a Raptor Rehabilitation Project for Southern Puerto Rico

HC-03, Box 11887, Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico 00795

falconpr@caribe.net

                                           Lic. Laredo González Sánchez                                      

Project Director

 Wildlife rehabilitation has little impact on conservation as a whole (Fox, Nick ,1995), but it could be useful as an environmental education tool. In specific cases, such as endangered species, the successful recovery of one or several specimens could be a significant factor for the conservation of that same species.

Wildlife rehabilitation could be also an important source of information on human-wildlife interactions, wildlife diseases, animal biomedicine, animal behavior, and biological material for research and educational purposes.

Success in raptor rehabilitation could be highly successful with fledglings and with birds that arrive to the project shortly after being injured.

In locations where human activities occurs , like buildings and road constructions, strong interactions are expected to negatively affect wildlife habitat and species population parameters.

Birds of prey (Falconiformes and Strigiformes) have a traditional relationship with humans. Unfortunately, this relation is often detrimental for raptors via habitat destruction, shootings, nest destruction, chicks robbery, etc.

Puerto Rico has a rich raptor fauna, considering its area. For more than four years, I have maintained close communication and have cooperated with Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER) Terrestrial Ecology Division, DNER Law Enforcement Units (Cuerpo de Vigilantes), USFWS officers and several Puerto Rican ornithologists, about the status of raptor populations, distribution, factors that impact wild population, current legislation and popular traditions that involve those birds in the island.

Every year a considerable number of injured and stolen chicks, shootings and illegally captive raptors, are reported to local an federal agencies in Puerto Rico.

The initiative of a southern Puerto Rico based raptor rehabilitation project has been supported by DNER Terrestrial Ecology Division and encouraged by USFWS officers in Puerto Rico, DNER Cuerpo de Vigilantes, Municipal Authorities in Juana Díaz and several ornithologists from University of Puerto Rico and Puerto Rico Ornithological Society.

The Project:

The project is based in my nearly 3000 square meters property located in the municipality of Juana Díaz (Road 512, Km 0.3), Puerto Rico. There are enough space to provide the birds with weathering areas and exercise. (Arent, Lori and Mark Martell ,1996 and Ford, Emma ,1994) My wife and I take care of about 50 birds every year.

Antecedents:

I am a graduate Biologist from University of Havana, Cuba (1988). I have undergraduate and post graduate experience on raptor population biology, behavior and management, I have also experience on bird habitat ecology studies and vertebrate systematic.

Figs 1,2,3 : Genetic polymorphism in ventral coloration in Cuban race of American Kestrel (Falco sparverius sparverioides, Vigors). Pictures showing red (1), intermedius (2) and white (3) color phases.

I have been practicing falconry for more than 18 years with different raptors species in Cuba (Red Tailed Hawk, Peregrine Falcon, Merlin, A.Kestrel, Gundlach's Hawk, Broad Winged Hawk).

I developed a private raptor rehabilitation project in Cuba for several years, releasing a number of  birds back to nature.

My first birds: a cast of Kestrels (Cuba, 1980)

Since 1995 I am a member of the North America Falconers Association (NAFA).

Equipment:

- Two 3.8 cubic feet freezers, one for food and one to preserve dead birds ( euthanasied birds, birds that died during the treatment or those which arrive dead to the project).

- Weighing machine (1 gram accurate) with "T" perch for weighing the birds and a 100 grams Pesola (0.1 gram accurate) for the food.

- Computer equipment to keep records of the procedures and patients database. We also keep an Internet account to exchange information with other rehabilitation projects.

- Falconry equipment: I build all the falconry equipment needed to run the project: hoods, jesses, gloves, leashes, perches, blocks, etc.

- An extensive collection of literature on raptor behavior, raptor biomedicine, management and rehabilitation, falconry, raptor population and raptor biology.

- Appropriate transportation and communication equipment.

- I have the support of local veterinarian for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

- Food supply  come from the DNER funds, personal funds and other donations to the project.

Information about the origin, source and cause of the injury will by collected. We will follow the standard procedures guidelines from The Raptor Center, Univ. of Minnesota (Redig, 1993).

After controlling injuries or diseases the birds will then enter to the rehabilitation program. The program objective is to achieve complete mental and physical conditioning before considering eligibility for release. Falconry techniques and equipment will be used to manage, weathering, housing and exercise the birds (Beebe, Frank L. and Harold M. Webster ,1994 ; Ford, Emma ,1994 and Fox, Nick ,1995). We have found falconry techniques to be ver helpful specially on nestling rehabilitation.

We  follow the Eligibility for Release procedures and ethic considerations from The Raptor Center, Univ. of Minnesota (Redig, op. cit.).

Eligible birds are released in suitable habitat, during appropriate season and using adequate techniques following an individual selection. ( see Giron Pendelton, Beth A. et al, 1987 , Sherrod, Steve K et al ,1982 , etc.) Released birds are monitored for a reasonable period of time to be sure of the success. Some are  trapped for close examination if signs of incompetence are detected and  released later.

We are trying to get the funds for telemetry equipment to monitoring specific specimens (i.e. endangered species) for at least two to five weeks after released.

Some non-releasable birds (imprint, amputee, blind, etc.) can be used, under controlled conditions, for conferences and other educational activities in schools and public education activities. This is a very interesting part of the project that will give another perspective to the rehabilitation activity and will help the public understand the project as well as raptor conservation in general.

References:

Arent, Lori and Mark Martell (1996): Care and Management of Birds of Prey. The Raptor Center, Univ. of Minnesota.

Beebe, Frank L. and Harold M. Webster (1994): North American Falconry and Hunting Hawks. North American Falconry and Hunting Hawks.

Biaggi, Virgilio (1997):Las Aves de Puerto Rico. Editorial de la Universidad de Puerto Rico.

Bond, James (1988): Birds of the West Indies.Collins.

Cade, T. (1982): The Falcons of the World.Comstock/Cornell University Press.

Cade, T et. al (eds) (1988): Peregrine Falcon Populations.The Peregrine Fund. Inc.

Ford, Emma (1994): Falconry Art and Practice. Blandford.

                Fox, Nick (1995): Understanding Birds of Prey. Handcock House.

Giron Pendelton, Beth A. et al ( 1987) : Raptor Management Techniques Manual. National Wildlife Federation.

Palmer, Ralph S. (1988): Handbook of North American Birds: Volume 5. Diurnal Raptors (part 2). Yale Univ. Press.

Raphael, Herbert A.(1989): Birds of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Princeton University Press.

Redig, Patrick T., (1993): Medical Management of Birds of Prey. The Raptor Center at the Univ. of Minnesota.

Sherrod, Steve K et al (1982): Hacking: A method for releasing Peregrine Falcons and other Birds of Prey. The Peregrine Fund. Inc.

(Biaggi, Virgilio ,1997; Bond, James ,1988; Cade, T. ,1982; Palmer and Raphael, Herbert A.,1989)

Order Falconiformes

Family Cathartidae

1.-Cathartes aura aura (Aura Tiñosa/Turkey Vulture) n,a

Family Accipitridae

2.-Accipiter striatus venator(Falcón de Sierra/Puerto Rican Sharp-Shined Hawk) n,r

3.-Buteo jamaicensis jamaicensis (Guaraguao/Red-Tailed Hawk) n,c

4.-Buteo platypterus brunnescens (Guaraguao de Sierra/Puerto Rico Broad-Winged Hawk) n,r

5.- Circus cyaneus hudsonius (Aguilucho Pálido, Northern Harrier) m,r

Family Pandionidae

6.-Pandion haliaetus carolinensis (Aguila Pescadora/ Osprey) m,l

Family Falconidae

7.-Falco peregrinus (Halcón Peregrino/Peregrine Falcon) m,l

F.p. anatum

F.p. tundrius

8.-Falco columbarius columbarius (Esmerejón/Merlin) m,l

9.-Falco sparverius caribaearum (Falconcito/American Kestrel) n,c

Order Strigiformes

Family Strigidae

10.-Otus nudipes nudipes (Múcaro/Puerto Rico Screech Owl) n,a

11.-Asio flameus (Múcaro Real/ Short-Eared Owl) n,a

                        (n- Nesting in Puerto Rico, m- Migratory)

(Common, a -Locally Abundant, l-Locally common but no abundant, r-Rare)

Every year,  funds and materials have to be collected to support the project,  your help is always welcome.

My wife, Gloria, is an artist. She have made a lot of ink and oil paint pictures of the birds to collect funds for the project.

Halcón Sur

HC-03, Box 11887, Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico 00795

falconpr@caribe.net

Some pictures:

- my beloved birds:

Peregrine Falcon                      Merlin                                              Cuban Gundlach's Hawks

- Falconry Equipment I make in the project::

My first Hood                     Anglo-Indian Hood                       Dutch Hood

  Gloves, Jesses, Leashes and Bells

Falconry in Puerto Rico:

The current Wildlife Law of Puerto Rico is under review since last year. I presented, together with other Puerto Rican falconers, a written proposal to the Law Committee for the inclusion of the art of falconry as a legal method to capture game in Puerto Rico. We hope favorable results will be seen this year.

This Page was edited on:

Sunday, March 21, 1999 12:12:05 PM                

                                                       Visitor No.