Recently a local photographer Kevin White noticed a heron with rope wrapped around its beak. He contacted the Hernando Sun and together we undertook an odyssey to find a local bird rescue.
We both contacted Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Hernando County Animal Services. They both suggested contacting Jim Jablon, owner of Wildlife Rehabilitation of Hernando and Safe Haven. We managed to get in touch with both of these organizations. Wildlife Rehabilitation of Hernando is a mammal rescuer. Safe Haven had an answering machine message that said that they were at capacity and were unable to perform rescues at this time.
After several hours of calls, Kevin contacted an acquaintance who suggested that he contact Mary Opal with Nature World Wildlife Rescue out of Homosassa. Mary has been doing wildlife rescues for the last 18 years. She told him that it is not possible to rescue the heron until he’s flightless. A heron can survive a week without food or longer after becoming flightless.
The bottom line is that if you have questions about an injured animal you can contact Nature World Wildlife Rescue via their website at http://natureworldrescue.org or they can be reached via phone 24/7 at 352-621-5575.
You can also call your vet and see if they work with injured wildlife and Nature World Wildlife Rescue. Two of the vets in Hernando that work closely with Nature World Wildlife Rescue are Animal Medical of Spring Hill (Deltona) and 3 Oaks Animal Hospital in Brooksville. You can take the injured wildlife to these vets if necessary. The vets will stabilize the animal and hold it until NWWR can pick it up.
If you can safely capture the injured or distressed animal. Keep the animal in a box warm, dark, and quiet. If you cannot capture it safely contact NWWR, they may be able to send someone out to help with the rescue.
Nature World Wildlife Rescue is associated with Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. This past March they celebrated the 30th anniversary of their founding. They were founded in March 1985 by the Homosassa Wildlife Park and Midway Animal Hospital of Homosassa, but now work with Homosassa Wildlife Park and Homosassa Animal and Bird Hospital. They also work with many vets in each of the counties they serve.
NWWR does not receive funding from the Homosassa Wildlife Park. It is completely funded through donations from the public.
Currently they are taking care of animals in Hernando, Citrus, Sumter and Levy counties. They rescue all wildlife except “raccoons, manatees, and alligators.” Mary stated that they usually “pick up two or three animals a day from Hernando County.”
Mary mentioned that “right now it is baby season.” If you find a baby animal on the ground with a parent taking care of it, leave it alone. If you try to touch it, the parent may attack you.
If you have to touch a wild animal baby to move it out of the road, it does not mean that the parents won’t take it back. According to Mary this is a common misconception. If it has a parent you probably should leave it alone, the parents may attack you.
Nature World Wildlife Rescue are a 501c3 tax exempt organization. Donations can be given on there web site or you can send a check to 7360 S Finale Point, Homosassa, FL 34446. If you don’t have the cash they also have a list of things they would appreciate as donations, which you may already have at home.
High school or college students can earn community service hours at Nature World Wildlife Rescue. They really enjoy teaching and work with young people, especially those looking to work further with animals. They are always looking for volunteers of any age to be transporters and animal foster parents. They are willing to train you and will provide the necessary supplies.
The good news is that Kevin saw the heron a few weeks later and it had managed to remove the rope that was wrapped around its beak. It is doing well and is not in need of being rescued.
