PA Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 38

They didn’t know what, though, and began to look for a place to take the injured or sick bird.

Their search led them to the Carbon County Environmental Education Center in Summit Hill, where Susan Gallagher, chief naturalist, took the hawk in.

“He was extremely emaciated,” she said. “He had not eaten in a long time.”

The hawk, which they nicknamed “Trooper,” showed no other signs of injury or illness, including West Nile virus, Gallagher said.

“Why did it happen? I don’t know,” she said. “He was a young adult. Sometimes, they’re not good hunters and they get emaciated.”

Also, the territory the hawks hunt within may not have enough food, Gallagher said. Sometimes, when hawks can’t find prey, they turn to eating insects to survive, she said.

Unfortunately, Trooper had gone too long without food and didn’t survive, she said.

“They’re not all happy endings,” Gallagher said, but added that many are.

People bring in about 600 wild animals and birds in need of care each year, and the center rehabilitates them and releases them back into the wild, she said.

“Release is always the goal,” Gallagher said. “Freedom is always the goal.”

The center accepts all native, wild birds, mammals and reptiles, she said, but does not take domestic animals such as cats and dogs. The center also can’t take care of raccoons, groundhogs, skunks, foxes, coyotes or bats long term, but will offer assistance if someone finds one of these animals injured, she said.

Gallagher also advises calling the center (645-8597) before attempting to rescue an animal or bird. Someone can then explain how to safely capture the animal and bird, she said.

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