Since 1982 the Wildlife Center of Virginia in Waynesboro has quietly gone about its mission of caring for injured wildlife, but in the past four months it's gotten a lot more attention.

When three baby eaglets were brought to the center in April from the Norfolk Botanical Garden, nearly 150,000 avid web cam followers of the birds also came along.

Those new fans from all over the country and all over the world have brought renewed interest and financial contributions to the center.

In addition to over $30,000 in personal contributions, the new fans also helped the center win $225,000 in a grant from Chase Community Giving.

The money is helping the center put several projects on the fast track, including a new pen for Buddy the bald eagle and a web cam that showcases patients at the center.

While many of the new fans came for the eaglets, President Ed Clark hopes they'll stick around and become a fan of all the wildlife.

"We have deliberately tried to engage this constituency in the broader mission of the wildlife center which is all wildlife, not just the eagles. That has been very successful and these people have found a true year round outlet for their interest that had previously just been during the nesting season," Clark said.

The new web cam is also allowing the center to do more educational outreach.

Thursday afternoon was the first time the new technology was used, allowing the center staff to interact in real time with a classroom in Arizona.

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