Megan Mosby
Executive Director
The Study Results Are In… Wildlife Rehab Matters
For 43 or so years, we have been rehabilitating and releasing raptors back into the wild. All along there have been those who care about a single life and there have been those who said “Let nature take its course.” The unsaid part was that human civilization has been playing a lopsided part in the course of things. We found without a doubt most of the injuries presented in these birds of prey were human/civilization related. We have been determined for all of these years to rebuke those naysayers and continue to rehabilitate and release because we “knew” it made a difference. At last, the results of a new study have been released…and guess what? For 43 years, we were right.
The following press release announces the findings. If you would like to look at the full study, it is found in Wildlife Biology 2024: e01283, ‘Dead birds flying’: can north American rehabilitated raptors released into the wild mitigate anthropogenic mortality?
Happy reading.
- Megan Mosby
Press Release—For Immediate Publication
The Release of Rehabilitated Raptors May Reduce the Effects of Human–Caused Mortality
March29, 2024, Corvallis, Oregon—A new study spearheaded by Oregon State University’s Dr. Christian Hagen revealed significant conservation benefits from treating and releasing injured raptors across the continental United States. Recently published in Wildlife Biology, the study is the first continental-scale assessment of raptor rehabilitation as a conservation tool. Hagen and his team sought to answer two questions:
- At what rate are rehabilitated and released raptors surviving compared to their wild counterparts?
- Can the release of rehabilitated raptors offset human-caused mortality?
“We sought to test a long-standing assumption that the rehabilitation and release of individual raptors has no direct conservation benefits beyond raising awareness and addressing the humane treatment of wildlife. “ says Hagen, research faculty at Oregon State University’s Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, & Conservation Sciences.
Hagen goes on to explain, “Past critiques of rehabilitation point to the focus on individuals vs. the management of populations and habitat – suggesting medical interventions for individuals is not a sound strategy. However, the raptor rehabilitation sector has grown over recent decades, with improved professional standards and a steady rise in annual admissions of injured raptors. We were stunned to learn that admission rates in the lower 48 states are likely in the hundreds of thousands annually.”
Hagen and his co-authors from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and New Mexico State University calculated the post-release survival of 17 raptor species. Twelve of the 17 raptors species survived at similar rates of their wild counterparts following an acclimation period. Combining these survival estimates with a decade of release data from rehabilitation facilities across the country, the team determined that rehab releases could replace, or offset, raptors lost as mortalities due to industry –related impacts. Furthermore, the study found the rehabilitation and release of long-lived, slow reproducing species like the golden eagle, produced measureable population benefits over time. The USFWS has recently adopted a policy of “no net-loss” to golden eagle populations given the concerning array of human-caused impacts. Hagen’s study provides important insights into the management of this at-risk species.
“Our analysis suggests raptor rehabilitation in the U.S. is a de-facto conservation tool”, says Hagen. “Solutions addressing habitat loss, energy infrastructure, poisoning, and climate effects remain essential priorities. Nevertheless raptor rehabilitation is an under-appreciated conservation service, and should be considered another tool in the conservation toolbox.”
This Week @ Liberty – April 9, 2024
There’s an age old saying that if you do what you love you’ll never work in a day. And while that is one hundred percent true, sometimes a break is still very much needed, even if only for a weekend. Having spent mine up in Sedona, where we were blessed with beautiful, chilly, weather, along with a sighting of a Zone-Tailed Hawk, a Belted Kingfisher, and plenty of songbirds, I have to say I appreciate these weekends out in nature. It reboots the soul…especially knowing what’s to come.
If you’re like us here at Liberty Wildlife—where your summer months get busy—then I implore you to do the same. Get out for a weekend; explore the Arizona desert, in old places or new. There’s so much in our beautiful state to see, especially this time of year (and especially after all the rain we’ve had). I know I promise a lot of things, but I will always promise you this:
Getting out for some fresh air, seeing Arizona and our wildlife, will always, always, be worth the effort.
Sharp-Shinned Hawk and a Fractured Wing (and foot)
I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve never seen a Sharp-Shinned Hawk. They look quite similar to their accipiter friends, the Coopers Hawks, though up close, they’re quite a bit smaller. In fact, Sharp-Shinned Hawks are considered the smallest hawks in the US and Canada! They’re fast flyers, too, weaving through trees and branches to catch birds and mice. In fact, their quite elusive—the best time for birders to see them is during their fall migration, where they travel in droves down from Canada.
For this Sharp-y, he unfortunately didn’t have a choice but to make a pit-stop here at Liberty Wildlife. With a fracture to the humerus (close to the shoulder), as well as a fracture to his foot, our volunteer vets made quick work of getting him right in for surgery. Pinning a fracture this close to the joint is a difficult task. There’s not a lot of bone to work with to get the pin where it’s needed to get the bone straight.
Unfortunately, after some maneuvering, it was decided it was best to try and wrap the wing to the body (this helps stabilize the fracture) instead of attempting to pin the bone. The good news is, bird bones can heal quickly. We’ll know soon enough if the bone is stable enough for him to go outside, or if there is something else we need to try to do so.
And for anyone wondering why I keep calling him a him…females in this species (like most birds of prey, but not all) are typically about 30% larger than their male counterparts. And this little dude is, in fact, a little dude. Small, but definitely fierce!
Desert Tortoises
Did you know Arizona only has two native tortoises? They’re the Sonoran desert tortoise and Mojave desert tortoise. They’re found only in the southwestern US, as well as Northern Mexico, and are herbivorous, eating only plant life found here in the desert. They are also ectothermic, meaning they can control their body temperature by finding shelter, which helps to protect them in our extreme climate.
They are, like most of our raptor friends, a protected species. So, if you find one out and about, you only want to interfere if you believe they are in imminent danger and/or harm, and bring them directly to Liberty Wildlife. However, you want to make sure the move is absolutely needed. Once these guys are brought to us, they are unable to return to the wild. If they definitely need to be here, then from here, we will assess, medicate, and get them to our friends at AZ Game and Fish, where they look to adopt hundreds of these tortoises every year.
Found wandering the road in Phoenix, a citizen noticed how hard it was for this tortoise to do just that. Midwestern veterinarians and students were able to assess and diagnose him with a osteomyelitis, a bone infection that affects the tissue, which can eat away at the bone. While Liberty Wildlife did the initial treatment, this desert tortoise is now in the hands of AZGFD to treat, and hopefully, adopt out, once healed.
Newest Intakes
Like notable mentions, sometimes there are weeks where a lot of new intakes come in. Unfortunately for me, I don’t have unlimited time to write about every single one (even if I might want to!). And though this section is not likely to happen every other week, or even every few months, noting those who are coming through our door—and we’re able to help—are still quite notable.
Here are a few of our newest intakes over the past few weeks:
- A juvenile bald eagle was stung by bees; both eyes are swollen, and he is currently being administered a dose of Benadryl and eye medications to assist with the swelling
- Nestling red-tailed hawks who fell from their nest are hanging outside on our rehabilitation side before being placed with foster parents
- A great-horned owl fell from his nest and broke his jaw; taping the jaw will help set it, and medical services will tube feed until the tape is removed
Notable Mentions
Once again, you’ve made it through the plethora of words and photos here on the Liberty Wildlife blog. As always, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We would not be here, doing what we do, without you.
Without further ado, here are this weeks’ notable mentions:
- Teeny, tiny antelope squirrels are brought in by a rescuer, and quickly given fluids (1 picture)
- A gopher stops by for a quick hello! (1 picture)
- Aberts Towhees are fed in Orphan Care (1 picture)
- Cannoli poses for a picture (1 picture – by Susie)
- An Anna’s Hummingbird comes in with a broken beak (1 picture)
- Two Great-Horned Owl nestlings hang together before being assess (1 picture)
Thanks again to all you awesome people for hanging with us. Until next time!
Posted by Acacia Parker
Public Outreach Coordinator