The SORCO Raptor Rehab Centre has been saving an integral part of the food chain for 33 years.
“Raptors are very important to our ecosystem to help maintain a healthy ecosystem, so it is very important there is somewhere that when they are injured they have somewhere to come to be rehabilitated and released back,” said Dale Belvedere, SORCO Raptor Rehab Centre manager.
They have helped rehabilitate thousands of raptors — birds of prey, such as eagles or hawks — over the years and once every spring they welcome the public to see their operations and catch a glimpse at the raptors that are almost ready to be released.
Due to the pandemic, however, they have had to cancel their open house fundraiser.
“We miss not having this fundraiser, not only for the funds that it brings in but … to showcase what we do and why we do it to the public and it’s a big education for the kids,” said Belvedere.
“All ages come here so it’s good to educate the young generation that these raptors are important to us.”
Right now they are well into great horned owl season.
“They are born in the middle to end of March and we start seeing babies come in the middle to end of April,” said Belvedere.
“Normally they are the young ones learning to fly. They are called fledges, and they fall and don’t quite make it then people see them and pick them up and bring them to us.”
Belvedere and her team are busy planning their open house next year on May 1. Until then SORCO is accepting donations online.