8/12/03

MONTGOMERY APPOINTED INTERIM HEAD OF AU RAPTOR CENTER

AUBURN -- Dr. Ron Montgomery has been appointed interim director of the Southeastern Raptor Rehabilitation Center at Auburn University. Montgomery, a professor and surgeon in the AU College of Veterinary Medicine's department of clinical sciences, will oversee the day-to-day operation of the center.

"We are very pleased to announce Dr. Montgomery's appointment to this position," said Dr. Timothy Boosinger, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. "His leadership skills, expertise in surgery and background as a faculty advisor to the center in the past will help us take positive steps toward getting the Raptor Center back to full strength."

As part of an agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the SERRC has neither received nor released birds of prey since July 9 while veterinarians investigate the deaths of 12 birds in the center's education collection. Mycoplasma gallisepticum is suspected to have played a role in the deaths.

"I look forward to working closely with the staff of the Raptor Center and the Fish and Wildlife Service," said Montgomery. "This is an opportunity for us to move forward and focus on the center's mission of health care for raptors and educate people about them."

Montgomery will work closely with Dr. Jill Heatley, the primary veterinarian for the SERRC, in providing care for the birds of prey at the center.

Boosinger also announced the creation of a steering committee that will be responsible for reviewing existing Raptor Center policies and procedures and recommend changes as needed. Dr. Kenneth Nusbaum, an infectious disease specialist in the department of pathobiology, will chair the committee.

The committee, composed of faculty members from academic departments in the College of Veterinary Medicine and the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, will also set long-range goals for the Raptor Center.

Plans are also being made to appoint an interim coordinator of volunteer activities to provide leadership during this transition period.

Boosinger said appropriate searches for permanent leadership will be conducted once the USFWS approves the reopening of the Raptor Centeršs rehabilitative and outreach programs.

The Southeastern Raptor Rehabilitation Center has an exciting future and, in cooperation with the Fish and Wildlife Service, we are moving quickly to restart our programs," Boosinger said. "These programs provide wonderful learning opportunities for both veterinary and wildlife students. A natural extension of these activities is an education program that reaches out to school children and other groups interested in wildlife, specifically birds of prey."

The Southeastern Raptor Rehabilitation Center opened in the mid-1970s and treats about 500 birds of prey annually from an average of 21 species, including bald eagles, golden eagles, peregrine falcons, great horned owls, red-tailed hawks and other species.

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aug03:AU-raptorcenter