"Slim Odds of Survival"... US Couple Dramatically Rescues Owl Caught in Barbed Wire

Its life in danger after its wing gets caught in barbed wire
Rescued after being calmed with a bag over its head

An owl was injured after becoming caught in barbed wire in South Dakota. Passersby spotted the bird and rescued it, saving its life in a dramatic turn of events.

The Washington Post (WP) reported on October 17 that Scott and Sharon Jacobs had rescued a wild owl. The couple said they spotted a great horned owl caught in barbed wire as they were passing a cattle ranch in South Dakota.

An American couple rescues an owl caught in barbed wire. Screenshot from Scott Jacobs' Instagram.

The owl was still alive, but the barbed wire had pierced its wing. When the couple approached, the owl clacked its beak in a warning display. The Jacobses had prior experience rescuing injured wild animals. They quickly covered the owl's head with a bag from their car to calm it, then stopped a passing vehicle to ask for help.

A man agreed to help. With the ranch owner's permission, the couple and the man cut through part of the barbed wire with wire cutters, and Scott used his gloved hands to remove the remaining pieces of wire tangled in the owl's wing. Meanwhile, Sharon contacted a nearby veterinary clinic. Veterinarian Warren Whalen soon arrived at the scene, anesthetized the owl, and removed the pieces of wire embedded in its wing.

The owl survived, but its injuries remained and it needed further treatment. The couple contacted the Black Hills Raptor Center, a wildlife rehabilitation organization, and the center's volunteers took in the owl and continued its care.

Maggie Engler, the center's director, told WP, "It's rare for a bird caught in barbed wire to survive." She added, "In my 16 years of volunteer work, I've seen many birds caught in barbed wire, but this is the first time I've been able to treat one that had a chance of survival." The owl had a puncture wound in its left wing, but fortunately, the muscle tissue essential for flight was undamaged.

WP reported that the owl's condition improved as it recovered after the rescue.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.