Those who help injured animals may never know what happens to patients after they are returned to the wild.
The Raptor Education Group in Antigo is celebrating the successful migration return of a loon they helped last year.
According to a post on the Raptor Education Group Facebook page, the loon was rescued from Mable Lake in June after being involved in a territorial fight. She was injured and beached herself on land. The loon was taken to the Raptor Education Group where she was also found to be suffering from lead poisoning. She had ingested lead jigs, a swivel lead, and a hook. Surgery was done to remove the items, and the bird was treated successfully to address her high lead levels. Her injuries from the fight were also treated.
She was then released to a new lake.
In the Facebook post, the Raptor Education Group says a loon researcher found the former patient on a lake near where the bird had been released last year. The researcher was able to confirm the bird’s identity because it had been banded back in 2004.
