How a Community Team Saved an Entangled Osprey

A young osprey entangled in fishing line 75 feet above Marco Island is back in the wild today, thanks to a coordinated rescue involving wildlife biologists, local emergency services, and utility workers who stepped far beyond their job descriptions. The successful rehabilitation, announced by the Conservancy of Southwest Florida on June 18, stands as a sharp reminder of both the power of community action and the ongoing toll that human debris takes on native wildlife.

What happened to the osprey on Marco Island?

In early May, the von Arx Wildlife Hospital received an urgent report. A young osprey was dangling from fishing line, trapped roughly 75 feet off the ground. Brittany Piersma, a Wildlife Biologist with Audubon Western Everglades, arrived first to assess the situation and coordinate what would become a multi-agency effort.

Initial attempts to reach the bird brought together Audubon Western Everglades, the Marco Island Police Department, Marco Island Fire Rescue, and Brian Beckner of Native Bird Boxes. But the height of the entanglement demanded specialized equipment that standard rescue teams don't carry.

That's when LCEC, the local electric cooperative, stepped in. The utility deployed a bucket truck, sending Journeyman Line Specialist Dylan Goodwin and Lead Line Specialist Quentin Lutz up to safely cut the osprey free.