Bird found with catfish stuck in throat released

After only four days in rehabilitation, the double-crested cormorant rescued by Wild at Heart is making his way home.

This cormorant was found on the beach with a catfish and hook stuck in its throat. When someone found him, Wild at Heart sprang into action.

Dr. Askew, an exotic vet, was able to remove the catfish and hook from his throat.

The cormorant was released at the Gulfport beach with Dr. Askew, his rehabber, and the man who found him, Matt Wells, watching together as the bird waded into the water.

Rehabber Joshua Holland explains why the bird was only in their care for four short days. “Because he is a wild animal he is not meant to be in a cage. And so, the short rehab did exactly what it was supposed to do. It showed me that there was no infection setting in, it showed me that he had to fight to keep going because he tore me up, I mean, a couple times. And he wanted to be free. He wanted to be wild. He wasn’t ready to quit, so it was about getting him what he needed and getting him back out there.”

Holland told News 25 that the cormorant will likely return to his mate now that he is free.