Are you looking for something fun to do while enjoying this gorgeous spring weather and during April school vacation week? Take your children to the Maine Wildlife Park and go for a walk with wildlife.

The Maine Wildlife Park, a 200-acre haven with more than 30 different species of native Maine wildlife on exhibit, will open its doors for the season at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 15. The park is located on Route 26 in Gray, just 3.5 miles from Maine Turnpike Exit 63.

Visitors are guaranteed to see a moose at the Wildlife Park, along with white-tailed deer, black bears, mountain lions, porcupines, coyotes, owls, native turtles, hawks and owls, trophy trout, and more. Most of the animals at the park live there because they were injured or orphaned, or because they are human dependent since they were raised (sometimes illegally) in captivity. The park serves as a permanent home for wildlife that cannot survive in the wild.

New this year is the first of six small mammal exhibits. The first is for porcupines and was funded primarily by the Friends of the Maine Wildlife Park. Additional exhibits will be constructed throughout this spring and summer, with the eventual goal to relocate all of the small mammals into modern, naturalized exhibits best suited to the wildlife; and for visitors to view and photograph them.

The Maine Wildlife Park will be open daily through Nov. 11, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Visitors must leave the premises by 6 p.m. Admission to the park is free for ages 3 and under; $5 for ages 4-12; $7 for adults; and $5 for seniors. Groups of 15 or more are $3.50 per person. Now is the time to purchase your Family Season Passes; they are available via www.mefishwildlife.com online store.

The Maine Wildlife Park has a tremendous cadre of volunteers who staff the admissions gatehouse, plant, water and maintain our gardens, lead tours for school children, transport wildlife to licensed wildlife rehabilitators, and help out in the gift shop and snack shack. Call the park to learn more about volunteer opportunities at the park at 657-4977; or browse through all our volunteer opportunities at www.mainewildlifepark.com.