When
”
Hope
”
the red-tailed hawk, arrived at the Wildlife Education and
Rehabilitation Center last December, she was in such dire condition
with a fractured wing and her body riddled with buckshot that she
was not expected to survive. But the name she was given proved
serendipitous
– after months of intensive care that included wing-wrapping,
medication, hand-feeding and physical therapy to return flexibility
to the wing, Hope’s condition had improved to such an extent that
she was able to transfer to the 100-foot long outdoor aviary.
When “Hope” the red-tailed hawk, arrived at the Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center last December, she was in such dire condition with a fractured wing and her body riddled with buckshot that she was not expected to survive. But the name she was given proved serendipitous – after months of intensive care that included wing-wrapping, medication, hand-feeding and physical therapy to return flexibility to the wing, Hope’s condition had improved to such an extent that she was able to transfer to the 100-foot long outdoor aviary. Hope’s long road of rehabilitation will climax next week when she will be released healthy, wild and free.
But things aren’t always as simple as they seem. Though a hawk normally would have been released in the spring, by that time Hope still had not molted and her tail had not grown out with the beautiful red feathers for which her species is named. It wasn’t until early fall that she was in prime condition for release.
Releasing rehabilitated wildlife is not a matter of opening the enclosure door and saying goodbye as the animal flies, slithers or walks out. There are the five W’s of wildlife release: What? Why? When? Weather? Where? Answering these questions is of utmost importance to the survival of the animal.
What: The rehabilitator must identify the animal’s species and know its natural history before determining when and where it can be released. Some similar animals have disparate release requirements. A jackrabbit has a different habitat than a cottontail rabbit. A barn owl must be released at a different time of day than a burrowing owl. Different species of orphaned animals mature at different rates – a house finch nestling is ready for release in six weeks, but a great horned owlet would need six months to mature; opossums are ready for release when they’re just seven inches long, but bobcat kittens need at least seven months to mature enough to ensure their optimum chance for survival in the wild.
Why: The nature of the animal’s injury or condition needs to be taken into consideration when deciding on when to release it. A raptor with a broken wing, such as Hope, needs considerably more time to heal than a bird that has a simple concussion from hitting a window and may recover within a short period.
When: Despite common perception, not all owls are night-time hunters. Great horned owls, screech owls and short-eared owls are nocturnal and must be released after nightfall to ensure that they aren’t attacked on their first venture back to freedom. On the other hand, burrowing owls and pygmy owls hunt in the day and need time to adjust and find food and shelter before night.
Weather: It’s not just time of day that’s important, so is the time of year. By the time bobcat “Modoc” was old enough to be released last year, her native habitat in northern California was in the midst of snow storms. She needed to remain at WERC through the winter. Weather forecasts must be checked beforehand to ensure that no rain or heavy winds are expected within three days of release. That’s why the four barn owls currently at WERC had to bide their time and wait out this week’s big storm.
Where: Location, location, location … it’s just as important for wild animals as it is to human habitation. WERC carefully researches possible release sites before choosing the best site for that particular animal. There must be a plentiful source of natural food. There must be access to water. And there must be cover – trees, caves, brush, rock piles for example – places for the animal to hide from predators, build a home or provide shelter from bad weather. And, finally, others of the same species must be known to reside in the area, a validation that the release site is suitable.
Permission must be received to release animals on public or private property. Sometimes, the rescuers themselves are anxious to have the animal come back to their property, if the site is suitable. A gopher snake that had been injured by a red-tailed hawk was returned to its gopher-pocked fields, much to the joy of the homeowner who rescued the snake. An Anna’s hummingbird that had fallen from its nest was returned to the now-blooming garden, delighting the owners.
Ideally, the release occurs at or near where the animal was found, but often the original location is inappropriate for the animal’s best chance at survival. Such is the case of bobcat kittens that are found in residential areas. The California Department of Fish and Game requires that rehabilitators release mammals within a three-mile radius of where the animal was found, which is why Modoc was flown 400 miles back to Modoc County, where she had been rescued under a fallen river bridge. But WERC also “goes the extra mile” to release birds and reptiles to their original location, as was the case of the robin that returned to Yosemite and the pond turtle that was driven back to Copperopolis, a 300-mile round trip. Such measures ensure the genetic integrity of the species.
You’re invited to see the end results of WERC’s rehabilitation and release process. On Oct. 20, Hope will be released in Morgan Hill. If you’re interested in attending this inspiring event, contact [email protected]. Then, at WERC’s Wildlife Fest on Oct. 24, you will have the opportunity to witness the release of a barn owl into the night sky. This owl was a downy owlet when it fell from its nest in June. It has now matured into a beautiful bird-of-prey. After the evening’s festivities, the owl will be released back to the night sky, a wild bird once again. For more information, visit www.werc-ca.org.
