York was a juvenile male captured Dec. 6, 2017, at the Portland International Jetport by USDA Wildlife Services, and tagged by biologists with the Biodiversity Research Institute. He was relocated to Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge in southern Maine and released Dec. 7, 2017. After exploring the coast and making a brief flight inland, York flew to the shoreside community of Wells Beach, where he was electrocuted Dec. 9 after landing on a poorly designed transformer — an example of the kinds of dangers facing snowy owls when they come south from the Arctic. York’s transmitter was underwritten by generous donations from the public; it was recovered and will be reconditioned and reused.


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