Captivity is not conservation for raptors w/ Iowa Raptor Project

The Iowa Raptor Project at the University of Iowa tells the public that its purpose is conservation and education. Yet they purchase captive bred raptors. These birds are forced into a life of captivity when they should be autonomous, free living birds. If the Iowa Raptor Project actually respected the raptors, they would not remove them from the wild or support captive breeding to use the birds for falconry. They would do what the McBride Raptor Center used to do: rehabilitate the raptors and release them back to the wild when possible.

As if the captivity isn’t bad enough, some of the raptors are forced to fly at football games and/or be exhibited at loud, chaotic athletic events. The University of Iowa attempts to spin this as “education,” when it is obviously marketing and fundraising at the expense of the raptors. This is exploitation, not conservation. It is perverse to say their purpose is conservation and education and then exploit raptors in these ways.

Please encourage the University to end the use of raptors at athletic events, to stop falconry and return to rehabilitating raptors and releasing them into the wild.

Lynn Gallagher

Solon