In mid-February, Mark Hess, who works at the Humane Animal Welfare Society of Waukesha in Wisconsin , received a phone call from an upset driver. He said there was a bird stuck in the front of the truck.
Because of her job, Hess has often been present at the sites where animals are being rescued. However, even Hess had never been so lucky.
Hard to believe this hawk got hit by an SUV going 70 mph just a day ago! Thanks to quick thinking and quality care from @HAWS_Waukesha @helpingwildlife—The outlook is good. More at 10 on @WISN12News pic.twitter.com/HH51H89SZR
— Ben Hutchison (@Ben__Hutchison) February 22, 2018
The driver who called for help was speeding over 70 miles per hour on the interstate. I remember that a buzzard landed in front of the truck while I was driving. But he didn’t realize that the buzzard had been hit by a truck.
After driving for a while, I stopped the truck for a break, and the front grill . it was only then that I noticed a buzzard stuck in
Hess, who rushed to the rescue with the tools he needed, was prepared for the worst. Based on my experience, other creatures that have been involved in similar accidents have been unable to survive due to severe injuries.
Hess was able to cut the front grill and rescue the buzzard within three to four minutes.
“After it calmed down a bit, the buzzard was able to stand on its own two feet,” Hess said. “Conditions looked very good overall, especially after being hit by a car traveling at such high speeds.”
Surprisingly and happily, the buzzard appeared to have no broken bones.
At the center, X-rays were taken, proving that Hess’ diagnosis was correct. The buzzard was lucky that not a single bone was broken.
There were no other major injuries, just some swelling from the impact. The buzzard was adopted by the center and named “Griller.”
Alex Schlecht, the center’s education coordinator, said Griller will be kept in a cage large enough to walk around in for several days until the swelling subsides. After that, they will be moved to a larger enclosure to see if they can fly without any problems.
Once the griller’s flying ability has returned to normal, it is given live food. This is to ensure that the animal has regained its ability to hunt and survive on its own.
So far, Griller is full of energy, eats well and is in excellent health. The swelling on his body is going down, and it is expected that he will be released back into the wild in a few weeks. Mr. Hess is looking forward to that day.
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“I’ve rescued many animals from traffic accidents, but no one else has been so lucky,” says Hess. “It’s a miracle that he’s alive. I’m looking forward to the day when Griller takes to the skies again.”