Archimedes! Archimedes and Laura Erickson Journey North science writer Laura Erickson lives with an eastern screech owl named Archimedes. When Archimedes was a baby, he got a bad blood parasite that almost killed him. He was rescued by Mona Rutger of the Back to the Wild Wildlife Rehabilitation and Nature Education Center in Castalia, Ohio. Almost all of the baby screech owls that come to her center are raised by a "foster mother owl," so the babies learn their identity from her. But Archimedes was so sick that he required special hand care, and that made him become imprinted on humans. He couldn't be released because he was too tame. But Laura has special licenses from the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to keep him as an education bird. He helps her teach students about birds, but when he visited a radio station, he was very, very quiet. Copyright 2001 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form