Baby Vulture Cruelly Attacked By Humans is Released

When Elmer was just a tiny baby black vulture (Coragyps atratus) he was cruelly injured by someone who intended to kill him by pouring a hot, sticky substance on his head and back. We are still unsure of what exactly was poured on him, but it melted his skin and caused severe burns and disfigurement. Elmer was rushed to our clinic for intensive medical care including severe pain management medication, anti-inflammatories, antibiotics and silver sulfadiazine cream for his burns.

Thankfully the treatment Elmer received helped him to heal quickly and within a few weeks, he was ready to leave the clinic. We were every worried he might have permanent damage to one of his eyes due to the trauma, but thankfully Elmer sustained no permanent damage.

Because Elmer was just a baby when he was rescued, he needed special care from our staff so that he could grow up healthy and strong. Once his flight feathers started to grow, we built Elmer a flight enclosure where he could practice flying and before long he was ready to be freed. We released Elmer near a beautiful river, next to a huge area of untouched natural habitat. We are so thrilled that we were able to help Elmer and although vultures aren’t exactly known for their beauty, we think this boy is absolutely gorgeous!