'Safe to say it's been dead for a long time': Hawk found by B.C. kids was taxidermy, not in need of rescue
Volunteers at a wildlife rehabilitation centre in Delta, B.C., are used to receiving calls about a variety of species, but nothing quite like this.
The OWL Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society took to social media to report that it received an unusual "rescue" call a few weeks ago that turned out to be a taxidermied bird.
"We got a call from a local school that the kids found a dead raptor clinging to a branch. Of course we send out a volunteer to gather the bird to find out more about what species, the cause of death and other points of interest," the post reads.
Martina Versteeg, a raptor care supervisor at the rehabilitation society tells CTV News Vancouver that the unusual discovery was made by students at an elementary school in Abbotsford, who reported it to their principal.
"The principal didn't want the kids poking or playing with it, so she called us," Versteeg says.
When a volunteer went to collect the bird, they found an old taxidermied juvenile red-tailed hawk mounted onto a branch, that was missing its tail and had an air freshener attached to it.
"(Our volunteer) reported back 'safe to say it's been dead for a long time' as it was taxidermied."
While the discovery was bizarre, the rehabilitation centre says the taxidermy hawk is now residing at their facility and may even join their museum as an artifact.
"Permits are required to taxidermy raptors, so we think someone must have had permits at some point for this bird," Versteeg says.
"It is unusual to think about where he came from, who had it and why exactly it was dumped in a bush as it was not in too poor of condition. But the mystery added a lighter tone to what we usually see when we are picking up injured wildlife."
Versteeg adds that the kids and principal did the right thing by calling for help.
"We pick up dead raptors to find out how they died and to share that knowledge with people to reduce our impact on wildlife in the future," she says. "If the (Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development) doesn't have a plan for this specimen, we will add this bird to our education permit to teach people about raptors and environmental issues."
"(The ministry) sometimes may decide a certain specimen is better suited to another location or museum," Versteeg says.
"They also try to give deceased wildlife back to the local First Nations when appropriate, for ceremonial purposes."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.