It was a sunny, warm day in Southwest Florida last month when an unsuspecting paddleboarder suddenly made a frightening discovery. She spotted a ball of feathers floating in the water from afar, and as she paddled closer, she realized it was a wild bird in desperate need of help.
“The osprey was entangled in fishing line, and her feathers were waterlogged, so she was unable to fly,” Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) wrote on Facebook.
The woman was heartbroken to find an osprey wrapped in fishing line, which had become tethered to the surrounding tree roots. It was unclear how long the bird had been trapped, but the paddleboarder knew time was of the essence to save her life.
She scooped the bird out of the water and instantly called CROW for help.
CROW volunteer Phyllis Hermann rushed to the scene in a rescue boat and began freeing the bird from the mangroves as soon as she arrived. Once untethered from the trees, she placed the osprey in a rescue box and shuttled straight to CROW’s wildlife hospital for the second phase of the rescue.
“At CROW, we removed the line and treated her for minor injuries and dehydration,” CROW wrote.
You can see more footage from her rescue here:
While treating the osprey, CROW’s veterinary team noticed something concerning about her breathing, which provided them with more insight into what she had gone through before being rescued.
“When listening with a stethoscope (auscultation), we noted increased respiratory effort and harsh lung sounds, possibly from inhaling water while struggling,” CROW wrote. “She’s currently on systemic antibiotics and is in good body condition, so we expect she’ll make a full recovery.”
Thankfully, the osprey was found just in time by a compassionate paddleboarder and taken to the best hospital for her needs. While she’s still on the mend, the folks at CROW are confident she will fully recover soon and return to her home in the mangroves.
CROW staff can’t wait to see the osprey return home. Until then, they hope that sharing the bird’s story will inspire more people to be proactive about disposing of fishing line properly and help prevent similar accidents in the future.
“As always, this is a sobering reminder that improperly discarded fishing line is more than just an eyesore. It can trap, injure, and kill our native and migratory wildlife,” CROW wrote. “Mind your line and fish responsibly!”
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