Hoots off to the Owl Rescue Centre! Thanks to sharp eyes and gentle hands, two barn owls have been saved from a spice chute!
Gauteng, South Africa (25 February 2026) – Workers at a spice factory near Muldersdrift had to rub their eyes and look twice this week before confirming that, yes, two barn owls were indeed lodged inside one of the factory’s contraptions!
Naturally, they called the only people for the job. The heroes at the Owl Rescue Centre. It’s all in the name, really – though the team is famous for pulling off some pretty unbelievable rescues over the years, this one was definitely a bit more ‘seasoned’ than usual.
Pun intended…
Brendan made the trip out and found the two owls tucked away inside a ginger hopper. After a closer look, it turned out the pair had snuck in through an outlet pipe on the outside of the building. Perhaps for a spicy date night.
“Usually, a Facebook video earns us enough to buy one takeaway cappuccino—here’s hoping this one buys us two! We just wrapped up this rescue a few minutes ago,” the Owl Rescue Centre shared with a wink.
Thankfully, the factory workers had sharp eyes and were incredibly helpful from start to finish, ensuring the two owls – aptly dubbed ‘Ginger and Spice’ by a follower – could return to the wild unharmed.
Supporters were quick to jump into the comments to celebrate another successful (if unusual) mission:
“Adding spice to their romance!” quipped Lynette Kuster.
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“How in blue blazes did they get in there?” wondered Michelle Maré. “Good thing the workers were alert enough to notice before the machines were turned on… thank you for the rescue.”
“Fantastic rescue! They’re two very lucky owls and emerged with hardly a feather out of place,” added Val Trenholm.
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