Avian Ark

I picked up a copy of this book on a whim, because I love birds and figured I’d enjoy reading wildlife rehab stories.  When I actually started to read the book, I was immediately thrilled to realize the author was located in Canada and lived in the same region as my parents, so a lot of the geography was familiar to me.  I was also surprised by the excellent illustrations, all drawn by the author and based on her most memorable rehab subjects.  Frankly, I think the author is a saint… like so many rehabbers, she and her family turned their home and lives upside-down to fix problems which were invariably caused by humans.  Some accidents were unintentional, such as vehicle vs. bird, or baby birds injured/orphaned during logging.  Other injuries weren’t accidents at all, with many birds brought into the rehab clinic after being caught in steel traps or being shot.  One particularly disturbing chapter talks about a man who takes delight in bragging about how many owls he kills yearly, because they dare to commit the crime of hunting his exotic ducks.  While the man eventually attempts to build a covered shelter for his ducks, he also maintains steel leg trags where he leaves owls to starve to death.  I’ve become somewhat immune to stories of cruelty (because if I didn’t have some immunity I’d lose my mind), but I don’t think I ever cease to be surprised that people can be intentionally cruel, and actually choose to be cruel.

I don’t want to give the impression that the book is all doom and gloom, because it isn’t.  There are some incidents which are extremely sad, but there are also tales which highlight the incredible recuperative powers of animals and their will to live.  The author does a wonderful job of building relationships with her charges, while maintaining the separation needed to allow the birds to be released into the wild and to fend for themselves.  More than anything, she respects all the animals in her care.  She never gives up on any bird with a desire to live, and the experiences she’s had must be invaluable to other wildlife rehabbers. 

If you’re in the US, you can buy the book Avian Ark by Kit Chubb from Amazon, but you’ll need to buy a used copy.  They’re only about $2.  You may also want to check out the author’s website, www.kitchubb.ca, as it’s full of much more technical and up-to-date information.  You’ll find many helpful articles about wild birds, for both the rehabber and the birding enthusiast.

One last note… when I went to the author’s website, I was saddened to read that her husband had passed away just a few months ago.  He was an integral part of her book and an equal partner in her rehab work.  My condolences to the author and her family, should she ever see this entry.

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 11/05 at 12:25 AM

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