Birds of prey capture Potton’s heart
As part of the Spirit of Potton Festival held last weekend, the Union québécoise de réhabilitation des oiseaux de proie (UQROP), a provincial network centre for the rehabilitation of birds of prey were among the new additions to this year’s events. Potton residents and visitors were captured by the mysterious and magnificence of these endangered birds as well as the rehabilitation efforts being made as one of the most important and specialized in North America.
The rehabilitation and education centre receives on average 350 injured birds of prey every year and treat them in order to eventually release them back into the wild.
At Saturday’s presentation, visitors got up close and personal with great horned owl and a red-tailed hawk both of which were magnificent and remarkably able to display their training to learn to co-exist under the keen eye of the bird keepers who animated the event. Rosalie, an Educator and the accompanying volunteer with her on Saturday were informed, bilingual and excellent with the public.
According to its website, the UQROP is a non-profit organization funded in 1987. It is a provincial raptor rehabilitation program. Its mission is to preserve birds of prey and their natural habitats. To fulfill its mission, UQROP has two mandates.
The first mandate is to structure a provincial network of care for wild birds of prey found injured, sick or orphaned. This network is made possible with the participation of several contributors. The Clinique des oiseaux de proie (COP) of the Faculté de médecine vétérinaire of the Université de Montréal is a veterinary clinic specialised in the rehabilitation of birds of prey, and it also represents the focal point of this network. The second mandate is the educational aspect of their mission, to let people know all about these wonderful animals and the important role they play in our world! www.uqrop.qc.ca
It is possible to visit the sanctuary, attend information sessions, and become a volunteer and to donate to the preservation and rehabilitation of these birds. A visit to the website listed above is the perfect way to find out more about this dynamic and worthwhile organization.
For the people of Potton and those who attended the Spirit of Potton festival, this was a wonderful addition to the event.