During the early morning hours on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024, a report of a large fire at the Iowa Raptor Project in Solon was first reported after someone driving near the site saw the flames.
The fire was reported to officials around 4:24 a.m., according to David Conrads, director of UI Wild.
Johnson County Emergency Communications Center dispatched the Solon Fire Department along with North Liberty Fire Department to the property, which is located at 3673 Raptor Ridge Rd NE, in Solon.
When the fire departments arrived on scene, they found four mews, which are birdhouses designed to house one or more birds of prey, on fire. According to Conrads, who arrived moments later, “There was some hope that maybe some of the birds had escaped” but that was not to be.
All four enclosures were a complete lost, as well as the four raptors that lived in them. The raptors were Isabow, age 24, a Red-Tailed Hawk; Saguaro, age 16, a Harris’s Hawk; Elsa, age,18, a Gyrfalcon; and Cal, age 3, another Red-Tailed Hawk.
Staff and volunteers held a memorial at the site where the enclosures once stood. A large stone was placed in front of where each enclosure was and red roses were placed on top of each stone in remembrance of the birds that were lost.
According to the UI Wild website, “In 1985, a raptor rehabilitation and education program was started, including the construction of enclosures for non-releasable raptors at the Macbride Nature Recreation Area. Kirkwood Community College joined as a partner primarily in the rehabilitation effort.
In 2015, Kirkwood discontinued their support of raptor rehabilitation and the Iowa Raptor Project realigned with the university’s primary mission as a research and education institution. Kirkwood continues to partner with the University of Iowa and UI WILD through their Parks and Natural Resources and Animal Health Technology programs, serving a shared commitment to the conservation of birds of prey through research and education.”
Conrads said Holly Anthony Master Falconer, our half-time assistant director, is paid by Kirkwood Ag Sciences and serves Parks and Natural Resources and the Vet Tech programs help take care of the birds through yearly checkups.
Kirkwood’s Animal Health Technology Professor Randy Ackman, D.M.V., said, “We not only do yearly checkups but students get the chance to work with and handle these birds, which they may never get to do in their careers, working with avian species.”
He added, “They also get really excited to go there and work with such large birds.”
Conrads said, “The Iowa Raptor’s Project has hopes of rebuilding the enclosure and people can help with donations from a Give to Iowa campaign (donate.givetoiowa.org). I think it is very important for people to know that these birds are in good hands and the future looks bright here.”
Categories: Local News, News
