Fearsome predator saved by restaurant staff after possible collision with cables in Peru
The staff of a Peru restaurant took on new responsibilities when they found one of the fastest animals on the planet injured outside their door, wildlife officials said.
Members of the National Forest and Wildlife Service were called to the Las Sureñitas restaurant in Pocollay after staffers reported an injured peregrine falcon, according to a Feb. 5 news release from the agency.
The workers protected the bird before wildlife officials arrived, the agency said.
Wildlife officials checked out the bird and found it was in good condition and weight but saw lacerations and cuts on its feet, according to the agency.
A witness told officials they believed the bird of prey had collided with nearby electrical cables.
The falcon was taken in by a wildlife care team, and its wounds will be treated and dressed, officials said.
The bird is expected to be released in the coming days back to its natural habitat, according to officials.
Peregrine falcons are one of the fiercest predators of the sky, reaching speeds of more than 180 miles per hour while in a dive, according to Britannica.
The falcons will catch smaller birds mid-air in attacks called stoops, often waiting in high positions for the perfect moment to strike, according to Cornell’s All About Birds.
Peregrine falcons are found on all continents except Antarctica and can be identified by their white spotted bellow, bright yellow claws and beak and mottled gray back, according to All About Birds.
Pocollay is in the southern tip of Peru.
Google Translate was used to translate the news release from the Peru National Forest and Wildlife Service.
