From the Ojai Raptor Center
Meet adult Great Horned Owl (GHOW) Patient 24-502, affectionately nicknamed “Skunk-boy” by our hospital staff. Owls, like most other birds of prey, do not have a strongly developed sense of smell. It’s not uncommon for us to receive Red-tailed Hawk or Great Horned Owl patients reeking of skunk. At least we can assume they are less bothered by it than we are!
Aside from his skunky scent, 24-502 was admitted with eye trauma and a wing droop. Both are healing, and he has already graduated to an outdoor enclosure where his flight continues to improve daily. As you can see when GHOW 24-502 is not being physically restrained by one of our hospital technicians for an exam as he is in the first photo, he immediately takes a defensive posture of fanning out his wings and looking fierce! As apex predators, these owls need to be in order to secure their place in the ecosystem. 24-502 is obviously pretty good at striking this pose and we can’t wait to return him to the wild asap.
The pufferfish technique seems very effective across the animal world.