Laurens Wildlife Rescue
  • Home
  • I found a wild baby - what do I do?
  • How can I help?
  • Contact us
  • FAQ
  • This week in wildlife

End of year doesn’t mean end of intakes

12/27/2015

6 Comments

 
​While most folks were envisioning sugarplums and such on Christmas Eve, I was racing to Smalley’s Animal Hospital before they closed for Christmas. We had a barred owl come in late on the 23rd, and while it was obvious his wing was broken, we needed x-rays to see if it was fixable.
Picture
Picture
He was an alert fellow—aggressive and very aware of his surroundings, although a little cloudiness in the corner of his eye indicated he was probably recovering from a slight concussion.  I wasn’t optimistic about the wing, honestly, but unless it’s an open fracture, x-rays are a must to see how bad the break is.

It was bad. Life-ending bad.
​
While the ulnar fracture (arrow below) was extremely fixable, the bones of the wrist (circled below) were shattered and like Humpty Dumpty of children’s rhymes, he couldn’t be put back together again. There was no way to repair the damage, so he was humanely euthanized to end his pain.
Picture
The remainder of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were quite on the rehab front, but bright and early the 26th LWR received a call about a vulture with a broken wing. I always ask if the callers can see exposed bone, as an open fracture on a bird is pretty much a death sentence. The callers indicated they could see what appeared to be road rash but no exposed bones.
​
However, when we met, the young turkey vulture’s right shoulder faced the ground. That was the first bad sign. When I took him from their cage to place in my box, a quick parking lot exam revealed the reported road rash on the wrist—nothing that couldn’t be treated—and a very open fracture right in the “armpit.” About an inch of bone was exposed. He also required humane euthanasia. (The photos below were taken post-euthanasia.)
Picture
The road rash looks nasty but would have been easily treatable.
Picture
This exposed bone, however, was a death sentence.
Picture
Picture
​Among the general public, vultures have a bad reputation, since they eat carrion (“Ewww! Dead stuff!”). But they’re such intelligent birds—just look at this guy’s eyes in the photos I snapped prior to his euthanasia. And really, from a purely logical point of view, all meat eaters eat carrion—dead stuff—right?  Further,  let’s stop and think about the alternative—if we had no vultures and other carrion eaters, we’d be knee-deep in death and disease. Vultures and other carrion eaters play a vital role in nature. Look past their diet and not horribly attractive faces (although I’d even argue with you that there is a certain odd beauty to them, and they’re amazingly graceful in flight) and see their true worth.
Picture
Picture
​The red screech remains preternaturally docile and her eyes remain pretty much the same. We’re gonna continue to give her the time she needs to heal, although the left eye continues to be a source of worry. At this point, we’re all fairly sure we’re looking at a nonreleasable screech, but we’ve ended up able to release birds we had serious doubts about before, so let’s keep hoping for a miracle for this gal.
Picture
Picture
​And on a final note, my goal is to give you a “2015: Year in Review” post later this week, although if it’s a slow (Shhh! Don’t let Murphy hear that!) week, I may hold off until next Sunday. 
6 Comments
Dmortii
12/27/2015 09:08:56 pm

Great year. Hope you have an uneventful new year!!

Reply
Laurens Wildlife Rescue
12/27/2015 09:42:08 pm

Thanks dm, although that's highly unlikely!

Reply
Pipette
12/27/2015 09:38:15 pm

I *do* actually see the beauty (unusual as it is) in a turkey vulture's face - and I sure do see the intelligence in that one's eyes.

Reply
Laurens Wildlife Rescue
12/27/2015 09:43:15 pm

Their eyes are mesmerizing, aren't they, Pipette?

Reply
Sandee
12/28/2015 05:37:39 am

Where's the river shots???
Thank you for all you do and keeping up with posting too.
You're the greatest.

Reply
Laurens Wildlife Rescue
12/28/2015 09:52:14 am

Thanks Sandee; the river shots aren't related to this week's intakes, so I didn't include any--haven't finished processing 'em, anyway!

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009
    August 2009
    July 2009
    June 2009
    May 2009
    April 2009
    March 2009
    February 2009
    January 2009
    December 2008
    November 2008
    October 2008
    September 2008
    August 2008
    July 2008
    June 2008
    May 2008
    April 2008

    Categories

    All
    Baby Birds
    Baby Deer
    Baby Opossums
    Baby Possums
    Baby Rabbits
    Bluegray Gnatcatchers
    Carolina Wren
    Common Loons
    Epd
    Fawns
    House Finch
    Mbta
    Migratory Bird Treaty Act
    Mockers
    Mockingbirds
    Orphaned Birds
    Orphaned Deer
    Orphaned Fawns
    Orphaned Opossums
    Orphaned Possums
    Orphaned Rabbits
    Orphaned Wildlife
    Squirrels
    Wildlife
    Wood Ducks

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.