Photo SHANNA ROSE, Team Leader at The Nest Te Kōhanga

This resilient Ruru / Morepork was carefully treated for flaky skin and readied for release back to where he was found, thanks to brilliant work and coordination between Wellington Zoo and Wildbase Recovery.

Original post – 28 Apr 2021
by The Nest Te Kōhanga at Wellington Zoo

located in Wellington, New Zealand 🇳🇿
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in coordination with Wildbase Recovery

located in Palmerston North, New Zealand 🇳🇿
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

and Wildbase Hospital

located in Palmerston North, New Zealand 🇳🇿
Website | Facebook

Original text by Wellington Zoo:

It’s an exciting afternoon for our Vet team at The Nest Te Kōhanga as we prepare to release this gorgeous Ruru back to the wild!
You may remember this wee face as this Ruru recently became an internet sensation after needing to have a special bath at Wildbase to clear some flaky skin.

Photos Wildbase Recovery

This little manu [flying creature] first came into our care as a nestling on Boxing Day after he was found on the ground with wounds on his feet and he had a fractured wing tip. The Ruru responded well to treatments and supportive care and headed off to our friends at Central Energy Trust Wildbase Recovery earlier in January, where he could be with a group of other baby Ruru.

Photo SHANNA ROSE, Team Leader at The Nest Te Kōhanga

The Ruru is now considered to be a sub-adult and he’s ready to spread his wings! Our Vet team will be heading out to Eastbourne this afternoon, where he was originally found, and they’ll be releasing him at dusk.

Links to donate (for those willing and able):

NB: If donating to Wildbase Hospital, click the link and select Wildbase Research Fund under Designation.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

Original post – 31 Mar 2021
by Wildbase Recovery

located in Palmerston North, New Zealand 🇳🇿
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

in coordination with Wildbase Hospital:

located in Palmerston North, New Zealand 🇳🇿
Website | Facebook

Original text:

Wet Wednesday all round for us in Palmerston North!!🤣

This morepork is with us for rehabilitation but we found it had scurfy/flaky skin. A sticky tape sample revealed a lot of cocci (bacteria), so today this ruru had a bubble bath (which he was NOT pleased about😅).

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We washed him with Chlorhexidine to deal to the bacteria, then rinsed clean. This is a similar technique we use for oiled birds and have the set up to do it.

After a few hours under the blow dryers he is looking spiffy and ready to try out his clean feathers and skin back in our rehab aviaries at Wildbase Recovery with the hopes of releasing soon🤞

Link to donate to Wildbase Recovery for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

P.S. We have a calendar for the 31 days of Owltober!

Original post – 29 Jul 2024
by Wildbase Recovery

located in Palmerston North, New Zealand 🇳🇿
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Ruru “Dannevirke” (named for the area he was found) was admitted and treated for nerve damage to his left wing. Wildbase bandaged his wing, and after some cage rest he was able to work on flight fitness in the aviary.

He’s pictured here having his pre-release screening. Wildbase reported at the time he was looking good, so once blood test results were clear he would be scheduled for release back home.

Link to donate to Wildbase Recovery for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

Original post – 28 Oct 2024
by Wildbase Recovery

located in Palmerston North, New Zealand 🇳🇿
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

in coordination with Wildbase Hospital

located in Palmerston North, New Zealand 🇳🇿
Website | Facebook

A Ruru Morepork was found in Hokowhitu with a wound to the back of his neck from a predator attack, likely a cat or stoat (which are both introduced species in New Zealand). He was treated with antibiotics and anti-inflammatories by the team at Wildbase Hospital. After plenty of cage rest, he was able to work on flight fitness at the Circular Flight Aviary and vets were able to assess his vision.

Update 11 Nov 2024:

Ruru Hokowhitu has been released back to the wild!

Link to donate to Wildbase Recovery for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

This Ruru / Morepork in New Zealand was photographed during his pre-release examination. Information is limited but we know he spent some time at Wildbase hospital and then the rehabilitation centre before being successfully released.

Photo supplied (sent to: info@owlsintowels.org)

Photographer: TORI TURNER

Wildbase Recovery

located in Palmerston North, New Zealand 🇳🇿
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Link to donate to Wildbase Recovery for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

Original post – 01 Feb 2020
by Wildbase Recovery

located in Palmerston North, New Zealand 🇳🇿
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

in coordination with Wildbase Hospital

located in Palmerston North, New Zealand 🇳🇿
Website | Facebook

Original text:

This Ruru Morepork is named ‘Shannon’ after the area it was found in the Horowhenua District.

It was taken to Wildbase Hospital where it was treated for head trauma (bleeding in its ear canal), issues with its right leg and carpal swelling after flying into a window. It was placed on cage rest with pain medication and tasty kai [food]. It was a resident at Wildbase to work on its flight strength and silent flight before release.

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Link to donate to Wildbase Recovery for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

Original post – 13 Mar 2024
by Wildbase Recovery

located in Palmerston North, New Zealand 🇳🇿
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

in association with Wildbase Hospital

located in Palmerston North, New Zealand 🇳🇿
Website | Facebook

Extract from the Massey University news article:

Since being established in 2002, Wildbase’s ongoing mission has been to provide vital treatment and support to sick and injured native wildlife, administering medical and surgical care to enable the animals’ full recovery and safe return to the wild.

These efforts have seen the team care for wildlife spanning various categories of national conservation concern, exemplifying Wildbase’s steadfast commitment to preserving New Zealand’s unique biodiversity. As Aotearoa faces one of the highest proportions of native species facing extinction, their work continues to be of utmost importance.

After more than two decades since their doors opened, Wildbase’s patient summary includes 6471 birds, 281 reptiles and 23 bats. Of these, 571 patients were from endangered species and 1670 were from threatened species, with a total of 138 different wildlife species having come through their doors so far. Each of the 110 bird species, 25 reptile species, two bat species and one amphibian species required unique nutrition, physiology and habitat needs which the Wildbase team ensured were met.

…

Their avian patients have included a number of nationally critical birds, which are the species facing the highest risk of extinction, including the tūturuatu (shore plover), kākāpō, matuku-hūrepo (Australasian bittern), Salvin’s and Antipodean albatross, kakariki karaka (orange-fronted parakeet) and kōtuku (white heron). The team have also cared for a range of nationally endangered birds, including hoiho yellow-eyed penguins, rowi (Okarito brown kiwi), kea and masked booby, with common nationally vulnerable patients including takahē and whio (blue duck).

Of all the bird species, the most frequent flyer award goes to the kereru or the New Zealand wood pigeon, of which 1099 received care at the hospital, followed by kāhu (swamp harrier) at 870 patients then pararā (broad-billed prions) at 607 patients, kiwi-nui (North Island brown kiwi) at 525, tūī (523), ruru morepork (352) and kōtare (kingfishers) rounding it out at 344 patients.

Professor Gartrell says reflecting back on the hospital’s successes over the past two decades confirms that Wildbase has remained steadfast to its mission and will continue to do so in the coming years.

“As we celebrate 21 years of Wildbase, it’s incredible to look back and see how much we have been able to achieve. Our efforts and our commitment have only strengthened, and we will continue this vital work of providing critical care, ongoing research and education initiatives to help safeguard our nation’s living taonga [treasures] for generations to come.”

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Link to donate to Wildbase Recovery for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

Original post – 26 Mar 2024
by Wildbase Recovery

located in Palmerston North, New Zealand 🇳🇿
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Original text:

Interview from the AM show with the rehabbers showing off their ruru wrangling skills.

Text from video:

This is a ruru / a morepork. This one was found on the side of the road with a fractured wing. He’s had surgery and he’s had pins put in his wing. Cailin and Chelsea – the techs here – are just giving him his morning fluids to make sure he stays really well hydrated.

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Link to donate to Wildbase Recovery for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

Original post – 14 Jul 2022
by Wildbase Recovery

located in Palmerston North, New Zealand 🇳🇿
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

in association with Wildbase Hospital

located in Palmerston North, New Zealand 🇳🇿
Website | Facebook

Original text:

Last week we admitted this patient into our care from the team at Wildbase Hospital.

…a ruru/morepork found in Turakina [in the Whanganui region] who was treated for head trauma, ulcers in both eyes and necrosis to the right retina. This ruru is being assessed to make sure the damage to the retina is not affecting the bird’s vision. This ruru will be on display in our Ground Dweller aviary where our technicians have added in plenty of cover and browse for the ruru to hide in.

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Update: This ruru was released on 8 Sep 2022 back in Turakina.

For those willing and able please consider helping fund Wildbase Recovery at the following DONATION LINK. Your generosity ensures the best possible care for their animal guests.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

Original post – 19 Mar 2021
by Wildbase Recovery

located in Palmerston North, New Zealand 🇳🇿
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Original text:

Feel Good Friday!

The baby ruru are no longer babies and are doing superb job at hiding in the trees in their aviary! Come in and see if you can spot them. Just remember, they’ll be sleeping 🦉💤

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You can help fund Wildbase Recovery at the following DONATION LINK

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

Original post – 06 Jun 2022
by Wildbase Recovery

located in Palmerston North, New Zealand 🇳🇿
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

in association with Wildbase Hospital

located in Palmerston North, New Zealand 🇳🇿
Website | Facebook

Original text:

Last week we admitted a ruru/morepork who was found up Summerhill (near Palmerston North) and was suspected to have suffered some kind of head trauma and damage to its left eye.

This ruru is only here for a short stay as the wildlife technicians are helping the vets at Wildbase hospital assess whether or not the ruru has regained some vision back in the left eye.

As to whether this little ruru will be on display — being a nocturnal species we cannot guarantee that it will be visible but if you ask one of our team we might be able to find its hiding spot for you.

You can help fund Wildbase Recovery at the following DONATION LINK

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

Welcome to owlsintowels.org !

I’m still learning how to configure this whole thing. It may look pretty basic right now. There’s a lot to understand and I’m still trying to understand all the jargon around wordpress and domains and hosting providers and what the heck is this whole “hypertext transfer protocol” anyway? It’s a bit of a new experience but if you’re reading this, that’s something!

So here we go. Welcome to Owls in Towels, a website dedicated to sharing pictures of owls…. in towels!

Your first O-in-T to kick things off:

A young ruru from New Zealand with wide yellow eyes, all wrapped up in a cosy towel. Isn’t he great?

xoxox 🧡