www.eagle-encounters.co.za

Rehabilitation

A new admission is thoroughly examined to assess its overall condition.
Severely injured or poisoned birds are immediately referred to one of our recognised veterinarians, who specialize in treating raptors.
Less severe cases are initially quarantined and treated, then housed and trained for release on-site.
Abandoned chicks are raised on a calcium-rich diet formula, with the aid of either foster parents or feeding puppets, in preparation for release.
We approached Spier to house the project because they have a strong eco-drive, including the practice of organic farming methods, which provides an excellent environment for the release of the smaller raptor species. Many of the surrounding farms, from which we have obtained permission to hunt and release our birds, also practice organic farming methods.
Time-wise, the full rehabilitation process for a raptor can take anything from 1 day to 4 years and incur costs of between R20 and R20 000, depending on the species, rarity and the injury / condition. Expenses per admission could include: rescue, veterinary consultations, X-Rays, surgical procedures, laboratory tests, medication, dressings, treatments, autopsies, housing, furniture (perches, jesses and hoods), specialized diet and the sometimes lengthy falconry training release program.