Nov. 21, 2005   AU dedicates raptor amphitheater   Auburn University's Southeastern Raptor Center dedicated a new 300-seat amphitheater Nov. 16 and had a day of free educational programs Nov. 18 about raptors, or birds of prey.   The Edgar B. Carter Educational Amphitheater was opened through a formal ceremony  honoring the late Edgar B. Carter, former director of research for Abbott Laboratories in Chicago. His daughter, Carol Clark of Princeville, Illinois, gave a $400,000 gift in his memory to fund the new facility.   "It was completed in late summer, but we wanted to have a dedication in the fall when the weather is cooler," said Dr. Timothy Boosinger, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. "We are glad to open this new facility and are greatly appreciative for the gift that made it possible."   The amphitheater will provide more opportunities for local residents as well as out-of-town guests to see a raptor program. It will also reduce travel time and costs for the center's two education specialists, who travel across the region presenting programs to schools, conservation groups and other organizations. The center's most famous residents are 25-year-old golden eagle Tiger, officially known as War Eagle VI, and bald eagle Spirit and golden eagle Nova.   All birds used in the educational programs are non-releasable due to prior injuries or human imprinting. Any bird capable of surviving in the wild must be released, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which permits Auburn to house the birds.   Return to News