CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The Wildlife Rescue team at the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi is dedicated to helping animals, including one that was injured during Hurricane Harvey.
The team, which is located nearby the aquarium, rescues, rehabilitates and releases all the animals it nurses back into the wild.
"We are one of the few facilities that is able to take shorebirds, raptors, sea turtles and marine mammals," Wildlife Care manager Alyssa Barrett said.
The team administers all types of treatments, including physical exams and blood work.
During Hurricane Harvey last year, the team received several animals, including a magnificent frigatebird. The bird, named Storm, came to the wildlife rescue with cactus spines and it wasn't until about four months later, when she was moved to the aquarium.
"In all the tumbling she was doing from the storm, she got a fracture to her wrist joint. Because of that, she is not able to fully extend her wings," Barrett said.
Storm can't fly long distances, but for now she has a home at the aquarium.
During the storm, Barrett said the team didn't turn any animals away.
"There were too many animals that needed your help. Your pigeons and your doves," Barrett said. "Here we were in the middle of a hurricane doing an anesthetic procedure on a bird."
Barrett said the mission was a learning experience.
"A lot of stress comes with this job. We have a lot of hard days and long days, but they are all worth it when you release an animal back to the wild," she said.
Guest admission to aquarium supports conservation-focused programs, including the wildlife rescue program, animal care and the wildlife care, conservation and research fund, which provides grants for conservation and research projects.