Eagle owl released back into wild

A young spotted eagle owl named Njabulo which was being rehabilitated at the Crocworld Conservation Centre was successfully released back in its natural environment last week.

Njabulo was taken to the centre by the Umdoni Christian Academy after a young boy, Njabulo Ndladla found the owl lying on the ground.

The young owl was subsequently named ‘Njabulo’ in his honour.

The owl was released after it had recovered from suspected poisoning in January. Crocworld’s Bird Curator, Ryne Ferguson, said they suspected Njabulo had consumed something covered in pesticide.

“I took it to the vet for treatment and we managed to stabilise the owl and get it to the Centre for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife.

“Last week, we received news that the owl had completely recovered and was ready to be released back into the wild. Because spotted eagle owls are generally found in pairs, we estimated this one to be about three years old, likely, the mate was still residing in the area and waiting for it to return. They will wait, on average, about six months for the partner to return, and it hasn’t yet been a breeding season so we are optimistic the two will be reunited,” said Ferguson.

He added that spotted eagle owls are incredibly beneficial to the ecosystem and are particularly welcome in residential areas, as a pair can catch up to 3 000 rodents and even more insects a year.

“The biggest threats facing owls in urban areas are rodenticides and pesticides. Residents are urged to use natural pest control measures rather than poisons to keep these magnificent creatures safe,” said Ferguson.

The video of Njabulo’s release can be found on the Crocworld Conservation Centre Facebook page.