A large snowy owl that was rescued from the ocean off Provincetown earlier this month is recuperating nicely and will be released back into the wild.
The bird was unable to fly and a passerby waded into the ocean at Court Street and rescued it. The bird was taken to Wild Care in Eastham, a nonprofit organization specializing in rehabbing wild animals with injuries.
Wild Care executive director Stephanie Ellis tells CAI the bird had suffered puncture wounds to one wing and likely would not have survived without the rescue.
"The bird really didn't want to fly, the wounds were so swollen and painful. I saw a video of the bird trying to fly from the rocky outcropping to the shore and it just dropped into the water."
Fluids, pain medication and wing therapy were administered, and the owl is getting stronger every day.
Ellis said snowy owls are not unusual on Cape Cod at this time of year. Often juveniles will come to the Cape in search of food during the winter before returning to their breeding ground in the arctic circle.
And Ellis says the owl will not be released until she is fully able to survive in the wild.
"We need to see her get really conditioned. This is a predator. She's a hunter and needs to be on top of her game."
For now, the owl is living in a large aviary at Wild Care, where her ability to fly is being closley watched.
It could be two weeks or more before the owl is released.
And what if you see a snowy owl? Ellis says give it space. They are nocturnal creatures so during the day they are usually resting.
"If they change behavior while you are observing them you're probably too close," she said. "They really need their space and their rest, so view from a distance."