Molly Kilper, Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation’s Apprentice and Training Coordinator, released about 49 egrets and herons at Braunig Lake in South San Antonio August 7.
The herons and egrets exited the travel crates and flew to the nearby cattails along the lake’s shore. Some of them had to be encouraged to leave the safety of the crate to return to nature. But eventually they all took wing and flew away from the two people releasing them.
The herons and egrets were rescued from San Antonio’s Brackenridge Park rookery. Kilper talked about why it’s important to rescue, rehabilitate and release the birds back into nature.
“I think it’s important because a lot of the reasons that they’re at our rescue is because of human conflict and I think it’s our responsibility to take care of them and put them back in their environment,” she said.
Kilper said the length of time Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation works to rehabilitate a heron or egret varies.
“It really depends on why they came to us. For orphans it’s going to be until their fully adult that could be anywhere from a couple of weeks to months,” she said. “Also if they’re injured it could take a lot longer to rehabilitate them.”
Kilper also added that Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation rescues about 10,000 wildlife a year.
San Antonio residents interested in Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation’s work with wildlife can get more information at Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation, Inc. (wildlife-rescue.org).