PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — A metal theft cut electricity to an Indio bird sanctuary early Monday, forcing staff to act quickly to protect younglings that depend on warmth.
Not only are repairs to the Coachella Valley Wild Bird Center likely to cost thousands of dollars, the power outage occurred at the worst possible time, Executive Director Linda York said.
"We’re starting to get in baby birds, and we need heat, but we have no heat,” she said Tuesday morning. "It picks up in mid-April and hits with a vengeance in May."
The center is a non-profit organization that cares for and rehabilitates orphaned, injured or sick birds before releasing them back into the wild. It treats about 75 to 85 species per year, including hummingbirds, pelicans, owls, quails and falcons.
Staff discovered the theft Monday morning. Copper wiring was missing and there was damage to at least four areas of equipment that contain the material.
Indio police were notified and they're investigating the incident as a case of petty theft, Sgt. Dan Marshall said.
Two baby hummingbirds and a baby mallard were using electronic warming pads to maintain body temperatures of 102 to 108 degrees. The pads shut off because of the theft and the birds suffered for several hours.
"They were cold. There's no doubt about it," York said.
Staff used warm water to bring up the birds' temperatures Monday. They recovered by Tuesday morning but the sanctuary was still without electricity.
An electrician arrived Tuesday morning but York said electricity wasn't expected to be restored until Wednesday morning and she would likely take the birds home again to keep them warm.
York added the electrician "cringed" at the potential cost of repairs. Anyone interested in helping may call the center at (760) 347-2647.
Typically, repair costs outweigh the amount of money thieves make when they sell their metal. Depending on market value, metal thieves only make a few dollars per pound, experts say. It sold for about $2.20 per pound on Tuesday, according to NASDAQ.
Nonetheless, there's been a spike in metal thefts across the east Coachella Valley, said Imperial Irrigation District spokesman Robert Schettler.
In 2015, IID spent $210,000 on repairs that resulted from metal thefts. Three months into 2016, the agency has already spent $134,000 on 15 thefts.
"We are experiencing a rash lately," Schettler said. "It's more than we're used to."
Follow Colin Atagi on Twitter: @TDSColinAtagi
