MIAMI (WSVN) - A South Florida rehabilitation center has one less animal to care for after one of their patients became a free bird.
Volunteers at the Pelican Harbor Seabird Station in Miami set free a double-crested cormorant after the bird’s last checkup at the veterinarian.
The bird suffered injuries while out in the wild and was brought in by good Samaritans who saw it struggling.
“He had something on his neck that turned out to be a big wound that had healed improperly, so what we had to do was to cut it up again, clean it and check that everything was fine, and then sew it closed again,” said volunteer Marianna Niero.
Niero added the bird had a rough few days as he recovered.
“He had a little time to recover, of course, like eating was hard for him for a little while,” she said.
On Thursday, doctors did a final checkup on the bird by examining his beak, neck, wings and flaps to make sure it was completely healed.
Once all the tests came back positive, doctors gave the OK to release the bird back to its natural habitat in Biscayne Bay.
“He’s healed, the stitches were taken off, and now he’s ready to go,” said Niero.
It remains unclear how the bird was injured, but Pelican Harbor Seabird Station staff said sometimes people’s behavior can turn dangerous for our wildlife.
“We help people in Miami understand how to coexist with these animals. They were here before us. They are our neighbors,” said Niero.
Niero said there are many ways those in the community can make a positive impact on the lives of these animals.
“Anybody from the community who would like to get involved with us, either by donating or volunteering, you can volunteer in education, directly with the animals. There’s a lot of ways you can help us, and any help is appreciated,” she said.
To find out how you can help, click here.
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