Soweto learners get hands-on owl conservation experience in Sandton

Young conservation enthusiasts from Soweto were given a rare hands-on wildlife education experience when Owlproject.org hosted a barn owl ringing and release event at Woodlands Office Park.

The event, on May 13, formed part of the organisation’s ongoing conservation education programme aimed at teaching children about owls, biodiversity, and environmental stewardship through its Owl Conservation Club initiative.

Three barn owls, aged 10 weeks, were brought to the site after being recovered from a residential home in Cosmo City Ext 10.

The owls will remain at Woodlands Office Park for 21 days before being released.

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Project co-ordinator at Owlproject.org Itumeleng Maroga said the aim of the event was to give learners practical exposure to the conservation lessons they have been learning in the classroom.

Maroga added that the learners who attended the ringing ceremony are members of the Owl Conservation Club and come from two Soweto schools, Totomeng Primary School and Meadowlands Primary School.

“The whole aim of bringing them here is to give them a whole experience of what we’ve been learning in our conservation club.

We really appreciate that they get to experience everything that we have been learning in class and get to see it. We would also like to thank Growth Point for welcoming the kids and providing lunch for them.”

Maroga said the programme not only introduces learners to owl conservation practices, such as ringing and rehabilitation; it helps dispel myths and fears often associated with owls in many communities.

“This is the first owl conservation club founded by Owlproject.org and through sponsorship, we would like to reach out to other schools to partake in the club and witness owl releases.”

Tshireletso Mubo, a Grade 4 learner from Totomeng Primary School, said she joined the club because she wanted to learn about owls.

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“I joined Owl Conservation Club because I wanted to learn about owls, how do they live and more things that I do not know about them.

Today, I learned that owls have asymmetrical ears and are silent flyers, and they can see very lightly at night and see everything down and up.”

Another learner, Bontle Rasebotse from Meadowlands Primary School, said the club inspired her to challenge negative perceptions about owls

. “I joined Owl Conservation Club because they told us interesting facts about owls, and I wanted to fight against people who say bad things about owls.

Today, I learned that owls are silent flyers and have claws to help them hunt.”

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