Savannah, Ga. - The temperature may be cooling off, but the animals at Oatland Island Wildlife Center are hotter than ever. Cooler temperatures mean the animals are much more active, making a visit to the Center a wonderfully engaging experience.

"Coming out to Oatland Island is great anytime of year, but the animals are much more active during the cooler months than they are in spring and summer" say Allison Ballentine, animal care technician. "More and more people are coming during the cooler seasons to see things that they don't normally get to see. The foxes and wolves are in their thicker winter coats, the bobcats and cougars are more actively exploring their exhibits and the birds of prey are much more vocal" continues Ballentine. On the coldest nights, the Center's staff takes every precaution to keep the animals comfortable. "We add hay to the Georgia Farm so that the animals have a warm bed to sleep on, we run special heaters in the reptile and bat exhibits in Wolf Wilderness, and wrap some of the aviaries in tarps to help cut down the cold wind. Our jobs become a little busier when the weather gets colder" says Ballentine.

With the upcoming holiday season, Oatland Island Wildlife Center has some great suggestions for unique holiday gifts that will sure to please even the toughest people on your list. For the gift that keeps giving, treat someone to a membership to the Friends of Oatland (FOO) and let them enjoy free admission to the Center all year long. Or, to help share the care, try adopting one of the many animals at the Center. Your contribution will go towards the food, medical and maintenance care for their growing collection. Check out the Oatland Island Website at www.oatlandisland. org or call them at (912) 898-3980 to find out about these and other special holiday gift options.

The Oatland Island Wildlife Center of Savannah is home to over 150 animals from 50 different species. The center is open daily from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and is located 5 miles east of Historic Downtown Savannah on President Street (Islands Expressway). The center is a unit of Savannah- Chatham County Public Schools.