Oakland Zoo staff are celebrating after saving 140 black-crowned night herons over their 5 month mating season over the spring and summer.
As nesting colonies of the herons return annually to the developing and growing City of Oakland, this year, Oakland Zoo formed their official "Heron Rescue Team" (HRT).
Members rescue fallen fledglings from the trees in the downtown area. With two daily foot patrols, the HRT team helped save 140 fledglings. Nik Dehejia, CEO of Oakland Zoo says:, "With 140 fledglings rescued, rehabilitated, and released this year alone, we hope to continue this important work and see our city's official bird thrive in the years to come."
Oakland is home to the largest black-crowned night heron rookery (communal nesting ground for birds) in the San Francisco Bay Area.
When nests are built in the trees on busy Oakland streets, baby black-crowned night herons sometimes fall from their nests onto the concrete sidewalks or streets often resulting in severe injury or death.
The birds that have recovered and are old enough to survive and fly are steadily being released into the wild into safe and local habitats, such as the Oakland Bay shoreline.