Vinnie

Vinnie the turkey vulture was found in spring 1991 as a juvenile after being hit by a car in Brunswick, Ohio. He was brought to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History at a time when the Museum was doing wildlife rehabilitation. Unfortunately, Vinnie had severe damage to his right elbow; it was fused and did not have full extension. This damage was irreversible and would limit his ability to fly. He was soon deemed unreleasable, and he remains a permanent resident at the Museum. Vinnie has served for many years as one of our educational ambassadors, traveling to programs both inside and outside the Museum to teach our community about native wildlife.

Gandalf

Gandalf the turkey vulture is thought to have been born in spring 2003. He was found soon after that with an impact injury to his right wing, most likely from a collision with a car. Gandalf was brought to the Medina Raptor Center for rehabilitation, but his wing was too badly injured for him to be released. Being unflighted and unable to survive in the wild, Gandalf became a permanent resident at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History in December 2005. He can be seen in the Ralph Perkins II Wildlife Center & Woods Garden—Presented by KeyBank. 

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