Family Wildlife Day Returns to Santa Rosa Plateau

Families are invited to visit with wild things Saturday such as live wild birds, snakes, tortoises and mammals unique to the nearby .

The Santa Rosa Plateau Foundation and Riverside County Regional Parks and Open Space District announce the return of the popular Family Wildlife Day, set for 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5.

The day is designed to inform, entertain and inspire children and their families to learn more about the Reserve and the natural world, said Ginger Greaves, executive director of SRPF, in a news release.

Festivities will also include music, nature storytelling, nature journaling for kids and grownups alike, special nature craft-making activities by Lakeshore Learning Center, games, nature walks and displays of mountain lions and "bugs and creepy crawly things" that live at the Reserve, Greaves said. 

Admission to Family Wildlife Day is $3 for adults, $2 for children 2 to 12 and free for children under 2. There are no advance ticket sales; admission will be accepted at the door.

A light lunch fair of hot dogs, cookies and other refreshments will also be available for purchase.

The third printing of the “Plants of the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve,"  along with SRPF membership information, will be available for a donation to support the children education programs.

SRPF partners with the county parks department to ensure funding for the children education programs at the Reserve, which include Third Grade Education, Third Grade Title 1 Outreach and Middle School Research. 

Serving 10 school districts and approximately 7,000 students per school year, the SRPF’s mission is to inspire and motivate children to learn and care about the natural world, Greaves said.

Family Wildlife Day will take place at the Visitor Center, Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve, 39400 Clinton Keith Road, Murrieta. For more information call Nancy Backstrand, docent and event chair at 951-677-7341 or email nancybackstrand@gmail.com.