TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - A raven was taken to the Tucson Wildlife Center after being found in a leg-hold trap in Redington Pass east of Tucson.
According to the media release, a passerby located the bird along Redington Road on Saturday afternoon and brought him to the wildlife center for care.
The damage to the raven's leg was so severe; he had to be euthanized.
The rescuer said, “I noticed a flock of ravens circling around another raven that was lifting off the ground and then falling back down to the ground. Then I noticed it was caught up in a line, but the closer I got I realized it was a chain tied to a trap."
The rescuer found the unsecured trap in a sandy wash on public land, where a person or an animal could have stumbled into it. The trap is triggered by the weight of an animal or person stepping between the jaws of the trap.
The trap was baited with meat, according to the media release.
It is illegal to set a leg-hold trap on public lands and illegal to trap if you have not paid your trapping fee to Game and Fish. It is also illegal to trap birds, including ravens, that are protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
When found, leg-hold traps must be turned over to the Arizona Game and Fish Department so they can be returned to the owner.
For more information or if you see wildlife in need of help, call Tucson Wildlife Center at 520-290-WILD (9453). Tucson Wildlife Center, Inc. is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and receives no government funding.
