A captive-born Spotted Eagle Owl was paired with a rescued mate and both were released into the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands thanks to the collaboration of many conservation organisations.
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (25 July 2023) – Through a collaborative conservation effort between Crocworld Conservation Centre on the KZN South Coast; FreeMe Wildlife and The Owl Box Project in the KZN Midlands; and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, a Spotted Eagle Owl born in captivity was released into the wild – with a partner!
Crocworld Conservation Centre, based in Scottburgh, is committed to wildlife rehabilitation and conservation education. Among the centre’s many rescued inhabitants are two Spotted Eagle Owls who cannot be released into the wild. The happy couple were celebrated after successfully hatching two chicks on the 10th of November 2022. The chicks had been reared by their parents, which meant there was no human imprinting. This made them eligible for release in the wild.
Crocworld’s Bird Curator, Ryne Ferguson, explained that one of the owlets had been rehomed to a centre in Johannesburg which is also committed to conservation education. At the time, they had not been able to place the second chick.
“That’s when I reached out to FreeMe Wildlife and The Owl Box Project,” explained Ferguson. “Because there has been no human imprinting, this chick would still know how to survive as an owl in the wild. After working with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, the necessary permits are in place, and another Spotted Eagle Owl chick has been found so that the two can be released together.”
Ferguson explained that the owlet had been collected from Crocworld, and settled down well at FreeMe Wildlife alongside its new partner. Based in Howick, FreeMe Wildlife operates within a ‘One Health’ approach, working across a number of disciplines and collaborating with other organisations to attain optimal health for people, animals and the environment.
The Owl Box Project is run by FreeMe Wildlife as a way to provide homes for orphaned and displaced owls. They make up owl boxes that are specifically designed to shelter various owl breeds and replicate the cavity of a tree. These boxes are placed in urban areas so that resident owls have safe places to raise their young.
Residents can purchase owl boxes for urban areas as a way to encourage owl populations in the area. These owl boxes provide a stable environment to enhance breeding success among owls – nature’s greatest biological control for rodents.
Why are Spotted Eagle Owls so important?
Spotted Eagle Owls are incredibly important to the ecosystem. Just one pair of these owls in a residential area can catch up to 3000 rodents – and even more insects – a year.
“The biggest threat facing owls in urban areas, unfortunately, is rodenticides and pesticides,” continued Ferguson. “Residents are urged to use natural pest control measures rather than using poisons so that we can keep these magnificent creatures safe.”
The young Owlet couple were soft-released in June. An enclosure was built in the area they will now call home and they were provided with supplemental feeding until they are fully reliant on the land.
Everyone involved is so happy this pair have been released back into the wild!
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