Adoption Page
You can play an important role in wildlife conservation by giving a gift that makes a difference. Proceeds from the symbolic adoptions will help change the forecast for many imperiled animal and will create programs to connect kids to wildlife through the ARTS!
Please speak up for wildlife that have no voice of their own. You will help protect our nation's wildlife by adopting one of our wildlife art ambassadors today! You'll not only be helping to protect America's precious wildlife and the habitats they depend upon, you will also be encouraging a child's lifelong love of nature through an art class with a 'Wildlife Twist'!! We do not receive government funding, so support from generous friends like you is absolutely crucial!
Each $20.00 Symbolic Adoption includes shipping and comes with:
- Photo of Animal or Insect
- Certificate of Adoption with your name.
- Animal profile facts
- Art Classes the animalambassador participated in.
- An email alert when the animal ambassador is scheduled to appear in the next Painting With Pat Art Class.
Purettie is a Kookaburra and our 'animal ambassador' for a series of drawing classes. He was a 'ham' on the Channel 5-TV Show "Talk of the Town" with Tuwanda Coleman. Purettie lives at the Kentucky Down Under Animal Park in Horsecave, Kentucky. His native home is Australia north of Cape York Peninsula.
According to an Aboriginal legend, the kookaburra's famous chorus of laughter every morning is a signal for the sky people to light the great fire that illuminates and warms the earth by day. The legend captures the imagination, but the true function of the familiar cacophony is to advertise the territory of this bold little bird.
The Laughing Kookaburra is the largest of the kingfisher family, but unlike most of its relatives, it is sedentary and occupies the same territories the year round. Laughing Kookaburras live in woodlands and open forests. they do not need free water to exist and occur in almost any part of eastern Australia. Kookaburra's are not particularly selective feeders - their diet of snakes, lizards, rodents, but live mainly on various insects and other invertebrates. Their method of hunting is, perch and pounce. as typical kingfishers.
Click here to adopt: Purettie
Squeaky is an Eastern Screech-owl. He was found by Pat by the side of the road with and injured wing. Pat made sure he got the medical help he needed even though, he resisted using his beak biting at Pat every chance he got.
While he was mending, Squeaky became our animal ambassador for his wild cousins. Squeaky and Pat became best of friends, he posed for the kids in several in-school visits drawing class. Squeaky was released back into the wild in 2007. He still visits Pat at a distance and says 'Hello' with his squeaky, eerie, screech-owl call!
Screech-owls are found in nearly every habitat throughout the Eastern United States and Southern Canada. It is common in urban as well as rural areas and readily nests in nest boxes. the characteristic description of the screech-owl is: small in stature (6 - 10 inches), feathered ear tufts, color varies in different regions: gray, brownish gray, or reddish-brown. The wingspan is (19 - 24 inches), weight is approx. (4.27 - 8.61 ounces), the sexes are alike in plumage, the female is a little larger than the male. The screech-owl's diet consists of a variety of items: small rodents, insects, lizards, small snakes and small birds.
The Eastern Screech-owl is not on the endangered list. The conservation status is widespread and common.
Click here to adopt: Squeaky
Lilly is a striped skunk. Her home is at the Nashville Zoo in Nashville, TN. She is our animal ambassador when we visit the Nashville Zoo for our drawing classes, 'Portraits of the Wild'.
Lilly is a member of the Mustelid Family, a group that includes weasels, martins, and badgers and are found throughout almost all of North America.Skunks are adaptable to a variety of habitats; open, scrub, wooded and suburban developed habitats. Skunks den in cavities such as woodchuck burrows, hollow logs, brush piles, stone walls and under buildings. A den is usually used for brief periods because of the skunk's nomadic tendency. Generally skunks are solitary animals except when raising young or sharing a den during cold periods of winter. A skunk's only defense is a noxious odor that can be 'fired' from either of two independently operating anal glands. Lilly was given to the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere as a baby, (kit), when her mother was killed on the highway. Lilly's scent glands has been removed. She will never be able to go back to the wild. Skunks are generally gentle and non-aggressive creatures. Because of the skunk's adaptability to changing habitats, Lilly's wild cousins are not on the endangered species list.
Click here to adopt Lilly
May is a female white-tailed deer. We met May during our art program: 'Who Went This Way'.
Who Went This Way is an adventurous, totally engaging workshop that takes the kids on a field trip down a nature trail, into a wild natural cover field or into the woods. Students are looking for animal tracks and asking the question,' Who Went This Way?' White-tail deer range across most of the United States. Their habitat includes heavy forests, forest edges, brushlands, open prairies and mixed farmland.Only males grow antlers. When alarmed, white-tail deer raises its tail exposing a bright white underside. May let us share her habitat as she posed for sketches. We also made some great plaster casts of her hoof prints!
Click here to adopt May
Stumpy is a bearded dragon. An accident took off one of Stumpy's fore-limbs at the elbow. But his handicap does not get in the way of Stumpy's scampering around his home at the Kentucky Down Under Animal Park in Horsecave, Kentucky! He is our animal ambassador for all his wild cousins in Australia when we visit the Kentucky Down Under for a art class with a 'Wildlife Twist'!!
Bearded dragon lizards are native to Australia. They live in rocky and arid regions of the country and are adept climbers. Dragons have large triangular heads and flat bodies with pointed ridges along the sides. They are omnivorous, eating both insects and plants.
Click here to adopt Stumpy
Jellie is a Virginia Opossum. She weighs a little under 10 lbs and is almost two years old. She lives at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She was brought to the TN Aquarium when she was orphaned as a baby. Her Mom was hit by a car on the highway.
Unfortunately, a lot of animals lose their lives on a man-made highway that crosses their habitat. Jellie and Thaddeus, (her human Dad), were our guests at the 2009 Hall of Trees Fundraiser hosted by the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. Jellie was our wildlife ambassador. She helped raise $3,000.00 for wildlife conservation and art programs connecting kids to wildlife through the ARTS!
Virginia Opossums are marsupials. That means that they have a belly pouch to carry their young. Opossums are the only marsupials in North America. Virginia Opossums have opposable thumbs on their hind feet. This thumb, like the human thumb, lets opossums grab and hold things. Their tail can hold things also.
Virginia Opossums can get so scared they faint! When scared, their heart beats too fast for their body. Their body then stops for a while to relax. This is were the term: "Playing Possum" comes from!!! Virginia Opossums are not on the endangered list.
Jellie's relatives can be found in woodlands, farmlands, suburbs in most of central and eastern U.S., southern Canada and south through Mexico. Their diet consists of insects, eggs, fruit, nuts, and carrion.
Click here to adopt Jellie
Harv's home is at the Nashville Zoo in Nashville, TN. He is our animal ambassador when we visit the Nashville Zoo for our drawing classes, 'Portraits of the Wild'. We introduce the kids to the art media, 'chalk pastels', to create Harv on black paper canvas!
We have a second Blue tongued skink animal ambassador, Petie that lives at the Kentucky Down Under Animal Park in Horsecave, Kentucky.
The blue tongue skink has a colorful cobalt blue tonge used in a dramatic fashion to startle, distract, and ward off predators! There are 800 species of skinks distributed on every continent where the climate is mild and warm. They are diverse in appearance and habits, with elongated bodies and short legs or none at all in a select few. Skinks eyes can have moveable eyelids or fixed clear spectacles as in a snake. Their sizes range from just a few inches, to two-feet long including the tail. Most are diurnal ground-dwelling lizards which feed on a variety of insects, snails, carrion, wildflowers, native fruits and berries.
Harv and Petie's native home is Australia.
Click here to adopt Harv or Petie
Ding is a full blooded Australia Dingo.(Canis Dingo) The dingo is legendary as Australia's wild dog, though it also occurs in Southeast Asia. The Australian animals my be descendents of Asian dingoes that were introduced to the continent some 3,000 year ago. These golden or reddish-colored canids may live alone (especially young males) or in pack up to ten animals. They roam great distances and communicate with wolf-like howls. Dingo hunting is opportunistic. They pursue small game such as rabbits, rodents, birds. and lizards. These dogs will eat fruits and plants as well.
Australia is home to so many of these animals that they are generally considered pests. A famous "dingo fence" has been erected to protect grazing lands for the continent's herds of sheep. Though, dingoes are numerous, their pure genetic strain is gradually being compromised. They can and do interbreed with domestic dogs to produce hybrid animals. Kentucky Down Under Animal Park is one facility that have a pure Dingo breeding program in place.
Click here to adopt Ding
George is a black snake. He is also called a rat snake, black racer and chicken snake due to his love of chicken eggs and baby chickens. His species can be found in a variety of habitats, especially where there is an abundance of mice and rats. Ideal habitat for George can be found around barns, chicken houses, brush piles, old junk piles, and other similar structures. This species can be found in both woodlands and open fields. A large portion of their time is likely spent high up in trees, either coiled in hollows or stretched out on branches.. Due to this species large size and need to actively forage, spends a good portion of time basking in the sun. George's favorite "hot" spot is under loose pieces of tin.
George's species are abundant and common, not on the endangered list.
We see George often in the wild here at Painting With Pat, he is not captive. Even though George has a good nature personality, and will let Pat pick him up, (as a general rule: 'Do not pick up snakes in the wild.') Black snakes are not poisonous but, as a general rule ('
(Observe all snakes in the wild from a distance.)
Click here to adopt George
Steve Irwin was just one man, but he made a wonderful, positive impact in the lives of kids and adults around the world. Steve Irwin Day on 15 November is an international and annual event to celebrate the extraordinary life of the one and only Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin. The day represents the many things Steve was passionate about: Family, Wildlife Conservation and Fun!
Painting With Pat, Inc. holds the same beliefs. Pat, a wildlife artist, wildlife conservationist, art instructor, and co-founder of Painting With Pat, recognizes the need for children to 'get up, get moving and get reconnected to nature and wildlife.
Our youth today is spending less and less time outside than ever before. They are becoming disconnected with the natural world and connected with a universal world of communication and entertainment. Electronic devices, attached to the arm, in the ear or in the hand is a necessity for casual attire for young people today. Being universally connected isn't a bad thing, but the youth is missing out on the natural world and we need the youth connected to nature and wildlife.
They blossom and grow when they connect to the natural world. The connection creates a calmness and normalcy within their lives.
Fred is a praying mantis, (order: Mantodea Family:Mantidae)
Fred is an insect ambassador for Painting With Pat. Fred lives in the backyard habitat here at Painting With Pat. Fred introduces kids to their backyard neighbors through the ARTS!
The Praying Mantis waits in ambush. In a sudden movement is will grasp its prey with its spiny fore legs. The Mantis' strong mouthparts can cut through the heads of tough insects like wasps. Its flexible neck allows the mantis to turn its head to look at you----creating an eerie feeling!
Click here to adopt Fred
Sid lives in the wild here at Painting With Pat. Sid is an American Bald Eagle. The bald eagle, with its snowy-feathered (not bald) head and white tail, is the proud national bird symbol of the United States--yet the bird was nearly wiped out. For many decades, bald eagles were hunted for sport and for the "protection" of fishing grounds. Pesticides like DDT also wreaked havoc on eagles and other birds. These chemicals collect in fish, which make up most of the eagle's diet. An average life span in the wild is up to twenty-eight years. The protection status is still threatened. Sid usually poses for photo shots for our 'Junior Photo Safari'.
Junior Photo Safari is a workshop that takes the junior photographer beyond the walls to photograph in the 'wild'! The workshop utilizes the nature walking trail or nature park environment. The camera's view finder connects the young photographer to nature and wildlife capturing a moment in time. Students will later assemble their photographs as a collage.
Click here to adopt Sid
Ducky is a male mallard duck. He was hatched and grew up here at Painting With Pat enjoying all the luxuries of home including the couch! Ducky is our animal ambassador with our 'Junior Duck Stamp Program'. He travels to schools and parks with us promoting wildlife conservation through the ARTS! He loves to posed for paintings created by kids for the Junior Ducks Stamp Program.
The Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program is a dynamic, educational program designed to teach wetland-habitat and waterfowl conservation to students in kindergarten through high school. Using scientific and wildllife observaiton principles, the program helps students communicate visually what they have learned by creating an entry for the Junior Duck Stamp art contest.
Diego is a Bengal Tiger. Diego's fur is coloured with orange strips on a black base with a white underbelly.His native home is India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and Burma. His habitat varies including rainforests and densen grasslands. He is critically endangered.
Tigers, as with all animals at the top of the food chain, help balance populations in the wild. When a tiger has eaten its portion, the leftovers become food for an array of other mammals, reptiles and birds. Tigers are meat eaters (carnivores). Their hunting method is a slow patient stalk through cover until they are close enough for th final spring. Sadly, his habitat is being destroyed by humans. There are several programs and non profit organizations across the world set up to preserve this great cat.
Painting With Pat would like to connect you with this beautiful animal through the ARTS!
Mattie is a female Bobcat. She lives wild here at Painting With Pat. Last year in 2008, when Pat was out in the wild working on a wildlife painting, fresh snow had just fallen and Pat was crossing a little brook, when she noticed a movement up the stream, Mattie and a litter of two little kits. Pat froze still and so did Mattie, they observed each other for awhile until Mattie signaled to her family Pat was a friend and they were in no danger. Mattie and her little family silently moved on down the stream and into the woods. We see Mattie from time to time, when we go on wildlife drawing excursions!
Mattie's (Bobcat's) habitat includes forests, swamps, farmlands, thicket, semi-deserts and rocky hillsides. Mattie prefer rocky ledges for a den sight. A bobcat's coat varies geographically and by time of the year, with tendency for gray winter coat and a warmer brownish coat in summer.
Click here to adopt Mattie
Click here to adopt Ducky
Herb is a male Ringneck Pheasant. After release, Herb is the only one out of sixteen birds released that decided to make his home here at Painting With Pat. Ringneck Pheasants usually don't stay in one place for very long, they tend to roam. Ringneck population peaked in the 1940's in most parts of the country. In the 1970's and 80's intensive farming practices took a heavy toll, eliminating as much as 90% of pheasant cover. Thanks to conservation groups like Pheasants Forever and such efforts as the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) the pheasant population is slowly making a come-back.
Ringnecks mainly rely on their eyesight and hearing to escape predators. They also can sense lurking predators by ground vibrations through pressure-sensitive pads on their feet.
A Ringneck's diet consists of small grains, weed seed, and insects. They prefer corn, but will also eat wheat, oats, soybeans, sorghum and milo. Insects like the grasshopper provide much needed protein.
Like most upland birds, pheasants have a short life. Rarely does a pheasant live for more than 2 years in the wild.
Click here to adopt Herb
Click here to adopt Diego
Billy is a Carpenter bee. He, you can tell it is a male by the white spot on its head, does resenble a bumble bee, but the abdomen of the carpenter bee is entirely black and shiny and the bumble bee has an abdomen that is yeallow and fuzzy. In the spring, female carpenter bees uses her strong jaws (mandibles) to drill holes about 3/8 inch in diameter into the wood.to create a series of provisioned brood cells. The most common places these holes are found are decks, eaves and siding. Carpenter bees are solitary insects that do not form colonies. When the female is working on the brood cell, the male carpenter bee hovers close to protect the nest, diving and chasing anything that comes into its territory. The life cycle, (egg, larva,pupa,adult) is completed in approximately seven weeks, although developmental time may vary depending on the temperature..The new adults hibernate in the nest gallery during the winter and emerge the following spring.
Click here to adopt Billy
This little Kangaroo, "Roo", was our animal ambassador for our 2008 Hall of Trees Fundraiser hosted by the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. She is a marsupial that means they have a 'belly pouch' to carry their young. The kangaroo's family name, Macropodidae, means 'big feet'. Female kangaroos are called 'does' and give birth to tiny, underdeveloped young that are then carried in a special pouch, called a marsupium, on the doe's body. Inside the pouch, the joey attaches to a nipple and nurses for several months before venturing out into the world. Joeys often peek their heads out of the pouch to have a look around weeks before they head out on their own. If Roo was in the wild, she would still be in her mother's pouch, only coming out to investigate the outside world and when frightened, she would head back to the pouch for safety. Roo seeks safety and comfort from her animal handler's man-made pouch as you can see in the picture on the right of your screen. Roo's relatives can be found in every habitat in Australia, and in wet forests of New Guinea.
Click here to adopt Roo
Meet your 'Backyard Woodland Neighbors'! This program is a collection of interesting critters from our own backyards that most people don't take the time to notice in their native habitat, unless the critter makes itself known. When Painting With Pat cannot take the kids beyond the classroom into nature and the wild to observe and create art, ...Pat bring the wildlife to the classroom! The students will discover specific species characteristics of selected inhabitants of the 'unseen world', making a connection to the wildlife great and small that share their backyard.
Click here to adopt your
Backyard Woodland Neighbors!
On rare occasions we get to share an unforgettable moment with wildlife. Like this day when our Regional Director got to hug a black bear at one of the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuges.
Black bears are North America's most familiar and common bears. they typically live in forests and are excellent tree climbers, but are also found in mountains and swamps. Despite their name, black bears can be blue-gray or blue-black, brown, cinnamon or even (very rarely) white.
Black bears are very opportunistic eaters. Most of their diet consists of grasses, roots, berries, and insects. They will also eat fish and mammals--including carrion--and easily develop a taste for human foods and garbage. Bears who become habituated to human food at campsites, cabins, or rural homes can become dangerous and are often killed--thus the frequent reminder: Please don't feed the bears!
Solitary animals, black bears roam large territories, though they do not protect them from other bears. Males might wander a 15 to 80 square-mile home range. When winter arrives, black bears spend the season dormant in their dens.
Click here to adopt
a Black Bear Ambassador
