Rescue officers save owl from burning veld fire
"Even though we are seen as hard-core responders, I must admit that I have a soft spot for animals."
A four-week-old marsh owl was rescued from a veld fire near the N4 highway in Onderstepoort last Sunday, June 13.
Dennis Visser, a rescue officer from Gauteng emergency services, responded to an accident scene when he saw black flames coming from the veld.
Visser helped extinguish the fire when a small object caught Tshwane firefighter Wally Denton’s eye.
“I walked closer and to my surprise the fluff was moving.
“I could just imagine how weak it must have been since we inhaled a lot of smoke,” said Visser.
He added that he took a gas mask and put it over the owl’s face.
“We searched for the baby’s mother, but we could not find her.
“I did not want to leave it in the veld as I was scared that the fire might reignite.”
He carefully picked up the baby owl, folded it into his jacket and took it with him.
“I phoned a local vet to ask for advice and they referred me to the Magalies Raptor Research Project.
“They came to fetch the furry animal.”
He was a bit emotional when they came to fetch it.
“Even though we are seen as hard-core responders, I must admit I have a soft spot for animals.
“As we waited for the rescue organisation, he was like a bouncing ball following me,” Visser admits.
Visser named the little creature, Hoo.
Brendan Murray from the Owl Rescue Centre in Hartbeespoort said the chick is doing well.
“We had to feed him for the first two days, but he is doing perfectly well.
“In a week or so we will put him in an enclosure whereafter the chick will be released into a soft release hack and eventually the greater area of Pilansberg,” said Murray.
He added the great thing about owls is the fact that they stick together until they mate.
“Owls can give birth up to three babies at a time,” he said.
Fast facts about marsh owls:
– Marsh owls breed during the winter months.
– They nest directly on the ground, typically in marshlands. Because marsh owls breed in winter when there are many veld fires, marsh owls often have unsuccessful breeding seasons where they either lose their eggs or babies due to fires. For this reason, marsh owl numbers are declining.
– Marsh owls are crepuscular, which means they are most active during dusk and dawn.
– Marsh owls do not hoot but make a croaking sound similar to a frog.
– Marsh owls hunt on the wing. They fly low over open grasslands using their keen eyesight to spot and hunt prey.
– Marsh owls typically prey on insects, small birds, rodents and lizards.
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