Mushroom forager rescues trapped northern goshawk near Liesjärvi Lake in Pirkanmaa

In a peculiar incident last Saturday near Parkano in Finland’s Pirkanmaa region, a mushroom forager stumbled upon a young northern goshawk trapped inside a fish trap near Liesjärvi Lake. Joona Mäntylä, who was out mushroom picking, reported that there were several boats and fish traps along the shoreline. As he walked past one trap, he heard rustling and discovered the bird inside.

Mäntylä, who had scissors with him for cutting mushrooms, decided to cut open the trap to free the bird. Once released, the goshawk briefly walked along the shore before flying away. He noted that the trap was located about five meters from the water’s edge. Mäntylä shared a photo of the encounter on Facebook, urging people to remove fish traps from the beaches or at least to flip them over to prevent animals from entering.

Experts commented that such incidents are rare but not unprecedented. Jaakko Moisio, an advisor from the Pirkanmaa Fisheries Center, stated he had not encountered similar cases during his career, while Valtteri Rosenberg from the Pirkanmaa Ornithological Society acknowledged hearing about a few instances of animals getting trapped.

To avoid these situations, Moisio advised securing or blocking the entrance of fish traps. He noted that animals can end up inside traps from either the entry or exit points. If encountering a trapped bird, Rosenberg recommended checking for injuries first and then freeing it through the appropriate openings, even suggesting that the trap could be dismantled if necessary.

Both Moisio and Rosenberg emphasized the importance of educating the public on the safe handling and storage of fishing gear to prevent such hazards for wildlife.