THE charitable link between Cheshire Pet and Lower Moss Wood Wildlife Hospital in Ollerton paid off for an injured raven.

Exotic specialist veterinary surgeon Molly Varga has been treating the raven to bring it back to good health after the bird was brought into the sanctuary by a worried passer-by who had seen it in distress.

Uncommon to this area, ravens are more often seen in Wales and are associated with the Tower of London.

Weighing around 2kg (more than 4lbs), they are roughly four times larger than a crow and can be difficult to handle.

As the bird was unable to fly and had limited use of one wing, the raven was brought in with what initially appeared to be a broken bone.

As one of the only vets in the country to hold the BVetMed DZoomed (Mammalian) MRCVS qualifications, Molly was able to diagnose a rare but treatable bone infection.

Molly said: “I have always enjoyed working with Lower Moss Wood, and have been lucky enough to work with some fantastic animals here over the years including badgers, hedgehogs and a huge variety of birds.

“Having the opportunity to treat a raven has been fantastic, and as this bird seems more used to handling than I would expect, once he is fully better we will return him to semi-captivity.

“We have found him a home in a beautiful Welsh rescue centre, which is perfect as it will allow him to be as wild as he has the potential to be.”

Molly and the team from Lower Moss Wood will continue the raven’s treatment until he can be rehomed, and are excited to see him strong enough to leave the wildlife hospital.

For information on Cheshire Pet call 01477 544554 or visit cheshirepet.com. To find out more about Lower Moss Wood Wildlife Hospital call 01565 755082.