The presence of the West Nile virus in Mower County has turned a happy event into a more serious occasion.

Karla Kinstler, a naturalist at the Houston Nature Center, will bring Alice, a Great Horned Owl to the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center Tuesday night.

The 7:30 p.m. program is free and open to the public, but reservations are required to guarantee seating in Ruby Rupner Auditorium.

However, what might have been "just another innocuous, but informative program," takes on a new dimension.

The reason: the West Nile virus.

Although no infections have been found in Mower County, the prevalence of the virus has been confirmed by state health officials after a crow found near Dexter was examined.

That caused health and public safety officials to issue warnings to the public to avoid mosquito-infested areas and take other precautions for both their livestock and themselves.

A report of a horse infected with the virus near LeRoy was unfounded this week, when Mower County Sheriff's Barry J. Simonson and Chief Deputy Terese Amazi said no confirmation could be made. Amazi is learning the county's emergency management duties from current director Bob Nelson.

Mower County environmental health services director Bill Buckley has also received inquiries about the virus.

Even the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center has received inquires, as well as animals, and is taking precautions.

"No longer do we leave our Red-Tailed Hawk and Great Horned Owl outside all night, when there are more mosquitoes than in daytime," Dolphin said. "We bring them inside to protect them."

Another mitigating factor is the predators' age. The hawk is 23 years old and the owl, 14. Both are considered old for raptors and make them vulnerable to illness.

Also, the Nature Center's naturalist and director saw another disturbing sight last week. "A Red-Tailed Hawk flew overhead and landed in a tree and then moved to the rooftop before flying away and that's something they never do. In the wild, they avoid human beings as much as possible," Dolphin said.

Last weekend, the Nature Center staff took a Great Horned Owl from a citizen, who discovered it in his backyard "acting strangely."

The owl exhibited tremors and appeared to be emaciated. As soon as the bird was given medicine and nourishment, it recovered. "We don't believe the bird has the virus, but because it was acting so strangely, we had to take the necessary precautions," Dolphin said.

The presence of the virus

only can be verified by a blood test.

The University of Minnesota Raptor Center has notified all wildlife preserves and nature centers to exercise precautions for all birds in captivity.

Veterinarians can vaccinate horses, one of the most susceptible victims of the West Nile virus, against the disease, wild animals, including birds of prey must deal with it on their own.

Dolphin will explain more about the virus and give advice to citizens at Tuesday night's program.

But the "star" remains Alice,

Great Horned Owl with a broken wing, who has lived in captivity at the Houston Nature Center and shows signs of "human imprinting."

For more information, call the nature Center at 437-7519.

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto:lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com