Wildlife Rehabilitation in Utah/Second Chance Wildlife Rehabilitation: December 2008

Sunday, December 28, 2008

COLD, TOO MUCH SNOW and we're still busy!

Hello everyone.
I think this year's snow is going to beat last years. My husband has had to shovel pathways to the outside enclosures and make sure the doors are not blocked as well. I'm sure our turkey vulture is thinking "I'd rather be in Mexico" which is where he should normally be this time of year. Poor Walter!
Well, the eagle I spoke about last post that died (we named him Aries), did die from multiple problems, including lead toxicity. The test results came in last Friday. This poor bird suffered greatly. Hind site tells me euthanasia would have prevented prolonged suffering, but we always hope we can overcome some of these situations.
The newest eagle, who's name is now Shu which is the Egyptian name for the god of the air, is

struggling to stay alive. It's been 1 step forward and 2 steps back. He's still getting medications for pain and infection. The apparatus

in his wing where the break was is sobering. At this point it's sort of a" Frankenbird" look. I've included some photo's of Shu and I will have photo's on the next post of the surgery. Keep him in your prayers as he needs all the help he can get! This guy is a 1-2 year old bald eagle, here on vacation from way up north, he is not a resident. Debbie

Monday, December 22, 2008

Don't forget the wildlife this Christmas......

With all there is to be thankful for this Christmas season, don't forget those around you that are as needy as any child. Support your local animal shelters, rescue groups and wildlife rehabilitators. As a friend and fellow wildlife rehabilitator once said to me, "we never have happy customers". That's true a great deal of the time, my scars prove it, as do my volunteer Connie's scar's. But I believe these creatures do know that we are trying to help, at least the most critical of animals do. You see that pain, suffering and yes, sometimes the gratitude. Their souls reach out to connect on a deeper level. We suffer with them and when they win their fight, we rejoice with them. Help us to help them.
Now an update,

Glory, the adult female golden eagle, had her repeat blood work and things are much better. We have been giving her fluids every evening. We did this orally with a feeding tube. I have included a picture of us doing this one evening. She is non-releasable, and will be going to the Zuni tribe in Zuni, New Mexico. I believe she will be the 5th or 6th eagle they have of mine. They have a huge facility, one of only 2 in the U.S. for non-releasable eagles. Their permits are for education and they gather the feathers for their ceremonies.

Merle, the male adult golden eagle is ready to be released. We are just waiting for a day where the weather is good for release.

We released Vidor, our female Great Horned owl. My volunteer in Moab conditioned her for flight and we let her go Friday, December the 19th about 25 miles from here near East Carbon. An angry raven appeared just after Vidor landed in a tree. Poor Vidor was harassed by the raven for quite some time but it was a successful release!
Butters, our male Great Horned owl, is now in Moab. He is getting conditioned for his release. Normally, I would do this in my flight, but it is currently holding the 2

golden eagles, so Dave has been good to do this for me. Butters will be there for a few weeks.

We also have a new red-tail hawk in our care. He came in with a broken right leg, however, the leg had already healed, not perfectly aligned, but good enough. This meant that he had not been able to hunt for a while, so was very thin and

dehydrated. He's coming along well and gaining weight finally. Today, we put him outside for a while, getting him used to the outside temperatures again.

I brought him in tonight and we will adhere to this routine for a few days and then he'll be outside all the time, working on his strength to fly. His name is Lefty and there are a couple of pictures included with this post. He is a second year red-tail.

Walter, the turkey vulture is still looking for a home. I was hoping to have him somewhere before the end of the year, but it appears that will not be the case.
He's a cutie!

We did get in another young golden eagle, from near Blanding, Utah. This bird died and at this point, it appears to be lead poisoning. This poor eagle suffered greatly, but it's over now. I'll find out more tomorrow at my vet's office when I go to pick up our newest patient, a young bald eagle.
He is a sub-adult bald eagle. This means he is around 2 years old. Unfortunately, he will not be released. He came from the Green River area of Utah. He was shot twice, once in his right wing and the other in the abdomen. He has already had surgery and will be a patient for quite some time. Yes people, idiots still do exist and still shoot at eagles. Raptors are an unfortunate target for the smallest of minds amongst us of which there are plenty of in our area.
I'll keep everyone posted on his recovery. There is an open felony case for this bird, so hopefully, someday, this idiot is found and prosecuted.
Merry Christmas everyone......

Feathered brothers and sisters, you came to us broken and as you bled…….we saw you desperate, dehydrated, desiccated, diseased, distressed, emaciated, famished, frayed, frightened, helpless, hungry, ragged, ravenous, shaken, shocked, shot, sickly, stressed, stunned, tattered, thirsty, traumatized, torn, weary and wounded. Defiantly, you stood us off with your last breath as we tried to tend to you. We saw you come in as cute, naked, fuzzy, cuddly youth, as mischievous, defiant adolescents, as fierce, regal rulers of the sky and as cunning, maimed elders whose time on earth was almost done. You endeared yourselves to us, bit us, charmed us, footed us, delighted us, hissed at us, talked to us, mantled at us, and graced us with your presence.

Some of you mended and were able to go on your way, never looking back. Some of you were injured in ways that prevented you from going, so you stayed with us to teach us…….And we came to love you. Others were too far gone, and you went home - where you fly free from pain with the Great One. All of you have touched us, and we are changed because of you.

used with permission by Arlene Powers

ATTENTION

Spring is a very active wonderful time for all animals. Babies are born and learning what it takes to be wild from their parents. Unfortunately, many may end up in trouble and often times humans may try to intervene, whether or not it is necessary. The inexperienced human finding a baby bird, for instance, more than likely cannot tell if the bird is truely in need of help, or is learning to fly, something that can take a few days to master. Leaving the baby to learn what it needs is something an experienced birder can spot, but taking that baby home, thinking you're helping, when in fact, it is the worst thing possible for that baby, has now changed it's life forever.
Call a rehabilitator for answers. Yes, we want that baby to be safe from predators, but give that baby a chance. The worst thing that happens in these situations is an improper diet being fed by the 'rescuer'. This will result in death, if not right away, then in time, due to improper development. Different birds require different diets and different amounts of food at different times. Here is where a wildlife rehabilitators knowledge and experience makes all the difference. Don't try to do this yourself, only to attempt to find a rehabilitator as the baby is dying due to your 'efforts'. When they are at this stage, there is very little that can be done AND it is also illegal to attempt raising wildlife. Only a permitted wildlife rehabilitator can do this legally, for we know how to keep them wild and ready for release as well. Making them pets, besides being illegal is very selfish and is not what's best for the wildlife. They need to be free and have learned how to find the food they will need to survive in the wild and know what to avoid and learn the language of their species. There is a lot that goes into a successful rehabilitation and the orphans out there deserve the best chance possible. Don't you agree?

DID YOU KNOW...........

Wildlife rehabilitation is a profession borne of a love and concern for wild things everywhere. We wildlife rehabilitators have taken this many steps forward, increasing our knowledge, skills and techniques into a career that most people do not know exists. Most people assume that the work that a wildlife rehabilitator does is something all state wildlife agencies perform as state employees. This could not be further from the truth.
The reality is, all wildlife rehabilitation is done, in all 50 states, by us, wildlife rehabilitators. State and federal officials MAY occasionally pick up the patients that come to us, but they bring them to us at our homes and facilities, not their state or federal offices or vets offices.
Ours is a specialized field that primarily involves vet/medical expertise. No, we are not veterinarians, but many of us have extensive backgrounds in medicine (people and animals).
We also have vast backgrounds in the natural history of the patients we care for. Our work involves many fields. State and federal wildlife folks just don't have that training or background.
The other aspect of our work that is not known, is that we are not paid by anyone. Our patients don't 'belong' to anyone. They are wild beings. So when they have medical needs, there is no one to step up to this challenge except wildlife rehabilitators. Most of us work basically 24/7. Holidays are no exception. When an animal is hurt, it needs help now!
To top it all off, whatever expenses these patient incure, the bills are paid by us, for vet care, surgeries, medications, all of it. We build their homes and repair them as needed. All of our patients need something. They are not here to visit, they are in trouble. So imagine if you will......going to work everyday, driving your own vehicle to do that work and never getting a paycheck. OK, so maybe you can do that.....now imaging having a source of income from somewhere, now, this is where things get really different. When you get that money, you just turn it over to other people to pay for what your patients need, regardless of your financial needs!
This is wildlife rehabilitation.
We also are constantly pursuing continuous education of the latest finds in our field. We strive to be the best we can for those entrusted to us.
So please, support your wildlife rehabilitator in your area. They need it and believe me, it is very much appreciated.

Wildlife Rehabilitation in Utah/Second Chance Wildlife Rehabilitation

Sunday, December 28, 2008

COLD, TOO MUCH SNOW and we're still busy!

Monday, December 22, 2008

Don't forget the wildlife this Christmas......

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