08/05/2025
Whirlwind of a July.
Summer is always a bit crazy around the RMRP, but last month left us a little bedraggled, sleepless and at times a little numb. It seemed like it was raining young raptors from the sky and if you held out a bucket, one was bound to fall into it.
Severe summer storms, hot temperatures, animal (dog/cat) attacks and our old nemesis, West Nile Virus, made things extremely difficult on the raptors in our area.
West Nile Virus (WNV) is a four-letter word in our lexicon because there is nothing good about it when comes to young raptors without robust immune systems. These kids get bitten by virus carrying mosquitoes and they either succumb due to direct impact from the virus, contract a secondary fungal infection like aspergillosis or become weak and are unable to vocalize (food begging) so their parents know where to bring food. In some of the cases, the birds fight off the infection only to drop all of their flight and/or tail feathers.
Out of 62 cases admitted in July, 25 tested positive for WNV and unfortunately, most of those did not survive.
Our enclosures are full of raptors. Red-tailed, Swainson’s and Cooper’s hawks, American Kestrels, Great horned owls, Barn owls, Eastern screech owls and in the last week, 2 recently fledged Bald eagles. Young and old, these birds are fighting for their Second Chance at Freedom. The battle for that chance is fueled by highly nutritious food. This food supply chain is under duress and we still have long way to go this summer. Please consider helping to keep these hungry bellies full! Thank you. MT
https://www.rmrp.org/donate/
