Chương 35: Chapter 601: Visiting Hongdou
Rescue Center.
Lin Ying entered the enclosure and picked up the owl pellets from the ground, cleaning up a bit.
The owl, initially drowsy with one eye open and one eye closed, resting on the perch, became alert upon seeing someone enter. It flapped its wings and flew into a corner.
This owl was the one that had been hit by a car and was in terrible condition but had a strong will to survive!
With the increasing number of animals being rescued at the center, the new arrivals no longer had names, and this poor owl was no exception.
Unless an animal had a particularly notable story, like the wild boar Nai Cha, which attracted media attention, they typically didn't receive names.
After surgery to fix its wings, the owl seemed unaccustomed to its new wings, often losing balance after a few flaps. Coupled with an incomplete recovery from a brain hemorrhage, it continued to recuperate at the zoo for another month.
Now it was gradually adapting. According to the latest assessment by the rehabilitation specialist, it had met the standards for release.
Fang Ye quietly observed from outside the enclosure, feeling very gratified.
Watching it fly, it indeed seemed to have recovered well!
When Lin Ying came out of the enclosure, she sighed, "It's a miracle that such severe injuries could heal!"
Lin Ying smiled, "Our efforts weren't in vain! Besides the joy of seeing newborn cute cubs, nothing makes us happier than seeing rescued animals recover their health."
Fang Ye nodded in agreement, "For birds of prey, being able to return to the sky is akin to being reborn."
They discussed the time and place for the release and decided to proceed the day after tomorrow.
...
The volunteers in the group had heard about this owl's story and, upon learning about its release, expressed their desire to come and see it.
Actually, there's not much to see during a bird release!
Once the transport box is opened or the towel covering its head is lifted, the bird flaps its wings and flies into the sky. That's the most exciting part of the release.
It's hard to see their movements with the naked eye, so photographers have to capture a few shots of the bird leaving the box, which can be appreciated later.
Especially when releasing owls, it's usually done near dusk when the sky is already dark, making it even more difficult to see.
Releasing large animals is a bit more interesting, like watching a wild boar dash out of the cage with great momentum or a snow leopard cautiously looking back.
Although Fang Ye tried to dissuade them in the group, some volunteers remained enthusiastic and didn't mind the trouble, wanting to see off this resilient owl. They even offered to drive there themselves.
So, on the day of the release, a dozen people showed up.
Upon arriving at the designated location, they didn't proceed with the release immediately but took a short break first.
Lin Ying carefully checked the owl again, ensuring its wings were secure and that it wouldn't fall apart mid-flight.
This step was to stabilize the bird's emotions, so everyone except Lin Ying and Fang Ye stayed back.
After a while, Lin Ying put the owl back in the box and gave an "ok" gesture.
Fang Ye nodded, and everyone perked up!
They stood the transport box upright, and the owl shrank into a corner, its eyes wide open, turning its head to survey its surroundings.
Its expression was one of shock, disbelief, and confusion. Where was it?
It spread its wings and, like a penguin, waddled forward a few steps, looking at the scenery outside the transport box.
Then it jumped out of the box, its feet landing on the ground. It turned to look at Fang Ye and Lin Ying behind the box, then at Lan Li, who was taking photos, and finally at the volunteers hiding in the grass with mysterious smiles.
Oh no, an ambush!
It flapped its wings twice and soared into the sky.
Everyone dumbly raised their heads, watching as the owl flew farther and higher into the darkening sky, staring in the direction it flew for a long time.
"Bye-bye~"
"Off it goes! It's going home!"
Although the volunteers had gone through the trouble of coming, they were still happy for the owl, even if they only witnessed such a brief moment.
...
The vultures being trained at the zoo never stopped learning to fly.
They had mastered the first step of understanding the target stick. When the keeper pointed with the stick, they knew to follow it.
The second step was practicing jumping onto stumps, starting with a 10cm high stump.
However, as summer approached and the weather grew hotter, many animals were less active during the day, preferring to rest in the shade.
The vultures, too, lost interest in training, like students daydreaming in class, looking around during training.
Training under such conditions wasn't efficient, so the keepers decided to pause and resume in the cooler autumn.
At the small farm, the rice ears were turning from green to a pale yellow, gradually becoming fully yellow, ready for harvest around mid-July.
Coincidentally, students would be finishing their busy school term and starting their summer vacation, giving them a chance to see how the rice they planted had grown and to harvest it themselves.
Fang Ye found himself much more relaxed lately.
He strolled around the zoo daily, watching the green peacock parents with their chicks and getting close to the animals.
His main concern was when Hongdou would give birth, which should be soon!
He headed to the red panda enclosure to check on Hongdou.
Carrying a bowl of apples into the delivery room, Fang Ye softly called, "Hongdou, I'm here to see you~"
Hongdou poked her head out of the nest box, saw Fang Ye, and slowly climbed down from the perch.
During the breeding period, Hongdou and Lizi were active in the inner yard!
Now, with Hongdou nearing delivery, she had been moved to this specially arranged delivery room.
The room had air conditioning, maintaining a temperature of 22-25 degrees. Otherwise, in the hot weather of Linhai, the red panda might carry her cubs around looking for a cool place, potentially harming them in the process.
Lizi was also kept out to avoid disturbing Hongdou during delivery.
Lizi, released from the enclosure for training daily, still tried to visit the delivery room to check on Hongdou. But Hongdou, becoming sensitive and anxious, would hide in the nest box upon seeing Lizi, not wanting to meet her.
Hongdou's belly seemed rounder, though she was already chubby, so the change wasn't very noticeable.
Her movements had slowed significantly. Upon seeing the apples, she didn't rush over but walked slowly, like an old lady.
When she reached him, she buried her head in the bowl, grabbing an apple piece with her paw and eating it.
Fang Ye gently patted her head and laughed, "You don't even say hello when you see me, or rub against me! All my affection for you, and you're still just a little foodie."
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