Three owls found dead in garden
CHARTWELL- Woman finds three dead owls in her garden, rat poisoning in the spotlight.
On 13 June Brendan Murray from Owl Rescue Centre received a call from a Chartwell resident who found the carcasses of two marsh owls and one spotted eagle owl in her garden.
It is suspected the owls died from eating poisoned rats.
The owls were sent to Onderstepoort Veterinary Hospital for an autopsy Murray said, with results expected on Monday.
If traces of poison are found, it doesn’t bode well for owls in Chartwell, and there is a call for residents to not use poison to control rat populations on their properties.
Murray is an activist for poison-free methods of pest control. Not poisoning rodents ensures the survival of owls, as they won’t die from residual chemicals after eating a poisoned animal.
The irony is that owls are excellent pest controllers, and their presence keeps plagues of rats at bay. Two of the centre’s ongoing projects are owl-friendly rat traps, and owl boxes to coax owls back to suburban areas to help not only with pest control, but also boost the number of owls in the country.
Details: www.owlrescue911.webs.com
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