A MAN from Prestatyn rehabilitated a baby raven after being advised that it would need to be euthanised following a fall from approximately 80 feet.
Joseph Marshall, who started his own bird rescue group Helping Hard Corvid Rescue in 2022, was called by a Warrington resident about six weeks ago, who asked him to take the bird into his care.
Despite being told the raven had no chance of recovery after suffering a suspected stroke, Joseph gave it physiotherapy at home, and it is now able to walk again thanks to his help.
He has named the raven Juju, and plans to release it in September if she continues regaining her strength before then.
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Joseph said: “We didn't give up on her and, at times, it was very difficult, but being the rare and special bird she is, we pushed through and made fantastic progress.
“We made her a walking frame and did hours of leg exercises with her. Over time, she started to stand, and now, she is walking and has regained 99 per cent of her functions back.
“We thought everything deserves a second chance, so we went against the advice.
“We thought we could spend the time to give her the chance to recover, and it’s turned out really well.”
When Joseph was first called about the raven, the Warrington resident mistakenly told him they had found a crow.
She and her fellow ravens had been resting on a radio tower, which she fell about 80 feet from on to a concrete surface.
Approximately three to four months old, she has even started flying now, Joseph added.
He said: “We got there expecting a tiny little crow and it turned out to be a massive raven!
“We made a little hammock for her to give her the ability to start using her legs again, and did numerous grip and leg exercises, which she managed quite well. Initially, she couldn’t stand up or walk.
“She’s still with us, and is almost completely back to normal. It’s unusual to get a raven in any rescue because their numbers are quite compromised.
“She’s so much better now.”
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