CARTERET COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) – It’s not a penguin or a puffin, but a razorbill found with shark bites along its leg.
Razorbills are subarctic birds in the North Atlantic, living in Greenland, Iceland, and Canada, and commonly seen in the northeast but uncommon on North Carolina shores.
They’re typically found off the coast during the winter migration.
The Outer Banks Wildlife Shelter, a nonprofit that assists injured wildlife, picked up the injured arctic bird after someone found it along the shore.
Once brought back to the shelter, the staff discovered multiple puncture wounds and bites.
“We quickly recognized that the razorbill had a shark bite, which is not uncommon for our seabirds,” Outer Banks Wildlife Rehab director Courtney Kole said.
Kole adds that there were no broken bones, but a splint was applied to the injured leg, which may have sustained some nerve damage.
Kole says the shelter may receive one or two razorbills for rehabilitation every other year.
Staff quickly made the bird feel at home by packing his enclosure with ice and a fan to create an arctic breeze, lowering the temperature, and mimicking his natural habitat.
The nonprofit is also close to completing its seabird enclosure to house additional injured birds, including razorbills.
The rehabilitated razorbill currently has a small pool with enough space to dive for live fish provided by the shelter.
Kole adds that razorbills do not like being hand-fed, which could pose a challenge during the bird’s rehabilitation.
“They’re not used to humans or being in an area like this. A lot of times, they get depressed and stop eating,” Kole said. “The worse his body is, condition-wise, the slower he’s going to heal.”
Kole says they are providing medication and antibiotics for the bird and hope to release the razorbill back into the wild once there is enough improvement.
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