What a year.
- Blue Mountain Wildlife has admitted 536 patients as of December 28, a 25% increase from 2024.
- Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) may well be an endemic disease that is here to stay.
- BMW’s board of directors approved the construction of a new wildlife hospital to replace our aging clinic.
As they say, it takes a village to run an organization, and BMW is no acceptation. Dedicated staff, volunteers, interns (there were 8 in 2025) and hundreds of financial supporters keep the clinic operating and wildlife cared for. We are fortunate to have intern Enxin Chen here during Christmas break. She is a biology major at Whitman College, in a pre-veterinary program.
The three admissions this past week are typical winter patients. Great Horned Owl 25-534 was found tangled in a barbed-wire fence. Initially, the right wing tip was very cold, indicating compromised circulation. No major injuries were found during the exam or on x-rays. The following morning the circulation seemed to be normal. We are hoping for a speedy recovery. In the photo below Chen holds the owl as it recovers from anesthesia.
Great Horned Owl 25-535 was found under a power line and appeared to have been electrocuted. The large owl had burns on both wingtips, was unable to stand and had limited reflex response in her legs and feet. With no improvement after 24 hours, she was euthanized.
Red-tailed Hawk 25-536 was showing signs of HPAI and was euthanized on admission. Both owls and the hawk are being tested for HPAI since they are all high risk species for the disease.
Thank you to all who have helped BMW prepare for 2026 with a year-end donation. You can donate through the Valley Giving Guide until December 31st on Blue Mountain Wildlife’s donation page: Blue Mountain Wildlife
We bid farewell to 2025 and wish you peace and joy in 2026!