B.C. organizations caring for birds of prey struggle to afford food amid inflation and avian flu

Between rising inflation and avian flu, organizations looking after birds are feeling the squeeze.

The Raptor RehabilitationCentre in Oliver, which rescues birds of prey like falcons, eagles and owls, is struggling to keep its rescued raptors fed.

"It's concerning," said manager Dale Belvedere. "We're just going to have to be very, very careful."

Belvedere says she can notfeed the recovering birds their normal diet of chicks as their local hatchery, like many in the province, shut down due toavian flu outbreaks.

Instead, Belvedere said the organization has spent thousands of dollars growing its rat breeding program and purchasing extra rats.

She says feeding costs have doubled, and it now takes between$10 to $15 a day to feed each bird.The centre usually cares for 15 or more birds at a timea number that can go as high as 40 or50 in the spring.

Belvedere says they have been rescuing more birds than usualthis year due to wildfires young birds that have been found abandoned by their parents and some birds that havesuffered from smoke inhalation.

Aside from a small government grant, Belvedere says the centre largely relies on donations, which has also decreased amidspiralling inflation.

Raptors are important to B.C.'s ecosystem, Belvederesays,particularly for controlling the rodent population.

Andmany birds of prey also have cultural significance.

"A lot of these birds are considered sacred and spiritual, especially the eagles and the hawks," she said.

The price of mice

LaurenMeads with the Burrowing Owl Conservation Society of B.C. says they are also struggling to afford increasing food prices.

The society operates breeding centres inKamloops, Oliver, and Abbotsford aimed at increasing the population of the endangered species.

"Our food costs have gone up ...just like everyone else's groceries," said Meads.

Since their owls can no longer be fed hatchery chicks, Meads says their food bill has increased.

She says mice prices have gone up from $1to between $1.30 and $1.40.The society used to spend around $20,000 to $30,000 a year to feed the owls and is now spending around $80,000.

"We might have to scale back or do some things differently," said Meads.