Four barn owl nestlings were rescued on Monday, July 14, after the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) received an anonymous tip-off about an individual in Hazyview who was allegedly selling them for R1 000 each without a permit.

“In an attempt to save the owls, we implemented a ‘buy-bust’ operation,” explained Chris Hobkirk of the MTPA.

With the help of the Hawks, the agency went undercover to meet the man at a shopping centre.

When the team confronted him, they immediately confiscated the birds and seized the Nissan light delivery vehicle used to transport them. It is unclear how the suspect came into possession of the owls.

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The suspect, identified as Thabo Thuso Shongwe (48), appeared in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court the day after his arrest and was released on warning. His case was postponed to August 20 for further investigation.

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The birds were safely handed over to the Wild and Free Rehabilitation Centre in Komatipoort. Deidré Joubert, the centre’s director, confirmed the owls are doing well and can feed themselves. She added that all four are from the same nest, each hatched seven days apart.

“The owls will be released into the wild in two months, after confirmation from the court,” she said.