From Rocky Mountain Raptor Program
When is a Third Chance at Freedom Necessary?
Sometimes, a second chance just isn't enough.
Not long ago, a Great-horned suffered head trauma from being hit by a vehicle, our #1 injury. She was also battling West Nile Virus.
As it recovered, we determined that it would be in the owl's best interest to experience a soft release, which involves the gradual reintroduction of an animal back into the wild until it is ready to be entirely independent. She took off and was making a living in the community, or so we thought.
Our rescue team received multiple calls about an owl in a nearby neighborhood. Upon capture, we discovered it was the same owl, identified by the metal USGS band we use to track the post-release outcomes of our patients. The owl had once again been struck by a vehicle sometime during the night and had suffered a broken leg.
Our rehabbers splinted the leg and administered pain medications and plenty of "bed rest" for this resilient owl. After a month of recuperation, the splint was removed, and we were pleased to find that the owl had regained full use of its leg and foot. After more strength and conditioning training, we saw a full recovery and another release - hopefully, this time without a return ticket to our hospital!
I had been reading a post from the International Owl Center. They just had an event where they had a comparative anatomy event where they dissected a few species of owl. They said the GHO's brain was smaller than one of its eyes. The owl in this post seems to confirm they are not built to be the wisest of creatures, despite the mythology. π
