On April 22, a red-tailed hawk, reported injured in the Bronx and rescued by ECOs, was set free after making a full recovery. The raptor was rescued on February 28th by Environmental Conservation Officers (ECOs) Ableson and Baldwin behind The Children’s Learning Center. The bird was able to walk slowly but had trouble flying.
The ECOs safely captured the hawk with a net, placed it in a blanket, and transported it to the Wild Bird Fund rehabilitation center in Manhattan.
A week later, the hawk was transported to The Raptor Trust, a bird rehabilitation and education center in New Jersey, for further treatment. DEC recently learned the male bird was set free from the facility after several weeks of rehab and a normal x-ray.
On April 28, ECOs and DEC Division of Wildlife employees responded to reports of a sick bear in the village of Northville in Fulton County, NY.
DEC personnel observed the adult female bear appearing to suffer from advanced mange that caused severe weight and hair loss. Due to the bear’s poor physical condition, DEC experts determined rehabilitation and release were unlikely and humanely euthanized the animal.
Throughout the spring and early summer months black bears have depleted fat reserves and will search extensively for easily obtainable, calorie-dense foods, which can lead to an increase in the potential for human-bear conflicts near homes and residential areas, especially before the spring green-up when natural food sources for bears are scarce.
You can reduce the potential for human-bear conflicts to protect bears and themselves by practicing the BearWise basics, which includes securing or storing garbage and recycling cans in a sturdy building, cleaning and removing residual grease and food from grills and smokers, and keeping pets and livestock food indoors.
Read more about wildlife rescues.
Photo: ECO Baldwin with red-tailed hawk discovered injured in the Bronx (provided by DEC).
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