High-flying rescue sends wildlife rehabbers on wild-goose chase at Virginia Tech

Canada goose rescued from Virginia Tech campus drone cage netting, 85-feet in the air

BLACKSBURG, Va. – While rehabbers at the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center in Roanoke are used to some precarious rescue operations, their latest literally sent them on a wild-goose chase 85 feet in the air.

When staff arrived to work at Virginia Tech on Friday, they noticed a young Canada Goose stuck in the netting of the facility’s drone cage. It was a first for employees. The Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center said they were called to help with the rescue. The goose was tangled in the netting for hours at its highest point, roughly the height of an 8-story building.

Haley Olsen-Hodges, SWVWC staff member and current Virginia Tech student, was luckily in the area to step in. According to Olsen-Hodges, the first crane brought in wouldn’t reach high enough to free the bird, so a second one was brought in.

The bird’s wings and one leg were injured, but the bird will likely make a full recovery. It is receiving care at the center’s Roanoke location.


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