OkcPets Magazine March 2023

March / April 2023 • OKC Pets 39 where he was found and will hop to freedom this spring. Red-Tailed Hawk Illegally Shot A red-tailed hawk arrived at WildCare through a field intake by an Oklahoma City animal-welfare officer. The officer took the hawk to the Oklahoma City Animal Shelter, where people can drop off wildlife. Daily, WildCare volunteers transport wildlife from the shelter to WildCare’s facility in Noble. After the hawk’s arrival, Dr. Kyle Abbott, WildCare’s staff veterinarian and medical director, conducted a physical examination and took radiographs of the hawk’s obviously injured wing. The radiographs confirmed that the hawk had been shot, resulting in a severe fracture to its left wing and damaged flight feathers. This hawk has remained in care for more than two months so far because of the need for physical therapy and time to regrow feathers. This red-tailed hawk is one of 15 migra- tory birds brought to WildCare suffering from gunshot wounds in 2022. Shooting migratory birds in the United States, includ- ing Oklahoma, is illegal under the Migra- tory Bird Treaty Act unless the person has secured special permits from U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Fennec Fox with Nowhere To Go In the past two years, WildCare has received and cared for almost 100 animals seized by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation or Norman Animal Welfare. Many of those animals were dehydrated, emaciated, deprived of adequate shelter, and lacked access to food, water, and sunlight. In some instances, the animals had been used in illegal breeding operations; in other cases, they were illegally held as pets. WildCare admitted kangaroos, bat-eared foxes, Aldabra tortoises, Egyptian flying bats, Asian small-clawed otters, New Guinea singing dogs, an African serval, an arctic fox, and more. None of those animals could be released because they were not native to Oklahoma, and no other facility in Okla- homa would take them. All of them needed medical and rehabilitative care. Some of the animals did not survive because of the mal- treatment they had received before ending up at WildCare. However, WildCare rehabilitated and re- homed most of them. Because of WildCare’s high standards, the staff secured placements in accredited zoos and sanctuaries through- out the United States, driving or flying the animals to their forever homes. Although WildCare has received no state support and minimal city support during and after those emergencies, WildCare’s staff and board wanted to ensure that the animals got the second chance they so deserved. Fennec foxes are native to Northern Africa and live in the desert. They are sold as pets to people attracted to their cute faces. They do not make good pets — they do not like to be handled, and they like to dig. WildCare received eight fennec foxes. They were under- weight and had unhealthy fur, likely because of poor nutrition and lack of sunlight. In the past 18 months, seven of them have been placed throughout the United States in zoos affiliated with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Only one fennec fox remains in WildCare’s custody; however, staff members recently confirmed his placement at an AZA zoo in the northwestern United States. A Grounded Painted Bunting Although buntings spend the winters in Central America, Oklahoma is in their sum- mer breeding range. A male painted bunting, one of WildCare’s most colorful patients, was brought in with injuries from flying into a window. The bunting was unable to stand and had reduced motor responses in his left leg but no fractures. After a course of medi- cation for pain and swelling, the staff moved the bunting to an outside flight enclosure to practice flying and regain strength. After two weeks, the bunting was fully recovered and released. This bunting was one of 1,988 songbirds brought to WildCare in 2022 alone. All too often, songbirds are brought to WildCare with preventable injuries such as dog and cat attacks and window strikes. To mitigate the chance of birds flying into windows, it is advised to mark windows Staff members at WildCare Oklahoma have spent extra effort to save this baby bobcat, but sadly, her littermate died soon after being rescued. This little girl is doing well and is getting acquainted with the two resident juvenile bobcats.