“This is not a common occurrence …”
What started as an ordinary afternoon walk through Creekside Park in North Carolina quickly turned into a dramatic rescue. A woman passing through the park spotted a strange ball of feathers dangling from a tree — and soon realized it was an owl in desperate need of help.
The bird had become tangled in a piece of discarded fishing line and was hanging by the tip of his wing, nearly 20 feet above the ground.
“This is not a common occurrence for our department,” assistant recreation and parks director Andrew Kendall told The Dodo. “In 6 years, this is the first bird rescue I have seen.”
Fortunately, help was already on the way.
“Our staff jumped right into action,” Kendall said.
Park employees quickly devised a plan. First, they lifted a long branch toward the owl so he could steady himself and relieve the strain on his wing. Then, with the assistance of volunteers from Outer Banks Wildlife Shelter, rescuers climbed a ladder and carefully sawed through the fishing line, finally freeing the exhausted bird.
“Everyone was relieved to get the owl down,” Kendall recalled. “The owl was certainly tired.”
The owl was transported to Outer Banks Wildlife Shelter for medical care, where animal experts examined him and treated his injuries. Thankfully, his prognosis is excellent.
“It sounds like the owl is doing well and will make a full recovery,” Kendall said. “They plan to release the owl back into the wild in the same area it was rescued in the near future.”
Thanks to the quick response of park staff and wildlife volunteers, this owl will soon soar freely again — a powerful reminder of the dangers litter poses to animals and the importance of stepping in when wildlife needs our help.