Courtesy: Vt. Fish and Wildlife Department
Courtesy: Vt. Fish and Wildlife Department
Courtesy: Vt. Fish and Wildlife DepartmentADDISON COUNTY, Vt. -
A
Vermont owl survived a harrowing encounter with a pickup truck in Addison
County earlier this month.
The
Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department was called in to help early on the morning
of Dec. 11 when the barred owl got stuck in the grill of the truck. The driver
said he couldn't avoid the big bird when it swooped down to the road after some
prey. He pulled over and found the owl still alive, but with its head lodged in
his grill. It was flapping its wings and splaying its talons, so the driver
called the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department for help.
"The
driver did the right thing by not attempting to help the owl by himself,"
Vt. Fish and Wildlife Biologist David Sausville said. "Owls can do serious
damage with their talons if they get a hold of you; they don't want to let
go."
Sausville
used thick welding gloves to hold the owl by its talons, while the driver
pulled the bird's head from the grill. Sausville then put the owl in a plastic
pet carrier while it recovered from the collision. It was apparently uninjured,
and Sausville was able to release the owl back into the wild just a few hours
later.
Vt.
Fish and Wildlife urges drivers to be especially vigilant around dawn and dusk
when many wildlife species are most active. Click here for more information on
what to do if you find a sick or injured animal.
