Great horned owl recovers, returns to wild after allegedly being beaten by teens with baseball bat
A great horned owl rescued after an alleged attack by a group of teenagers has been released back into the wild following months of treatment and rehabilitation, according to the Ojai Raptor Center in Southern California.
The owl, identified as Patient 26-224, arrived at the center in April after someone rescued the young owlet from a group of teenagers who were seen beating him with a baseball bat, the center said.
The owl arrived with internal trauma and a closed fracture of the metatarsus, a broken or cracked bone in the foot.
After months of treatment, rehabilitation and recovery, the owl regained sufficient strength for release, the center said. At the end of September, five months after arriving in the center's care, the owl was released back into the wild in Lancaster, California.
"We are incredibly grateful to the Good Samaritan who stepped in and took action that day, and to our dedicated team who cared for this owl throughout his long road to recovery," the Ojai Raptor Center said. "From a very difficult beginning to flying free again, this is exactly what wildlife rehabilitation is all about."
Photos posted by the center on Instagram showed the owl during treatment and included an X-ray of his injuries.
There was no further details regarding the teen suspects or the attack.
