From Rocky Mountain Wildlife Alliance
Nov 30
Found injured in the middle of I-25 and left for dead… this Great Horned Owl is lucky to be alive.
A commuter driving from Denver to Monument first spotted her standing near the median - still, alone, and clearly not behaving normally. He called another agency but was told to leave her; that she was “probably fine” and eating a mouse. When he drove by two days later and she still hadn’t moved, he knew her life depended on him. When traffic cleared, he returned - she tried to fly but collapsed. It was the day before Thanksgiving, so he brought her home, kept her warm through the night, and found us first thing the next morning.
Impact injuries like hers can be devastating - often involving brain trauma, concussions, ocular damage, shock, and internal bleeding. After days exposed to sub-zero temperatures on one of Colorado’s busiest highways, she arrived dehydrated, pale, and showing blood in her eyes and mouth, with a dangerously low body temperature. We moved quickly to stabilize her with warmth, oxygen, fluids, and anti-inflammatory medications. She is still in critical condition and unable to feed or care for herself, so we are gently doing that for her until she is strong enough to do it on her own.
Collisions are the number one reason raptors come to our hospital, and most don’t survive a high-speed impact on I-25. But this girl is fighting - and now, with your help, she has a chance.
Jan 3
She’s still here-and she’s still fighting.
After suffering severe head trauma around Thanksgiving, along with an injury to her right eye, this Great Horned Owl has been making slow, steady progress. Healing from injuries like these takes time, but as we head into the new year, things are finally looking brighter for this tough girl. She’s nearing the final phase of her recovery, a milestone we don’t take lightly.
In fact, she’s been feeling so good that she’s even struck up a nightly duet with our non-releasable resident Great Horned Owl, Atosha. Their back-and-forth calls echo each evening-a testament that her spirit is very much intact.
As we enter a new year, every patient who comes through our doors reminds us of the resilience, determination, and sheer will to survive that wildlife carries with them. It’s a true privilege to walk alongside animals like patient #25-1397 on their journey toward healing, hope, and second chances.
Bonus Atosha pics!
That is a very cute concerned commuter
I hope it has learned to look both ways now before crossing!
This is the good news I prefer: Rando saves Owl; rescue group rescues; kickass owl neighbor sings duet.
Everyone had a job and all succeeded! Yay!
