PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Busch Wildlife Sanctuary has completed construction of South Florida's largest wildlife rehabilitation flight complex, significantly expanding the facility's ability to help injured birds return to the wild.
The new structure, measuring 120 feet long, 50 feet wide and 18 feet high, provides recovering wildlife with the space needed to rebuild strength and practice sustained flight before their release back into nature.
The complex features multiple specialized rooms centered around a long, candy-cane-shaped flight corridor designed for extended conditioning. Large birds including owls, falcons, hawks, eagles and other raptors can now safely build stamina and practice making sharp turns in preparation for their return to the wild.
Additionally, the structure was engineered to withstand hurricane conditions, strengthening the sanctuary's disaster preparedness and ability to safely care for wildlife during severe weather events.
Wildlife enthusiasts around the world can now watch the rehabilitation process through publicly accessible cameras that livestream from the flight complex. However, viewers should expect that the cameras may sometimes show empty rooms, as the animals are patients first and their rehabilitation needs take priority over being visible on camera.
"An empty screen may be a good sign: a patient could be resting, receiving care elsewhere, or simply not require the flight corridor at that moment," the non-profit said in a statement. "Minimizing human disturbance and providing recovering wildlife with appropriate privacy are essential to the rehabilitation process."
The project was funded through support from the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners through the Cultural Capital Fund Grant, The Batchelor Foundation, Impact the Palm Beaches, The Dary Foundation and private donors.
For more information about Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, visit www.buschwildlife.org.
