TURKEY VULTURE
Prince Elio was admitted to our hospital on 12/6/21. We realized instantly this was the bird that we had been fielding numerous calls about from around the county - an over-friendly, first year vulture that was approaching social gatherings for food.
 
Medically, Elio was uninjured, but he was suffering the side effects of his poor diet. Well-meaning and sympathetic people had made it too easy for him to develop some very bad habits! After several months in care, Elio was finally given a clean bill of health, although it was apparent he had been imprinted on people prior to arrival and would not be able to live in the wild on his own. 
 
Our medical and ambassador staff teamed up, along with guidance from vulture specialists around the state, to devise a plan to assess his aptitude for captivity and amenability to training. Elio passed all tests with flying colors, while also stealing our hearts!