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INUVIK
Two snowy owls were returned to their rightful habitat in Inuvik on Aug. 2.

This snowy owl had a fractured wing. It was released back into the wild in Inuvik Aug. 2. - photo courtesy of Katherine Pederson

It was a long journey, coming from northwest of Calgary to the landing strip in Inuvik where they were met by officials from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR). But the birds were not flying on their own wing power. Rather they were being transported by plane.

"We take in all sorts of wildlife," said Berna-Dean Holland, director of media relations at the Alberta Institute of Wildlife Conservation.

While far from Inuvik, the institute routinely rehabilitates injured animals from the North and returns them to their natural habitat.

"We deal with almost 2,000 animals a year and our goal is to return them to the wild," said Holland.

"Unfortunately there are some cases that come in that would not be able to make it and they're usually euthanized."

Snowy Owl 30 was found in February near Brooks, Alta., while Snowy Owl 77 was found in April near High Level, Alta. Thirty and 77 are the case numbers and act as names for the animals. Inuvik is where the owls spend their summers.

They each had a fractured wing, but 30 was in rougher shape.

"Snowy Owl 30 had two fractures in the right ulna," said Holland. "He was also thinner, had tapeworms and feather lice, indicating he'd been sick for awhile."

Relying completely on donations, fundraising events and volunteer hours, the institute was able to fully rehabilitate the owls, gradually moving them from physiotherapy to the outdoor flight cages.

"They're monitored to make sure they can fly and hunt," said Holland.

As little interaction as possible happens between the injured animals and the volunteers.

"We really stay away from them," said Holland. "They're wild animals."

Owls are one of the most interesting birds, according to one Inuvik resident. Nick Walls is an occasional birdwatcher in town.

"I haven't seen one up here yet but I'm looking forward to it," said Walls.

As soon as the owls were rehabilitated, it was time to look for a way to get them home to Inuvik.

"Keeping them in the flight enclosure is risky," said Holland.

"It's a large area but they need wide open space or they can injure themselves again."

Northern Cross Yukon Ltd. ended up chartering a flight to Inuvik from Edmonton and the two owls were handed over for the 950-km journey – as the owl flies – to NWT Fish and Wildlife.

"It's a long way to go but I'm happy they were brought back to the wild where they should be," said Walls.

Toby Halle, from the Inuvik branch of ENR, said one owl was released on Aug. 2 and the other Aug. 3.

"We released one at Shell Lake and the other one over by the Inuvik gun range because you need a wide open space for them to fly," said Halle.

"One was really frisky and we thought better to release her now than release her later before there was further injury caused," he said.

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