loud personality and likes to shriek at the other Ambassadors.
Where did Shriek come from? Shriek was brought into the Brampton OSPCA where they discovered he was blind in one eye and therefore unable to be released back into the wild. He came to Earth Rangers in August 2003.
Shriek is an active participant in our school shows, festivals and events.
Sammy
African Serval (Leptailurus serval)
Sex: Male
Birthday: May 2008
Favourite food: Chicken
Favourite toy: His brother Sydney
How did Sammy get his name? Sammy was named at the breeding facility before he came to Earth Rangers.
Where did Sammy come from?
Sammy came to us from a captive breeding facility.
Sammy doesn't go out to schools, but he is featured in our shows at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM).
Floyd
Ball Python (Python regius)
Sex: Male
Birthday: June 2005
Favourite food: Mice
Favourite toy: His den
How did Floyd get his name? Nowhere specific - it just popped into an Earth Rangers Trainer's head!
Where did Floyd come from?
Floyd came to us from a captive breeding program.
Floyd is an active participant in our school shows, festivals and events.
Yeti
Snowy Owl (Nyctea scandiaca)
Sex: Male
Birthday: April 2007
Favourite food: Mice
Favourite toy: Kong
How did Shriek get his name? Yeti got his name because he looks a bit like an abominable snowman.
Where did Shriek come from?
Yeti came to us from a captive breeding program.
Yeti doesn't visit schools yet.
Koho
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Sex: Male
Birthday: Spring 2003
Favourite food: Fish
Favourite toy: Red Kong with food stuffed inside.
How did Koho get his name? Koho was named after Coho Salmon, his absolute favourite food.
Where did Koho come from? Koho came to Earth Rangers from a captive breeding program.
Koho is an active participant in our school shows, festivals and events.
Pouncer
Common Barn Owl (Tyto alba)
Sex: Male
Birthday: August 2007
Favourite food: Small rodents
Favourite toy: Towels
How did Pouncer get his name? When Pouncer was very little he would look at the food, wiggle his tail like a cat and then pounce on it.
Where did Pouncer come from? Pouncer came to Earth Rangers from a captive breeding program, with his sister Gemini.
Pouncer is an active participant in our school shows, festivals and events.
Gemini
Common Barn Owl (Tyto alba)
Sex: Female
Birthday: August 2007
Favourite food: Small rodents
Favourite toy: Shoes
How did Gemini get her name? Gemini’s trainers felt she had a duel personality just like those supposedly born under the astrological sign for May/June.
Where did Gemini come from? Gemini came to Earth Rangers with her brother Pouncer, from a captive breeding program.
Gemini is an active participant in our school shows, festivals and events.
Putter
Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)
Sex: Male
Birthday: May 2006
Favourite food: Bugs
Favourite toy: Scrub brush
How did Putter get his name? Putter was found wondering alone on a golf course and was named after the sport of golf.
Where did Putter come from? After being found on the golf course he was taken to the Toronto Wildlife Centre. They determined he was non-releasable due to his exposure to people at such a young age. He came to Earth Rangers in January 2007.
Putter is an active participant in our school shows, festivals and events.
Cosmo
Ring Tailed Lemur (Lemur catta)
Sex: Male
Birthday: May 2007
Favourite food: Bananas and cranberries
Favourite toy: Stuffed animals
How did Cosmo get his name? Cosmo was named after Cosmo Kramer from the TV show Seinfeld because of his comical nature.
Where did Cosmo come from? Cosmo came to Earth Rangers from a captive breeding program.
Cosmo is an active participant in our school shows, festivals and events.
Norton
Northern Pine Snake (Pituophis melanoleucus)
Sex: Male
Birthday: April 2006
Favourite food: Rodents
Favourite activity: Norton loves to bury himself and make tunnels in the dirt.
How did Norton get his name? Norton sounds very similar to “northern” (as in Northern Pine Snake).
Where did Norton come from? Norton came to Earth Rangers from a captive breeding program.
Norton is an active participant in our school shows, festivals and events.
Shelly
Midland Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta marginata)
Sex: Female
Birthday: Unknown
Favourite food: Meat and grapes
Favourite activity: Shelly loves to bask in the sun.
How did Shelly get her name? Shelly’s name comes from the word shell.
Where did Shelly come from? Shelly was rescued from a pet store and taken to an animal shelter. They determined she was non-releasable and she transferred to Earth Rangers in February 2005.
Shelly is an active participant in our school shows, festivals and events.
Hailey
Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis)
Sex: Female
Birthday: May 5, 2004
Favourite food: Peanuts or cranberries
Favourite toy: Puzzles
How did Hailey get her name? She was discovered during a hail storm.
Where did Hailey come from? Hailey was found with her siblings when she was very young. Her mother was missing. She became accustomed to humans and deemed non-releasable. She came to Earth Rangers in July 2004.
Hailey is an active participant in our school shows, festivals and events.
Zeus
Eastern Milk Snake (Lampropeltis triangulum)
Sex: Male
Birthday: September 1999
Favourite food: Rodents
Favourite toy: Loves to hide in boxes
How did Zeus get his name? He was named after the Greek mythological character.
Where did Zeus come from? Zeus was found when he was very young after he’d sustained injuries from a cat. He was brought to a wildlife centre and then transferred to Earth Rangers in 2001 after it was determined he couldn’t be released back into the wild.
Zeus is an active participant in our festivals and events.
Fantom
Black Pine Snake (Pituophis melanoleucus lodingi)
Sex: Female
Birthday: Spring 2005
Favourite food: Rodents
Favourite activity: Burrowing under the dirt
How did Fantom get his name? She got her name from her colouring, which is black.
Where did Fantom come from? Fantom came to Earth Rangers in 2007 from a captive breeding program.
Fantom is an active participant in our school shows, festivals and events.
Lilo
Domestic Ferret (Mustela putorius furo)
Sex: Female
Birthday: October 2006
Favourite food: Ferret kibble
Favourite toy: Lilo and her sister have a stuffed fish they like to play with and sleep in.
How did Lilo get her name? Lilo’s name came from the movie Lilo and Stitch.
Where did Lilo come from? Lilo came to Earth Rangers with her sister Stitch from a breeding program.
Lilo is an active participant in our school shows, festivals and events.
Stitch
Domestic Ferret (Mustela putorius furo)
Sex: Female
Birthday: October 2006
Favourite food: Ferret kibble
Favourite toy: Stitch and her sister have a stuffed fish they like to play and sleep in.
How did Stitch get her name? Stitch’s name came from the movie Lilo and Stitch.
Where did Stitch come from? Stitch came to Earth Rangers with her sister Lilo from a breeding program.
Stitch is an active participant in our school shows, festivals and events.
Maverick
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
Sex: Male
Birthday: Spring 2008
Favourite food: Rodents
Favourite toy: Rolled-up paper towel
How did Maverick get his name? He was named after a character from the movie Top Gun.
Where did Maverick come from? Maverick came to Earth Rangers from a captive breeding program.
Maverick is currently in training to become an active participant in school shows and events.
Dora
Argentinean Black and White Tegu (Tupinambis merianae)
Sex: Female
Birthday: May 2006
Favourite food: Small rodents and grapes
Favourite activity: Basking on her rock
How did Dora get her name? Dora was named after the children’s TV program “Dora.”
Where did Dora come from? Dora came to Earth Rangers from a captive breeding program.
Dora is an active participant in our school shows, festivals and events.
Baldwin
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
Sex: Unknown
Birthday: Spring 2002
Favourite food: Rodents
Favourite toy: Shoelaces
How did Baldwin get his name: Baldwin got his name because he is bald.
Where did Baldwin come from: Baldwin was brought to the Toronto Wildlife Centre in November 2002. He was brought to Earth Rangers in 2003 after he was deemed non-releasable.
Baldwin is an active participant in events at the Earth Rangers Centre.