Kazakh woman rescues injured owl and befriends it

Tengrinews.kz - Anar Shaimerdenova from Karaganda came across an injured owl while on a trip outside the city. She spotted the bird in the steppe — it was unable to fly due to a badly damaged wing. Determined to help, she took the owl with her.
Anar shared that she couldn’t leave the animal behind.

“I found it in the steppe in the Bukhar-Zhyrau district, about 110 kilometers from Karaganda. The owl was moving with difficulty and trying to hide from the noise. It was clear that it was in pain. I couldn’t just walk away. I gently covered it with a scarf, brought it to my car, gave it water, and drove it to the city. I tried calling veterinary clinics on the way, but it was already late in the evening. The owl spent the night at my home, and in the morning we went to the vet,” said Anar Shaimerdenova.

Unfortunately, her fears were confirmed — the fracture was old, and tissue necrosis had set in. Saving the wing was no longer possible, and the veterinarians had to amputate it.

According to the press service of the Karaganda regional akimat (local government administration), after the surgery, Anar took the owl home and is now caring for it, strictly following veterinary advice. She also consulted with an ornithologist who helped identify the bird’s gender and age — it turned out to be an 8-month-old male.
Anar named the owl Kanatik, from the Kazakh word “qanat”, meaning “wing.” His recovery requires time and a lot of effort. Anar has taken on full responsibility for his care: she feeds him twice a day using tweezers, gives him injections, treats the wound, and administers antibiotics and painkillers.

Once the owl regains full strength, Anar hopes to hand him over to professionals or a wildlife rehabilitation center where more suitable conditions can be provided for a wild bird.
Photo: Karaganda regional akimat's press service
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