Photos courtesy of Keri Lewis ‘Vic the Vulture’ is released back into the wild in Jimtown in Randolph County, after being nursed back to health at the Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia in Morgantown.
JIMTOWN — A vulture that had been shot — in violation of federal and state laws — was nursed back to health and released back into the wild in Randolph County this month.
“On July 4th, (Rhonda Vance) of Jim Town called Randolph County 911 about an injured vulture that was near her home,” Jo Santiago, a Natural Resources Specialist for the USDA Forest Service, told The Inter-Mountain. “911 called me — we partner with them — and we got the rescue ball rolling.
“I contacted the Forest Service International Programs’ Migratory Raptor Program assistant, Dylan Lewis, and he was able to respond immediately and get the vulture to the Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia (in Morgantown) that afternoon for emergency medical assistance.”
Santiago, a wildlife biologist with more than 30 years as a licensed raptor handler and rehabilitator, and Lewis handed off the injured bird to veterinarian Dr. Jesse Fallon at the Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia.
Fallon determined the black vulture would require several months to heal from a gunshot wound, a broken beak and starvation. The bird remained in the intensive care unit for weeks and was given the nickname “Vic.”
‘Vic the Vulture’ is held by wildlife biologist Jo Santiago, a Natural Resources Specialist for the USDA Forest Service, before the bird was released back into the wild.
After two months of rehabilitation, the vulture was fully recovered and ready to be released. Santiago and Lewis took the bird back to where it was found in Jimtown on Sept. 18.
After sunbathing, preening and getting his bearings, Vic took off in the direction of a group of soaring vultures, Santiago said in describing the release.
“Vultures are very important for our well-being and the health of our ecosystem,” Santiago said.
It is both a state and federal offense to harm vultures, and all protected species.
“Popular culture stigmatizes vultures, which are sometimes targeted by hunters and property owners,” a USDA press release states. “Despite their negative image, vultures provide crucial ecosystem services, including acting as nature’s ‘clean-up crew.’ Their strong stomach acid neutralizes dangerous pathogens–including rabies, anthrax, botulism toxin, polio and cholera–found in the carcasses they eat.”
Santiago thanked Vance and Randolph County 911 for their critical role in saving Vic and noted that the Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia rescued more than 520 birds in 2020, representing 65 species, with more than 90% being migratory species.
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