A hawk has died in Southern California after being shot with two pellets in what is the second recent incident of a raptor being shot. The incident has prompted one official to remind people what it means to coexist with wildlife.
San Diego Humane Society’s Project Wildlife program took in two hawks who were found shot in September, the humane society said on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
That included a red-tailed hawk with a single gunshot wound who arrived on Sept. 10 after being found in Indio. The raptor was first taken to the Desert Wildlife Center for triage, according to the humane society.
That hawk underwent orthopedic surgery.
Less than two weeks later, a red-shouldered hawk shot with two pellets was found on the ground and unable to fly in San Diego’s
Encanto neighborhood, the humane society said. The raptor had fractures in a bone in its wing and clavicle, and it was also diagnosed with lead poisoning.
It died while under anesthesia for treatment of its injury, according to the humane society.
“Hawks should be able to soar over our neighborhoods without becoming targets,” Alexis Wohl, wildlife veterinary manager for the Project Wildlife program, said in a statement. “Coexisting with wildlife means finding humane solutions to concerns, not inflicting injuries on animals that belong in our environment.”
The humane society said the cases are believed to be unrelated.
California law protects raptors, including hawks, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said. The humane society said that hawks and other birds of prey "play an important role in healthy ecosystems, including helping control rodent populations."
Paris Barraza is a reporter covering Los Angeles and Southern California for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her atpbarraza@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hawk dies after being shot, another treated in SoCal
