Do not try to care for injured wildlife on your own

By Joanna Fitzgerald | Director of the von Arx Wildlife Hospital

A northern mockingbird and a killdeer were among the 110 animals admitted to the von Arx Wildlife Hospital at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida this past week. Other admissions include a chimney swift, a purple martin, two pileated woodpeckers, a common nighthawk, an eastern spotted skunk and a Florida softshell turtle.

A phone call to the von Arx Wildlife Hospital started with an acknowledgment of wrongdoing, “I know I wasn’t supposed to do this, but…”

What the caller was confessing to was the fact that she had found a baby mockingbird several days prior and had kept it, trying to raise it herself. The woman was calling because the nestling mockingbird was now having trouble breathing. Hospital staff explained the severity of the situation and advised the woman to bring the mockingbird to the hospital for medical care. The woman said she would, yet didn’t bring the mockingbird in until the following afternoon.

A physical exam conducted upon arrival showed the mockingbird’s behavior was slightly dull compared to that of a healthy baby. Audible sounds could be heard when the nestling took a breath. The obvious concern was that the woman had been offering the mockingbird water and the nestling had aspirated water into its lungs.

One staff member admitted the baby bird and placed it on oxygen in an animal intensive care unit while another staff member spoke to the woman about the health consequences since the baby bird had not received inappropriate care. Staff was discouraged because the woman admitted she knew she wasn’t supposed to keep the baby bird.

Sadly, this isn’t an isolated incident.

A similar situation occurred with a baby northern bobwhite found in an area of eastern Collier County affected by brush fires. The woman who found the bobwhite kept it for five days; she finally sought medical attention when the bobwhite was in respiratory distress and was struggling to breathe.

Speaking with the woman proved disheartening because, just like the woman with the mockingbird, she knew about the hospital but chose not to bring the bobwhite in for care. As the conversation continued, the woman mentioned a second baby bobwhite had already died and there was a third baby that she didn’t bring to the hospital because “that baby was doing fine.”

Staff knew it was highly unlikely that the third baby was “fine”. Smoke inhalation can cause airways to become inflamed and swell blocking oxygen flow. Damage from smoke inhalation can be immediately evident or can occur many hours later. There were indications the bobwhite had aspirated water into its lungs as well because the woman mentioned she had been giving water through an eyedropper. Staff implored the woman to bring the third baby to the hospital so it could get professional care; the woman said she would.

By the following afternoon, the woman hadn’t arrived with the bobwhite. A phone inquiry was made; the woman said the third baby had died. We will never know if the three baby bobwhites would have survived if they had received professional medical attention immediately.

One fact that is indisputable — the suffering the bobwhites endured was preventable; they would not have languished if they had been receiving veterinary care at the von Arx Wildlife Hospital.

People may have good intentions when assisting wildlife but the first thought should be getting the animal professional help, not to keep it as a pet. Injured or orphaned animals are extremely delicate; improper care can have grave consequences in a very short amount of time; that is why it is illegal to care for injured and orphaned native wildlife without appropriate state and federal permits.

Please, if you find an animal you believe is injured, sick, or orphaned, do not attempt to care for it yourself; never offer food or water. Wild animals require care from professionals who have experience and knowledge working with wildlife. Call our wildlife hospital; we will do everything we possibly can; the animal’s well-being is always our focus and top priority.

The killdeer chick was found in the pipe of a downspout on a roof. It took a good part of the day before the people could rescue the chick. The killdeer was weak, had increased respiratory effort and was sitting low on its legs by the time it arrived at the wildlife hospital. There was also an injury to the killdeer’s head. Staff placed the killdeer in a warmed animal intensive care unit on oxygen after administering pain medication. Periodic checks showed the chick was resting comfortably; finally after several hours the chick was seen standing and moving around the intensive care unit. Staff offered the killdeer a varied diet of invertebrates that the chick eagerly ate.

Killdeer, and many species of wildlife, are extremely fragile. All wild animals are easily stressed and have very specific husbandry requirements that must be met to ensure they are healthy. Always call the wildlife hospital for guidance if you find an animal you think is in need of help. Hospital staff can assess the situation with a full understanding of “normal” behavior for a variety of wildlife species. If it is determined the animal needs assistance, don’t delay in transporting it to our facility for care.

Recent Releases

Five brown pelicans, an eastern screech owl, an osprey, two blue jays, a grey squirrel, two gopher tortoises, twelve northern mockingbirds, three eastern cottontails, a fish crow, a brown thrasher, three Florida softshell turtles, a Swainson’s thrush, a northern cardinal, a downy woodpecker, a purple martin and a red-bellied woodpecker were released this past week.

Opportunities to Help

Support the Conservancy’s mission to protect native wildlife. The von Arx Wildlife Hospital is hosting a virtual Wildlife Hospital Baby Shower on June 5 raising awareness and support for the hospital’s youngest patients. Hospital staff is incredibly grateful to everyone who has already donated items in support of our work. Gifts can be donated online through the Conservancy’s Amazon Wish List through the month of June. Visit www.conservancy.org/babyshower. Every donation supports the Conservancy’s work to protect Southwest Florida’s water, land, wildlife and future.