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Our
goal at St. Augustine Eco Tours is to be a resource
to the local community. Helping distressed and
injured wildlife is second nature and a service
that all participants find rewarding. Helping an
organism that does not have the ability to thank
you is the most rewarding of all. We have it easy,
we use our vessels to gently collect the bird or
turtle and take it to the proper facilities.
Occasionally these rescues take place after hours
and we will have an overnight guest. Birds are fed
fresh whole fish and given a secure place to rest.
Great thanks to the St. Johns Veterinary Clinic for
their free wildlife triage services and H.A.W.K.E
for their amazing rehabilitation facility. This is
the truly difficult, time consuming, and expensive
part of any rescue.
Orange Octopus: On a boat trip we saw this octopus pulled up by fishermen that clearly didn't have any idea what they were doing. We took control of the situation and freed the rare octopus.
Great Blue Heron: We found this Heron drifting out in the ocean (Herons don't swim). We pulled up and the Heron allowed me to pick it up and nestled under my arm like a football for the ride home. It is amazing to me how normally shy birds know when they need help and will put trust in humans. After some fish and a quiet night the heron was treated by the clinic and sent to rehab.
Osprey: We received a call about an injured hawk near waters edge. On a boat trip we picked up the Osprey and noticed two fish near the injured bird. A mate or close relative was in a nearby tree and clearly distressed. I asked the people who reported the Osprey if they had feed the bird and they had not. Was the other osprey dropping food to the injured bird? The Osprey was taken to the clinic and then to rehab. It had been shot through the right wing. The other Osprey remained in the immediate area for weeks awaiting the return of the injured friend.
Loggerhead Sea Turtle: We found this little one at the dock. It was struggling due to a red tide event. The turtle was taken with others to a rehab facility out of the affected red tide area and was expected to recover.
Rock Dove: These birds don't swim either, but they seem to forget. This one was rescued by a passenger with a net and set on the dock to dry out. When we returned the bird was still there and we discovered it had an injured wing. It was taken to the clinic and moved on to rehab.
Brown Pelican: This young Pelican was spotted on a sand bar with a badly broken wing. We were unsure of what the clinic could do but wanted to get the bird fed and a safe place to be. Unlike some of the other calm characters this Pelican was a handful. It spent the night on New Years day 2007 and went to the clinic the next day.
Orange Octopus: On a boat trip we saw this octopus pulled up by fishermen that clearly didn't have any idea what they were doing. We took control of the situation and freed the rare octopus.
Great Blue Heron: We found this Heron drifting out in the ocean (Herons don't swim). We pulled up and the Heron allowed me to pick it up and nestled under my arm like a football for the ride home. It is amazing to me how normally shy birds know when they need help and will put trust in humans. After some fish and a quiet night the heron was treated by the clinic and sent to rehab.
Osprey: We received a call about an injured hawk near waters edge. On a boat trip we picked up the Osprey and noticed two fish near the injured bird. A mate or close relative was in a nearby tree and clearly distressed. I asked the people who reported the Osprey if they had feed the bird and they had not. Was the other osprey dropping food to the injured bird? The Osprey was taken to the clinic and then to rehab. It had been shot through the right wing. The other Osprey remained in the immediate area for weeks awaiting the return of the injured friend.
Loggerhead Sea Turtle: We found this little one at the dock. It was struggling due to a red tide event. The turtle was taken with others to a rehab facility out of the affected red tide area and was expected to recover.
Rock Dove: These birds don't swim either, but they seem to forget. This one was rescued by a passenger with a net and set on the dock to dry out. When we returned the bird was still there and we discovered it had an injured wing. It was taken to the clinic and moved on to rehab.
Brown Pelican: This young Pelican was spotted on a sand bar with a badly broken wing. We were unsure of what the clinic could do but wanted to get the bird fed and a safe place to be. Unlike some of the other calm characters this Pelican was a handful. It spent the night on New Years day 2007 and went to the clinic the next day.