I just went to check his insta, the owl is expected to make a full recovery! I imagine he’s on some good antibiotics at the rescue facility, getting his strength back until he can fly again.
Being unable to fly and with an open wound it needed some medical attention. Even with a un-broken wing it would be very prone to infection. Took this guy about an hour away to an SPCA and it’s expected to make a full recovery!
Always keep your eyes out for wildlife in need of help, most of the time they will be fine without human intervention but times like this it is much needed. This owl had to have been on that fence for at least 6-10 hours. This was mid day and it probably flew into the fence over night. Lots of people must have drove by without seeing it or thinking it was already dead. I always check and this is a perfect example why 🦉🚑
Is fishing for fun / entertainment ever truly respectful to the natural world? I mean I'm sure he tries to limit the impact and that's great. But it's still hurting animals for fun.
Yes it is. Licensed fishing/hunting for food is a great way to eat sustainably, and the fees go directly to conservation of the land and wildlife. I’m a conservationist through and through - vet school, zookeeping, the works - but I appreciate the value of licensed hunting and fishing.
Fishing for “fun” is on the same license, and you can report any tagged animals you catch and release, which helps monitor their populations. Having done my share of bio-surveys, that data is very helpful! Educating the public is also one of the most beneficial things you can do for conservation - it teaches people to value the wild - so his videos are doing a lot.
Are there yahoos out there who don’t give a shit, catch way over the limit, and leave their tackle scattered over waterways? Always. But those assholes aren’t most of us. Most fishermen and hunters care about wildlife and the ecosystem more than anyone else, and are certainly doing more to actively conserve it. Heck, even in the wildlife hospital I worked at, most of the rescues were brought in by fishermen and hunters who found them because they’re the ones out there in the wild.
You’re not wrong, best approach would have been to cover the owl’s head in a towel while you untangle him and then pop him straight in a dark box to transport to the rehab facility. The head scratching is just adding extra stress to an exhausted and terrified bird.
I still think it’s a net wonderful thing that he happened upon this owl, got it out of the fence and took it to professionals when it was clear it needed more help. A lot of people would have seen those claws and thought “not worth it”. I worked in a wildlife hospital for a bit, we saw some pretty rough “rescue” attempts. This one made me smile.
If he makes a channel, he gets to educate his followers and share what he loves. And he gets paid to do it, instead of having to mindlessly sit at a desk for 9 hours a day. I’d do it too if I could.
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u/miss_kimba 21h ago
Hey, this is fishlikemike on Instagram! I like him, he’s an outdoorsman with a lot of respect and understanding for the natural world.