Violet, Injured Red-Tailed Hawk, Dies Following Surgery
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Violet, a red-tailed hawk who nested near Washington Square Park and was the star of the New York Times' "Hawk Cam," has died.
The hawk died Thursday from heart-related complications following surgery to amputate her injured foot. Violet was believed to be around 5-years-old.
"We are extremely heart-sick to have to announce to everyone that Violet has passed away. She came through the surgery very well. She woke up and was sitting up fluffing her feathers. All of a sudden she had a heart attack. The Vet did CPR on her for 20 minutes to no avail," the group Wildlife In Need Of Rescue and Rehabilitation, a non-profit that helps care for sick, injured and orphaned wildlife, posted on its Facebook page. The group had been helping to care for the hawk.
Video of Violet shot in November showed the limb dangling uselessly, her foot gray and scaly from lack of blood. The injury seemed to be centered around a metal band that had been attached to her leg months ago.
Violet was captured Saturday by Bobby and Cathy Horvath. According to a report, Violet also suffered from a condition called "bumblefoot" – a bacterial infection – in her good foot.
"We don't know how she ever survived for as long as she did. We are somewhat relieved that at least Violet wasn't suffering alone somewhere. She was warm, peaceful and had a full belly and pain medication. We just couldn't get her in time," WINORR said on its Facebook page.
Violet had been living since last winter on a ledge outside of New York University. A webcam had been set up by the New York Times to watch Violet and her nest.
She and her mate, named Bobby, had one chick which hatched on Mother's Day.
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