MARS (Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society) in the Courtenay area is a wildlife rescue and education center in Merville, BC, that rehabilitates injured, sick, and orphaned native wildlife. Visitors can explore its visitor center with educational exhibits, learn about the rescue and release stories of patients, see the ambassador birds (like the resident Great Horned Owl and albino crows), and view wildlife through a wetland blind. The facility also includes a gift shop with local and wildlife-themed items. 

What MARS offers

• Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation: MARS takes in injured, sick, and orphaned native animals, including birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians, and works to get them back to their natural habitat.

• Visitor center: Explore indoor exhibits with interactive displays on local wildlife, see a collection of animal artifacts, and hear stories about the animals' rescue, recovery, and release.

• Ambassador birds: Meet resident educational birds, such as Brinley the Great-horned Owl and the albino crows Nimpkish and Kokish.

• Guided tours: Book a guided tour to learn more about the rehabilitation process and the work of the staff and volunteers.

• Flight pen: Get an "eagle-eye view" into the flight pen where recovering birds are housed.

• Wetland viewing: Observe wildlife from a blind overlooking a reclaimed wetland area on the property.

• Gift shop: Purchase a variety of wildlife-themed gifts, books, toys, and local crafts. 

Location and mission

• Location: The facility is located in Merville, BC, on central Vancouver Island, but it is the "Courtenay area" facility that is being described.

• Mission: To conserve and protect native wildlife and its natural habitat through education and rehabilitation.

• Scope: MARS serves central and northern Vancouver Island and has been in operation since the mid-1990s.