At Massey Wildbase animal hospital in New Zealand, a new patient recently checked in — a tiny morepork owl with a mild skin infection.
The condition was easy enough to treat, but the cure came with one major inconvenience for the little bird: bath time.
“Owls really don’t like being wet, even from the rain,” explained Pauline Nijman, a supervisor at Wildbase. “So I knew he wasn’t going to think of this as pampering.”
Sure enough, the photos taken during his medicated bubble bath show one unimpressed owl. Without his usual fluffy feathers, his regal look all but disappeared.
“Once all the fluff is wet, they look frightfully pathetic,” Nijman said with a laugh.
Despite his protests, the owl was gently washed with a special medicated solution and then rinsed clean. Afterward, Nijman towel-dried him and used a warm air blower to restore his fluff.
“He did dry up rather nicely!” she said.
Soon, the little owl was back to his full, feathery self and moved into the aviary with other recovering moreporks. If all goes well, one bath will be enough to clear up his infection — and he’ll be ready for release back into the wild.
Though he may not have enjoyed the spa treatment, Nijman knows the discomfort was worth it.
“It’s a privilege to be caring for such amazing birds and reptiles,” she said.
Massey Wildbase treats hundreds of injured and endangered animals every year, giving them the care they need to return to their natural habitats. To learn more or support their work, you can visit their website.
