If you were looking to get away from all the coronavirus madness at Hawk Mountain, an actual sanctuary, don’t. It’s closed.
On Friday, Hawk Mountain announced it’s closed the whole operation through March 30.
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Closed
In a letter posted to the sanctuary’s website, Hawk Mountain President Sean Grace says, “In light of the continued spread of COVID-19, the board of directors and staff have made the decision to err on the side of caution and voluntarily close all visitor services and cancel programs through March 30 when we will reevaluate the situation.”
The closure includes everything:
- Trails
- Lookouts
- All buildings and facilities
No programs will be held during this time either, he said.
The decision wasn’t made in haste, he says. And closing the trails on the mountain was done because of the compost toilets and other outdoor facilities at Hawk Mountain. They’re made of wood materials that can’t be sanitized properly to prevent spread of COVID-19 coronavirus. Also, since all staff at Hawk Mountain will be away, there is no emergency service in case a hiker is injured.
“This decision is not made lightly, but during these uncertain times, we hold the health and safety of our supporters, visitors, and community as our highest priority. We will continue to keep you posted and as always, we are grateful for your continued support for Hawk Mountain Sanctuary and our local-to-global raptor conservation mission,” Grace adds.
To date, there have been 0 positive or confirmed cases of COVID-19 coronavirus in Schuylkill and Berks counties.
READ MORE:
- SPECIAL SECTION: Coronavirus in Schuylkill County
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