Rhinoceros Auklet

A rhinoceros auklet was inadvertently caught when it tried eating the bait off a fishing hook. This young bird was exhausted during the struggle and would not fly away or dive once freed. When the patient arrived in care, we discovered that the hook did not cause any major damage. However, the auklet was still quite stressed. The bird could not keep itself upright in the water until approximately 9 hours after it was caught. Fortunately, 2 days in care was enough for this young bird to fully recover and get released back in the Salish Sea.