A raccoon with more than 40 airsoft pellet gun wounds was admitted to the Clinic for the Rehabilitation for Wildlife from Lehigh Acres last week where it had had to be euthanized due to its injuries.

Meanwhile, a federally-protected osprey was shot in Cape Coral and had to be euthanized as well, according to CROW on Sanibel.

The adult male osprey had to be euthanized due to the injuries to its wings. There were two different wounds and one was believed to be from a shotgun, CROW spokesperson Haillie Mesics said in a prepared statement.

“Upon examination, veterinarians found a fractured leg as well as a swollen, dislocated shoulder which prevented the bird from fully extending its wing. Radiographs revealed three metal pellets in its wing and a pellet in the leg were the cause of these injuries,” CROW veterinarian Dr. Robin Bast said in a prepared statement.

The osprey was euthanized due to the extent of its injuries, which left it unable to fly again.

The adult northern raccoon found in Lehigh last week was unable to stand.

“The raccoon had multiple fractures, several abscessed wounds, and severe injuries to the face and eyes resulting in impaired vision. X-rays revealed the raccoon had suffered over 40 individual gunshot wounds across its entire body,” Bast said.

CROW veterinarians believe the raccoon was suffering for days until being rescued. The raccoon was humanely euthanized to relieve its suffering.

“Sadly, the incidence of gunshot-related injuries in our wildlife patients is on the rise compared to prior years. Migratory bird species, such as the osprey, are protected under federal law and it is a crime to shoot these birds,” Bast said.

“Even species who are not legally protected should never be intentionally harmed and left to suffer in such a cruel manner. As human populations grow and development encroaches further into wildlife habitats, human-wildlife interactions occur more frequently,” Bast said.

“We report all gunshot wound cases to the FWC (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission), which has an animal cruelty task force,” Mesics said.

Anybody who witnesses animal cruelty to wildlife should contact the FWC alert hotline at 1-888-404-3922.