PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — A brand-new flight complex at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary in Jupiter Farms is giving injured birds a better chance at returning to the wild.
Amy Kight said the sanctuary cares for nearly 5,000 animals annually, and about half are birds.
"Ninety percent of our patients have traumatic injuries. Could be a broken bone, a dislocated shoulder, might need surgery and have a cast for a long period of time," Kight said.
The new enclosure is designed to give recovering wildlife the space to regain their strength before being released back into the wild. Different-sized enclosures accommodate different-sized birds.
"We need to get those feathers conditioned properly, waterproofed properly; we need to build that muscle strength up," Kight said.
The largest space inside the structure is arranged in a U-shape. The building stretches 120 feet long and stands 18 feet high.
"We need to make sure that they can turn to the left, turn to the right. How would they maneuver when they're out in the wild, when they need to catch food, avoid predators, or just find a place to perch for the evening," Kight said.
While the public isn't allowed to be physically inside the flight complex, it can still be seen 24/7 through a live stream.
When WPTV visited the sanctuary, we saw one patient, a young ibis, being put through its paces so it could be released after a week of care.
"We don't want the bird to get scared or nervous around strangers and possibly fly into the wall or dive-bomb. We don't want to hinder it in any way possible," Kight said.
The structure is built to withstand hurricane-force winds and gives Busch Wildlife the ability to offer its services to other rescues.
