Osprey Saved in Barbados - Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary Rescues, Rehabilitates and Releases Rare Bird
Wildlife caretakers released an osprey back into the wild this past week after it had undergone rehabilitation for injuries and malnutrition.
The
osprey had been brought to the Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary by a group of
youths. The bird was weak, severely dehydrated and could not fly because
of severe degradation of its muscle mass. Dr. John Duckhouse, the
consulting veterinarian for the Sanctuary began an immediate regimen of
antibiotics and protein-rich fish diet.
The hand-fed diet consisted largely of sprats, a herring-like fish, beginning with 3 sprats the first day of the rescue. The osprey was eating sixteen sprats per day by the end of the rehabilitation.
The rescue and rehabilitation was managed by Sanctuary staffers Barbara Garcia and Paul Rochester. While the rehabilitation was underway, the osprey's mate continued to fly over the Sanctuary calling for its stricken companion.
The release was done from the Lakeside Lawn area of the Sanctuary.
As Sanctuary staff and wildlife experts watched, the bird flew down the little hill gathering speed as it then began climbing to meet its mate who was waiting high above over the lake.
Resources
- Full Press Release in other formats - Adobe PDF, Microsoft Word Document
- Full size version of photograph shown above - GHNS-Osprey-Release.jpg (665KB)
