As you already know, the body of former
TRC patient “D.C. snowy owl” was recovered from the shoulder of a Minnesota highway. The owl’s body, which had been
stored at a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources office, was recently
transferred to The Raptor Center. The clinical staff performed a necropsy
(post-mortem exam). Our findings support the speculation that the owl had been hit by a vehicle as its body showed signs of severe trauma with multiple broken
bones in both wings, the skull, and the lower jaw, as well as trauma to the internal
organs.
We are all saddened by this ending
and recognize it as a story too often retold as wildlife are increasingly
finding their way in a human-altered landscape.
There is encouraging news for those
of us who support this work, however. The bird was in great body condition and
had just recently eaten four rodents, demonstrating that the efforts regarding this
bird’s rehabilitation were effective.
We are grateful for the public
support and to our many colleagues around the country who are committed to
helping wildlife and supporting our work at The Raptor Center.
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