Creatures found injured in Colorado recover together. Watch them fly out to freedom
A pair of injured creatures recovered in Colorado and then were released back into the wilderness together, photos show.
“What’s better than one Great Horned Owl wildlife rehab success story? That’s right, it’s TWO!” Colorado Parks and Wildlife Southwest Region said in an Oct. 10 post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Photos show the wide-eyed owls peering at the camera before the release. One of them appears to be puffed up, possibly in fear.
“Let’s start with the female all puffed up on the right side of the first set of images,” officials said. “She was found in a (San Juan National Forest) cabin with wire wrapped around one leg that led to a severe leg injury.”
The national forest officials called Colorado Parks and Wildlife, who took the wounded owl to an animal hospital in Durango for surgery.
A photo shows the owl fledgling wrapped up in a towel and looking up toward someone with her talons outstretched.
The morning after the surgery, officials brought the owl to the agency’s Frisco Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Del Norte, officials said.
Photos show the owl getting another dose of antibiotic after the surgery and before being transported, officials said.
The owl got to the rehab center on May 31 and was given time to rest, recover and receive medications before she would be transferred to a cage that was set up for her to fly around, officials said.
More photos show the owl’s wide golden eyes peering up at veterinarians and those taking photos with the camera.
After they dropped her off, wildlife officials checked back in on the owl and noted “it had grown up so much in a short time, transforming (from) a fledgling to a gangly teenager.”
A photo shows the owl perched up on a high beam in the flight cage, appearing to grimace down at its visitors.
“It was in a flight cage with two other Great Horned owls (including its release-mate pictured on the far right) and quickly regained strength and learned to hunt prey, such as live mice, from the others,” officials said.
A photo shows the three owls perched on a beam with equal distance between each of them.
“The adult male owl from this tandem release was picked up earlier in the year,” officials said. “It had been hit by a car and had injuries to its head and an eye. It underwent rehab at a private rehabber but came to Frisco Creek to rebuild flying strength.”
Both owls had come from the Durango area, so they would be released there together as well once they were ready in September, officials said.
Officials chose a location near Lake Nighthorse, where the male had been found. He flew off first and the female eventually followed.
But then she “surprised” officials “one last time before soaring off into the pines,” officials said.
“She circled around and then stopped along a trail and posed for a few beautiful photos in front of wildflowers” — which matched her yellow-gold eyes almost perfectly, photos show.
This story was originally published October 11, 2024 at 6:22 PM with the headline "Creatures found injured in Colorado recover together. Watch them fly out to freedom."
