Harsh winter in Ohio: Raptors don't get CO2-induced kidney stones, but they do face starvation

Sanders Center helps rehab area wildlife - Canton, OH - CantonRep.com

This winter was a doozy — cold and snowy, icy and slushy. It wasn’t an easy one for area residents and it certainly wasn’t easy for the critters.

Over the last few weeks, the Stark Parks’ Sanders Wildlife Rehabilitation Center has been taking under its wing more birds than usual. The increase, Sanders Center staff member Stephon Echague says, is a result of the harsh winter weather.

“We have noticed that our intakes of raptors have doubled and, because of the very harsh winter, many of them are emaciated,” Echague said. “We have noticed that many of them were hit by cars because they were going to eat road kill. They won’t do that often; They do that if they are desperate.”