On the Wing wildlife rehabilitator Jane Kelly and USFWS biologist Bri Benvenuti set the Snowy Owl affectionately nicknamed “Seabrook” off on his flight for freedom.

On February 3rd, Seabrook was discovered by a woman at Seabrook Beach. He was suffering terribly from secondary rat poison (rodenticide) and other related conditions. She contacted On the Wing, a New Hampshire based wildlife rehabilitation center that focuses primarily on saving raptors. Jonathan Herrick, friend of On the Wing, volunteered to bring Seabrook to OtW headquarters.

Seabrook is a fighter and for the past six weeks, this magnificent male Snowy has been steadily recovering. Initially, Jane and staff administered round the clock doses of vitamin K and subcutaneous fluids to help stop the bleeding from the anticoagulant agent in the rodenticide, which were then followed by antibiotics and other meds to treat his injuries. Many owls, and other raptors that prey upon small mammals, are not as fortunate as Seabrook. Serious illness, and death, resulting from secondary rat poison is a deadly and ever increasing problem.

When Seabrook was first admitted, he was covered in lice as he was too weak to even groom his feathers.

Image courtesy On the Wing

Hundreds of Snowy Owl fans attended the release

When an owl, hawk, falcon, or eagle eats prey that has been poisoned by rodenticide, the rat poison also gets into the system of the raptor. A recent study by Tufts University reveals that 88 percent of raptors have varying degrees of rat poison.