Houston SPCA Wildlife Center Saves Hundreds of Egrets Near Cypress After Hurricane Beryl
In the wake of Hurricane Beryl, hundreds of egrets - nesting in trees located in a northwest Houston neighborhood near Cypress off Kiowa River Lane - found themselves facing a harsh reality. Many juvenile and baby egrets were blown out of their nests, resulting in drownings, while hundreds more were found waterlogged and shivering in the grass below.
The Houston SPCA's Wildlife Center responded swiftly to the scene, managing to rescue approximately 300 of the ill and orphaned egrets from the hundreds found deceased. The birds are currently being triaged at the Houston SPCA’s Wildlife Center where they will receive individualized treatment from staff veterinarians.
Injured, orphaned and deceased egrets reported to the Houston SPCAAccording to the Houston SPCA, Egrets commonly nest in areas in and around Houston during the summer. When natural disasters like Hurricane Beryl strike, these nesting areas are severely impacted, leaving many baby egrets injured or orphaned.
If you encounter injured wildlife, the professionals at the Houston SPCA’s Wildlife Center encourage you to take the following steps:
- Observe: Check for visible injuries and look out for parents or siblings.
- Replace: If the baby is not injured and the parents are near, simply place it back in its nest.
- Collect: If the animal is hurt or orphaned, put it in a box with soft rags and keep it warm until you can transport it to a wildlife center. Do not attempt to feed or hydrate the animal.
- Contact: Reach out to the Houston SPCA Wildlife Center at 713-861-9453.
More information and resources are available on the Houston SPCA’s website at houstonspca.org/wildlife-center/wildlife-resources.
Staff from the Houston SPCA Wildlife Center rescued around 300 orphaned or injured egrets The Houston SPCA's Wildlife Center of Texas is dedicated to providing emergency care to ill, injured, and orphaned native wildlife. Its experienced team of state and federally-permitted wildlife rehabilitators and veterinarians provide both short-term and long-term rehabilitation with the ultimate goal of releasing these patients back to the wild. It is the only trauma and wildlife rehabilitation center in Houston that treats all injured, sick, or orphaned native Texas wildlife species, and it turns away no animal in need.
Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.
