Angel

July 03, 2024

One of the places I visit when in Maine is the Wildlife Park located just outside of Gray.  The park is home to over 30 species of Maine wildlife that cannot be returned to their natural habitats.  Some of the animals were injured or orphaned, while others are human dependent after being raised (often illegally) in captivity.  The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife game wardens and biologists team up to bring the animals to the park where they can safely receive the specialized care they need.  My sister packed lunch and then loaded the two granddaughters (grandnieces) and I into the car for the short ride to the park.  School is out and the day camps are in full swing, so we shared the space with three large groups of campers in addition to the family groups that frequent the park.  I immediately noticed signs advising me not to feed the wildlife.  They are on a specially controlled diet and feeding could adversely affect them.  While such signs are often posted at zoos and wildlife areas, I notice another sign asking visitors to stay away from the geese.  Most of the Canada geese (Branta canadensis) in the park are afflicted by a condition called angel wing and are ornery.

When I looked online, I found angel wing, also known as airplane wing or drooping wing, is a syndrome that affects aquatic birds of the family Anatidae (geese and ducks).  The syndrome causes the last joint of the wing to twist so the feathers point out laterally instead of lying against the body.  The syndrome is acquired in young birds and develops in males more than females.  Angle wing is the result of a high-calorie diet, especially one high in proteins and/or low in vitamin D, vitamin E, and manganese, causing one or both wrist joints (carpus) to be delayed in development relative to the rest of the wing.  It is not known why but if only one wing is affected it is usually the left one.  The afflicted wrist is twisted outwards and unable to provide lift (flight).  Symptoms include stripped flight feathers (remiges) in the wrist area, or remiges protruding at odd angles.  In extreme cases the stripped feathers resemble blue straws protruding from the wings.  Angel wing is incurable in adult birds and usually leads to an early death (predators) as the birds are effectively flightless.  Young birds may recover by wrapping the wing and binding it against the bird’s flank, along with feeding the bird a nutritionally balanced diet to reverse the damage.

While the angel wing geese are more visible around the park, the main attraction is the moose (Alces alces) housed in a large and forested enclosure.  Maine’s moose population is second only to Alaska, and many Maine visitors dream of spotting a moose exploring the state (as do I).  Seeing a moose in the wild requires both patience and “being in the right place at the right time”.  Moose can be seen if you spend hours around swampy bogs or cruise remote logging roads at dusk if you are lucky.  The surefire way is to stop at the Wildlife Park.  Even here the moose was hard to detect, sitting still next to a its protective shelter at the back of the enclosure.  Many of the animals that find their way to the Wildlife Park are eventually released to their natural habitats. “We only keep those that have some sort of condition that keeps them from being viable in the wild,” Maine Wildlife Park Superintendent Curt Johnson explained.  Animals that cannot be rehabilitated educate visitors about Maine’s diverse native mammals, birds, and fishes.

THOUGHTS:  Although many associate Maine with lobster (and lobster rolls!), the Official State Animal of Maine is the moose.  Since 1992, the Maine Wildlife Park has received no state tax dollars and relies on admission fees, donations, and creative revenue sources.  Maine has 35 state parks, public reserved lands, and state historic sites.  Tourism accounts for nearly US$6.5 billion dollars in Maine and is one of the state’s largest industries, supporting more 17% of the state’s jobs (116,000).  I am not the only one wanting to see a moose.  Act for all.  Change is coming and it starts with you.