Hikers carry injured falcon for miles

By Joanna Fitzgerald | Director of the von Arx Wildlife Hospital

A peregrine falcon was among the 59 animals admitted to the von Arx Wildlife Hospital at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida this past week.

Two men encountered the injured peregrine falcon as they were hiking several miles into the backcountry in Big Cypress National Preserve. The hikers literally had nothing but the shirt off one of their backs to cover the falcon while they hiked three miles back to their vehicle.

The falcon was given a full physical exam upon arrival at the hospital. The falcon’s mentation was dull, she had an irregular heartbeat, her right eye showed signs of a prior injury but overall, she was in fairly good body condition. No other obvious external injuries were noted. All the clinical signs indicated the falcon had suffered head trauma.

The falcon was started on electrolytes and Chinese herbs. After several days of rest and supportive care, the falcon’s mentation slowly improved and she began to eat on her own. Currently, the falcon continues to recover in the bird room at the von Arx Wildlife Hospital.

The concern the two hikers showed for the falcon was extraordinary. Limited resources and a difficult rescue scenario didn’t deter them — these men saw an animal in distress and helped, no excuses! Knowing the falcon would not have survived if the hikers hadn’t taken action and to now see the falcon on her way to making a full recovery is inspiring.

Special Thanks

The team at the von Arx Wildlife Hospital thanks board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist Dr. Christi Warren from Animal Eye Doctors in Estero for volunteering her time and expertise to consult with our staff vet on several cases last week.

Dr. Warren makes “house calls” to the von Arx Wildlife Hospital on her time off. Many animals admitted to the von Arx Wildlife Hospital have suffered head trauma and significant eye injuries. Dr. Warren’s knowledge, skills and diagnostic equipment are invaluable in helping us meet the complete medical needs of our patients.

Recent Releases

Five grey squirrels, five eastern cottontails, two yellow-bellied sliders, a royal tern, a mourning dove, a blue jay, a Florida softshell turtle, an osprey, a big brown bat and a brown pelican were released last week.

Opportunities to Help

Please visit the Conservancy website at www.conservancy.org to view all of the amazing volunteer opportunities at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Your volunteer time, memberships and donations are vital in helping us continue our work to protect Southwest Florida’s water, land, wildlife and future.