Have you ever looked up to see an eagle soaring above or turkey vultures circling on wind thermals? Have you listened to owls hooting in the night? What happens when one of these magnificent birds of prey is injured?
That is when the Mizzou Raptor Rehabilitation Project (RRP) answers the call with the help of community volunteers, veterinary students, and veterinarians. In 1973, RRP received its rehabilitation permit from the U.S. Fisheries and Wildlife Service. RRP was one of the few rehabilitation centers in the U.S. and the first in the Midwest. The first successfully rehabilitated bird was Myria, a golden eagle, who had been shot, causing significant injury to the left wing. At the time, Myria was one of only 22 known golden eagles in Missouri. Four months later, after surgery and extensive daily rehabilitation, Myria once again took to the skies to fly free in the wild.
Not only does RRP help injured raptors, but it also gives veterinary students a unique opportunity to gain experience and participate in their medical care. Here is what one former student has to say about her experience.
The Raptor Rehab Program at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine was a fundamental part of my veterinary curriculum, providing an outlet to explore my passions of wildlife medicine and conservation while assisting in the development of critical skill sets proven to be applicable to a variety of species in some of the most unique settings.
Since graduation, I have had opportunities to work in a variety of medical settings in a handful of countries, and although the species and languages have varied, the same core values of the Raptor Rehab Program have been part of my practice: high standards of care and devotion to making the lives of the patients better while providing accessible community outreach aiming to improve the conservation status and understanding of the species at hand.
Working with raptors is challenging yet rewarding. Some of my smallest patients taught me the largest lessons while some of my largest patients taught me how truly fragile of a species I am. I find myself sharing stories and what I learned with my newest students and mentees hoping to provide not only the courage to provide good medicine but to follow their dreams, even if messy and not the most traditional.
- Dr. Whitney Collins, DVM, Class of 2020
2023 marked the 50th anniversary of RRP providing medical care and rehabilitation to Missouri’s injured birds of prey (eagles, kites, hawks, falcons, vultures, osprey, and owls). We need your help to continue our rehabilitation and education mission. Please consider a financial donation showing your support.
Your gift will go towards the endowment distribution account to be available for immediate needs of the RRP. The University is allowed to transfer funds into the endowment principal at their discretion.