By Michele Bills
On the night of Jan. 9, an undetermined predator wriggled its way into a cage for rehabilitating birds and escaped with an injured hawk. Biology lab workers followed a trail from the cage to a den at the ravine where the remains of the hawk were found.
Charlie, IVCC’s resident owl, and another rough-legged hawk were uninjured.
Lee Ann Johnson, the licensed sponsor of the Illinois Valley Raptor Rehabilitation Program based on campus, discovered the attack. She speculated that either a mink or weasel squeezed through the two inch by three inch squares of the cage, but it is unclear whether only one animal or two attacked the hawk.
Following the discovery, chicken wire was placed around the bottom of the wire and wood frame cage. Johnson said there are plans to remodel the 9 foot high cage in the spring, using smaller wire and placing wood sliding at the bottom.
A live trap has been set to try to catch the predator, but by press time, only once had the food disappeared and the trap had been moved six feet.
Charlie and the remaining hawk have been brought into the biology lab where they are recuperating from the ordeal, Johnson said. They will be returned to the cage when it is safe.
"I have received many well wishes on Charlie being okay," Johnson said.
Charlie, who has underdeveloped pectoral muscles, has been at IVCC for 11 years. She makes frequent appearances at open houses and is a favorite with school-children throughout the district.
Johnson has been caring for injured raptors on campus since 1993 when she took over the state and nationally licensed program from Louis Borio, former chair of the life science division.
The Illinois Valley Raptor Rehabilitation Program provides veterinary care from Dr. Robert Harms at Countryside Vet in Streator, and food, medicine, and placement for the birds.