More about Owl Rescue Centre

Owl Rescue Centre

Dedicated to the protection of owls and wildlife

Rescue, Rehabilitate & Release

Apart from our many conservation projects, Owl Rescue Centre is both a rehabilitation facility and a sanctuary for owls in need of care.

Rescue

Rescue is usually the first step in the process of helping owls that have found themselves in adverse situations. In South Africa, a large portion of the population are superstitious of owls, or believe that they carry an evil connotation. In such cases, owls face persecution if not rescued and relocated.

Although many people love owls and find them quite fascinating, they are often unwelcome visitors. On average, five or more owls per week are rescued from factories, warehouses, company buildings or private homes.

Despite their reputation for wisdom, owls can make unwise choices when it comes to nesting. Barn Owls have been found nesting in precarious locations, putting their chicks at risk of falling, getting trapped or injured.

To prevent this, we relocate the owl families to either a nesting box or safer environment. Other situations that require rescue include sick or injured owls, orphaned owlets, and owls stuck inside chimneys or buildings.

Mistaken Rescues

Many people mistakenly pick up juvenile spotted eagle-owls and take them away from their parents, unaware that the parents are still around and have not abandoned them. During their development, young spotted eagle-owls between the ages of four and five weeks old, typically spend around ten days on the ground before they can fly. They are closely monitored by their parents as they learn how to hunt and catch prey. People notice them on the ground and mistakenly think that they need help. When circumstances allow, we return these owlets back to their parents in the same area as where they were originally found. In cases where this is not possible, our foster program pairs them with adult spotted eagle-owls to raise them.

REMEMBER: Not all owls on the ground need help. If it is a young owlet with a fuzzy head (without ear-tufts) and body, it is most probably a fledgling learning to fly. Spotted-eagle owlets at this stage only need help if they are injured or both parents have been killed. If the owlet is in a dangerous location, it can be picked up and moved to a safer location (as close as possible to the original spot it was found). Parents will not reject their young just because they were touched by humans.

Please check with us before taking any action by sending a WhatsApp message & picture of the owl or owlet to +2782 719 5463

Rehabilitation

Upon arrival at the Centre, an owl undergoes an intake examination to determine the most suitable intervention. Whenever possible, a background check is conducted on the owl, including information on where and when it was discovered. The examination entails checking for any fractures, wounds on soft tissue, exposed bones, drooping wings, head injuries, eye damage, suspected poisoning, or potential infections.

When dealing with injured owls, providing them with fluids is often necessary and a pain-relieving medication may also be given. At Owl Rescue Centre, we collaborate with experienced vets who specialize in treating birds to ensure the best possible care. One of our trained owl curators then takes over the care of the owl, providing further treatment to help it recover. This can include administering prescribed medications and changing bandages as needed. Once the owl has healed and regained its strength, it is transferred from the clinic to a pre-release enclosure and eventually to a release aviary where it can be released back into the wild.

Rearing

Yearly, we care for hundreds of rescued baby owls, rearing them until they are ready for the next stage of their development. Providing them with a balanced diet that includes the correct ratio of calcium and phosphorous is crucial for their healthy growth. We strongly advise against attempting to raise baby owls on your own, as an improper diet can lead to diseases such as MBD (Metabolic Bone Disorder) due to a lack of essential nutrients. Additionally, incorrect rearing methods can negatively impact the owl's chances of survival and successful adaptation back into the wild.

Release

The release proecess is determined based on the age, rehabilitation history and species of owl. For example, in the case of unfledged Barn Owl nestlings, the owls are placed in a specifically designed release owl house erected in a secure area of suitable habitat and supplied with food every evening. There is no human interaction involved in this process. The food is provided without the owlet realising where it comes from. In this release method, where an Owl House is used, the owls are not closed in and are only restricted by their own inability to fly, i.e. their developmental stage.

The Owl HOuse has an open exit and entry hole through which the owls can leave freely as they naturally develop and becomes able of flight. The owls' natural progression and awareness of its environment is not hindered in any way. The owls slowly adjust to the wild, while returning to the Owl House for food until they are eventually completely weaned from our support. Their survival rate is equivalent to that of parent-raised owls.

Hacking Aviary

Another method of release is by use of a Hacking Aviary - a supported release method for fledged or adult owls of all species. The owls are placed in a large aviary with a hatch that can be opened once the owls are ready for their release.

The owls are placed inside the aviary a few weeks prior to the set release date, to become acclimated to their new environment. As owls are mostly nocturnal, they are fed in the evening and a whistle is used when feeding takes place. Special care is taken to ensure that the owls do not associate the feeding with humans, but rather a sound. The specific purpose of the aviary is to give the owl an opportunity to familiarise itself with the new environment it will be release into while maintaining a healthy fitness level to successfully adapt back into the wild. The ‘soft release’ ensures a monitored release process that gives the best success. The owls return to the hack for food if they struggle to find their own prey and is slowly weaned off our support and encouraged to hunt for themselves.

The owls are kept in a quiet, secluded area on the Sanctuary away from humans and safe from predators. Perches are fitted inside the aviaries and housing is supplied to certain species to create a natural habitat. The aviaries are large to ensure the birds remain in a fit and natural condition and the owls are treated as wild birds with minimum human contact. Feeding platforms are erected in various locations on the Sanctuary to aid in the support feeding process.

Post Release Monitoring

Post-release monitoring is in place to determine the success of each release, for example examination of the pellets to determine if the owl’s diet changed to include self-caught prey.

A Pro-Life Centre

As a pro-life Centre, we do everything in our power to save every owl that finds its way to us. In some cases, the owl sustained injuries that caused irreversible damage, which makes it unfit to return to the wild. Our philosophy here is that if an owl wants to live, let it live. In other words, if it is determined that the owl can still have quality-of-life, despite the injury, it is placed in one of our habitat aviaries where it can live freely in a controlled environment. These permanent residents of the sanctuary, are used as foster parents in our baby owl rearing program. However, in the case that it is deemed that the owl or animal's quality of life is not satisfactory, the choice to humanely end its life through euthanasia will be made.

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