OWRA&ODFW MTG on 5/7/2025

Summary of OWRA/ODFW Meeting 5/7/25

Pelican Fallout:

ODFW put out a press release & social media posts on 4/24/25 informing the public of a brown pelican fallout event. The statement read: 

“If you find a sick, resting or dead pelican, please leave it alone and keep dogs leashed and away from wildlife. Rehabilitation options are limited and the best thing to do is to leave pelicans alone. ODFW district wildlife biologists along the coast are aware of this situation and the public does not need to report sick, resting or dead pelicans.” 

OWRA voiced concerns about ODFW’s messaging, because we would prefer the public contact rehabilitators about distressed wildlife. We met with Dr. Gillin to discuss. Dr. Gillin explained that this approach was determined by the coastal district biologists (DBs), similar to their messaging around the murre fallout event last year. OWRA stated that this approach undermines the role of rehabilitators as a resource for wildlife when we would prefer to be collaborative partners with ODFW.

Wildlife Center of the North Coast, which specializes in seabird care, had requested permission to accept BRPEs from outside their normal service area during this fallout event, but was denied. Dr. Gillin said that this decision was made by the DBs because they were concerned about where the pelicans would be released, and the risk of habituation in these young pelicans. OWRA explained that facilities like WCNC have protocols to prevent habituation and would not release habituated pelicans, and asked for any documented evidence that this would be an issue. Dr. Gillin said he had not done a literature review.

When OWRA asked why rescuing BRPEs wouldn’t be a priority even though they are listed on the Oregon Conservation Strategy as Endangered, Dr. Gillin said the DBs were aware of this fact as they made their decision. They were concerned that rehabs would be taking starving pelicans and releasing them back into low-food environments to die. OWRA provided that research from IBR actually shows that rehabilitated pelicans are generally successful and have been observed thriving years later. Dr. Gillin recommended OWRA speak with Communications Coordinator Michelle Dennehy regarding the messaging around this event.

OWRA asked for more transparency in these decision-making processes and asked to be included in these conversations so we can disseminate information to our members. Dr. Gillin recommended rehabilitators keep in regular contact with their DB.

Species Rehab Restrictions:

Rabbits east of the Cascades: Contact your DB to discuss approval for these species.

HPAI: Still seeing it in OR. A raptor die-off occurred apparently due to HPAI in the eastern part of the state. OWRA asked if orphaned waterfowl are acceptable to rehab, are adult ducks too, or are they still under the waterfowl moratorium? Dr. Gillin clarified that there is no moratorium, statute, or administrative rule, just guidance from the health lab recommending rehabs not accept adult waterfowl. 

Mule deer/CWD: Is there a future where deer/fawn rehab is permitted in OR? Dr. Gillin stressed concerns about habituation as well as chronic wasting disease (CWD) and the impossibility of removing it from outdoor enclosures. CWD has not been detected in Oregon yet; the state submits about 4500 samples annually. Radio-tagged mule deer from CWD-affected parts of Idaho have been observed crossing the Snake River into parts of Oregon, so ODFW feels it’s a matter of time before there is a confirmed positive CWD case in this state. Because there is no way to decontaminate an enclosure from CWD, Dr. Gillin suggested that if a vaccine becomes available, this would potentially be a game-changer, but until such better solutions are available, rehabilitators shouldn’t rehab fawns or adult deer in Oregon.

OWRA conference 2026: 

Possible dates and location logistics were discussed.