Close bonds

Zhou said a vulture rescued last year had left a deep impression on her.

A group of bird-watchers discovered the injured vulture on the ice of a river in Shahe, Changping district, on Dec 7, 2024. The raptor was in a poor condition with frostbitten talons.

After being taken to the center for a physical examination, an X-ray revealed the vulture had an internal fracture. The therapist decided the best treatment was to feed the bird to restore its strength, while limiting its activity area.

"By preventing it from having the opportunity to vigorously flap its wings, we allowed the bone to heal on its own and slowly recover," she said.

"After about two months, it had recovered very well. We then moved it from the small recovery enclosure to a much larger aviary to observe its flight ability," Zhou said.

The raptor rescue center has continuously added new equipment for better treatment and examination of the birds. Its first anesthesia ventilator, and a temperature-controlled surgical bed allow the rehabilitators to perform physical examinations and surgeries.

Some raptor bones are as thin as toothpicks, and rehabilitators need to use fine surgical needles to reconnect bones. During surgery, the therapist's wrist must be steady, aligning the fractured ends of the bone before inserting the needle. "Bird bones are both hard and brittle, so we must control the pressure well," said Zhou.

After surgery, the raptors undergo regular physiotherapy while under respiratory anesthesia to help them move their joints."Otherwise, even if the bone heals, the joint will be useless," she said.