PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — A young osprey was rescued Wednesday after it became tangled in a nylon line in Port St. Lucie.
WPTV was there when rescue crews climbed a pole outside the Tarpon Bay Yacht Club to free the bird that had likely been trapped in its nest for days.
The St. Lucie County Fire District posted on its Facebook page that its special operations team worked alongside the Port St. Lucie Police Marine Unit to rescue the fledgling osprey.
The bird was located in a nest on top of a pole located 50 yards off the shore of the St. Lucie River, 30 feet in the air.
"The young bird was unable to fly but was still being cared for by its dedicated parents," the fire district's Facebook post said.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said the osprey was taken to a rehabilitation center for treatment before being returned to its nest.
"Big thanks to the concerned community members who spoke up — and a reminder to help keep our waterways clean and safe for wildlife," the Fire District said.
Ospreys are protected by the U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.
According to FWC's website, the raptor is no longer listed as a Species of Special Concern, but it is still included in the Imperiled Species Management Plan.
