There are over a dozen owl species that call Idaho home, including the Great Horned Owl.
The raptors are easy to identify with their long tufts of feathers that resemble ears.
They are commonly seen across the state, but rarely on the median of a busy highway.
Idaho State Police (ISP) received multiple calls from concerned commuters on I-84 in Nampa about a Great Horned Owl trapped in plastic.
Dispatchers called wildlife rescue, Animals in Distress, for help and sent Sgt. Brandalyn Crapo to the scene.
“Traffic is very heavy on that stretch of freeway and the owl had reportedly been there for some time,” posted ISP.
When Sgt. Crapo arrived, she spotted the owl near the median and used her patrol car as a block for oncoming traffic.
Once the owl was out of harm’s way, she waited for a volunteer with the wildlife rescue to arrive.
Within minutes, the volunteer arrived and together they freed the owl.
They gave her a quick once-over to make sure she wasn’t injured before setting her free.
But before she took flight, Sgt. Crapo had her photo taken with the rescued owl.
ISP thanked the community for alerting them to the distressed owl and Animals in Distress for their help.
“Not all who need help on our roadways drive cars. The people of ISP are happy to help all who need assistance to get home safely,” wrote the police department.
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
