You may notice that we only keep our larger birds, geese and swans, in the open aviaries. This is because without the netting, there is a risk of avian predators, such as hawks and owls, which will not try to hunt our larger birds. Any ducks that you see in the open aviaries are wild and simply visiting Ripley before moving on to new habitats.
Local Connecticut Predators
Black Bear
Raccoon
Red-tailed Hawk
Bobcat
Opossum
Great Horned Owl
Every once in awhile Ripley gets to assist the CT DEEP with their bobcat research. This video shows the release of a bobcat that was trapped near the Conservancy and fitted with a radio collar. With this information CT DEEP biologists learn about bobcat habitat distribution and home range.