Oklahoma State University Center for Veterinary Health Sciences will release a young owl back into the wild on June 10. The great horned owl nestling was found mid May on the ground next to OSU’s Student Union. “Our Veterinary Medical Hospital and the OSU Police Department both received many calls from the public about this owl,” said Joao Brandao, LMV, assistant professor of Zoological Medicine. “The owl was brought to our service where we assessed it for injuries. No abnormality was detected via a physical exam and other diagnostic tests such as blood work and radiographs.” Brandao’s team took care of the owl and then transferred it to a flight cage where she could fly in a protected environment. Her improvement and development progressed as expected and she is now ready to be released back into the wild, according to the university. The public is welcomed to witness the release, which will take place at 4:45 p.m. near the veterinary center’s flight cages located at the intersection of West Virginia Avenue and Mar Vista Street. A short lecture on wildlife rehabilitation with an emphasis on owl conservation will begin prior to the release at 4:20 p.m. in Room 104 at the Veterinary Medical Hospital.
