Werribee Open Range Zoo staff have saved the life of Australian native Brown falcon which was found critically injured in the wild.
The falcon was found in Lara by a member of the public, with a broken wing.
The community member took the falcon, which was in a “precarious” condition, to Werribee zoo.
Zoo staff said they suspected the falcon was injured after being hit by a vehicle.
Werribee Open Range Zoo associate veterinarian, Dr Paul Eden, operated on the falcon and placed a stabilising pin in the ulna bone of its wing to support the healing process.
With some antibiotics, pain relief medication and extra feeds to help the falcon regain its body condition, the bird began to recover.
“The wing healed really well, which was a fantastic outcome as there are always concerns with broken bones that an infection may occur or the bones may not fuse together,” Dr Eden said.
“But once that the bone had completely healed, we then removed the pin and started the next important step – to get some movement into the wing as soon as we could so we could help it fly again.”
The falcon underwent physiotherapy at the zoo for a fortnight and was then transferred to a wildlife carer, for an additional 13 weeks of rehabilitation before being released back into the wild near Lara.
Throughout the past year, Werribee zoo’s veterinary hospital has seen a staggering 133 per cent increase in wildlife being brought in with road trauma injuries, including birds, koalas, kangaroos, possums, turtles, snakes and lizards.
Zoo employees said a possible reason behind the increase in injured wildlife was that people were now spending more time outdoors, following the lifting of pandemic restrictions, and finding hurt animals more often.
Dr Eden said that it was a good idea for motorists to slow down on the road and remain alert, especially at dusk and dawn when a lot of wildlife moves about.
“If you see sick, injured or orphaned wildlife, please call a wildlife expert for assistance,” Dr Eden added.
Daily visitor numbers at Werribee zoo remain capped and visitors must be fully vaccinated.
All tickets must be pre-purchased online. Details: www.zoo.org.au.
