Gus Dead after 12 Years at Wildlife Center in Cornwall New York

Decades ago I can still remember my first class trip to the Hudson Highlands Nature Museum (HHNM). Back then they only had a building on the Boulevard in the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson. What made it so notable was meeting an Owl who appeared to be fake because he never moved.

Fast forward to the present day and you will find that the HHNM is still fascinating people children and adults alike with programs and animal ambassadors. They have expanded greatly since I last had a chance to visit but they still pride themselves on being a place that gets you close to nature. That's why the news released recently by the HHNM is so sad.

For more than a decade a small Screech Owl who end up with the name Gus has been one of the HHNM's animal ambassadors. Being present and helping people visiting the HHNM get an up-close look at a Screech Owl was Gus' main job over his 12 years at the museum.

According to the Facebook post that shared the news that Gus had passed, Gus called the Wildlife Center at the HHNM home for years after he had been injured in a car accident. The result was he had long-lasting ailments which required that he be cared for and could no longer be returned to the woods.

HHNM shared that "Grumpy Gus" who eventually became known as "Grateful Gus" spend 12 years helping teach programs and touched countless hearts. There is no doubt he will be missed. Many people took to social media to share their memories of Gus.