Two weeks ago we learned that the great horned owl that had been stung by a giant hairy scorpion had been transferred from raptor rehabilitator Dr. George Montopoli, professor of mathematics with Arizona Western College (AWC) in Yuma, to Dr. Cecilia Vigil, doctor of veterinary medicine and biology professor also at AWC.  Recently we met [...]

Not long ago, a great horned owl was brought to Imperial National Wildlife Refuge’s visitor center suffering from what Refuge biologist Joe Barnett thought might have been a sting from a giant hairy scorpion.  Today we visited with George Montopoli, the rehabilitator who took in and nursed the owl.

An owl sitting in the middle of the road  is not natural.  So when someone reported a great horned  owl on the road leading toward  Imperial National Wildlife Refuge, biologist Joe Barnett investigated. 

With a decrease in fossorial (burrowing) animals, burrowing owls are finding fewer places to nest.  This week we joined a group that has been working with Wild at Heart, inc., (burrowing owl relocation) to create artificial nesting sites for burrowing owls at Cibola National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) a couple hours north of Imperial NWR in [...]