1st Response Wildlife Rescues

1^st Response Wildlife, in addition to trapping and relocating nuisance animals and reptiles, also works with homeowners and businesses that find and report an injured animal or bird to a rehabber-who then gives 1^st Response a call to participate in a rescue.  Tucson is blessed to have animal rehabbers and animal hospitals which treat and, when possible, nurse abandoned or injured wildlife back to health-until they are ready to be released into the wild.

Recently, 1^st Response Wildlife responded to two calls for help in capturing and brining injured raptors to be inspected and considered for rehabilitation.

The first was a Black Vulture that had been hopping from one neighbor’s yard to another favoring its right wing.  You have probably seen vultures soaring over the Sonoran desert in search of road kill or other “remains,” that they favor.  Here in the greater Tucson area, there actually two kinds of black winged vultures-the Turkey Vulture and the Black Vulture.  The Turkey Vulture is a bit larger and, if you see one up close, it has a red to maroon hairless head. The Black Vulture is a bit smaller and its head is hairless and black/grey.   (See a picture of a Black Vulture, courtesy of the National Geographic Magazine illustrated by Donald L. Malick, below)

 

When 1^st Response Wildlife arrived at the homeowner’s residence, the Black Vulture was on the ground, able to run and hop, but not able to fly.  The homeowner had seen it in the neighborhood for a few days and realized that it could not fly and therefore, it probably would starve, if left in its condition.  Using a net and carefully pursuing the Black Vulture, after following it through more than half a dozen back yards, the Vulture was captured, secured in a transport kennel (see below), and transported to a rehabber.  The rehabber, inspected it to determine whether is should be transported to Valley Animal hospital for treatment of a break in its wing. (You will note, in the transport, that the Black Vulture looks hot and has its mouth open. Remember, this vulture had not been able to fly, eat or have access to water, for at least 3 days.  In a few more days, it would have been too late to save it.)

 

The Rehabber, in the picture below, is seen, inspecting the Black Vulture's wing

 

The second rescue occurred in response to yet another call from homeowners who had observed a Red Tailed hawk which also appeared to have a damaged wing.  This raptor could get up into a tree, hop from branch to branch but, clearly, after several days, the homeowner and neighbors reported it could not fly, soar, and easily dive to capture food.

When 1^st Response Wildlife arrived, the Red Tailed Hawk had managed to make its way almost 35’ up into a tree.  Using a ladder and an extension pole, the Red Tailed Hawk was encouraged to hop to an outer branch, from where it was able to soar safely to the ground.  It was not able to fly, so again, carefully approaching it and using a net, 1^st Response Wildlife was able to safely capture it.

Below is a picture of the Red Tailed Hawk, secured by Josh, from 1^st Response Wildlife, followed by a picture of the Hawk in a transport.

 

In the transport, on its way to the rehabber.

 

Here we see the rehabber carefully inspecting the Red Tailed Hawk’s wings to determine where the injury was located, before making a determination as to whether it needed attention at the animal hospital or whether a few weeks in an aviary with time to heal would allow for its release back into the wild.

 

Rescues of raptors, injured, orphaned, or abandoned juvenile animals, reptiles, and birds, are not the-day-to-day line of business for 1^st Response Wildlife.  However, being able to work with rehabbers, animal hospitals, homeowners, and businesses to help preserve the wildlife we enjoy here in Southern Arizona, is one of the services that makes the job of animal management worthwhile.

If you have an injured or orphaned animal on or near your property, please consider what role you can play in helping that animal survive.  There are a number of rehabbers in Tucson who nurse these animals back to health and then release them into the wild.  Feel free to call a rehabber and discuss what you observe and together it will be determined what plan of action would be appropriate.  Rehabbers will determine if a rescue is called for and that is where, very often, 1^st Response Wildlife is called to humanely capture and rescue the animal.

For any nuisance animals, burrowing around your foundations, noises in your attic or chimney-or other trapping needs, please give 1^st Response a call.

Thanks for considering 1st Response Wildlife 

Josh's Cell (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, hawks, ducks, squirrels (ardilla), peacocks, coatimundi (gato solo), skunks (mofeta), exotics, and domestic cats and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children or have an exotic sighting in your neighborhood. 520-260-9517 Thanks!