Happy ending for Hoot
The owl, who they named Hoot, seemed quite at home although they were worried he may have broken bones.We phoned a few vets and they said it would be better if we took him to an owl rehabilitation sanctuary and that’s when my mom Beverley, remembered an article she had read in the Alberton RECORD about owls being rehabilitated at Thaba Eco Hotel by André de Toit, Thaba’s Eco Park Manager.”
IT was a happy ending for a spotted eagle owl after he was found in De Waal Street, Brackendowns, by resident Shannen Worm (24), she thought on Sunday evening, February 5.
“I was driving down De Waal Street with my boyfriend, Wesley Jones, at about 19:00, when a bird flew right across in front of our windscreen. I thought it was an owl – we have quite a few in this area – and we carried on driving to the shop. Returning the same way I saw the owl sitting, flapping his wings on the side of the road, and we thought he’d been hit by another car. We stopped and when we approached him he looked like he’d been hurt. I threw my jacket over him, picked him up and we took him home,” said Shannen.
READ: Thaba rehabilitates two more owls
The owl, who they named Hoot, seemed quite at home, although they were worried he may have broken bones.
“We phoned a few vets and they said it would be better if we took him to an owl rehabilitation sanctuary, and that’s when my mom, Beverley, remembered an article she had read in the Alberton RECORD about owls being rehabilitated at Thaba Eco Hotel by André de Toit, Thaba’s Eco Park manager.”
Hoot slept the night in Beverley’s bedroom on a blanket in the corner of the room, and in the morning Shannen offered him some ostrich mince, which he refused, but when she gave him water from a syringe, he greedily gulped it down.
“I phoned Thaba and spoke to André, who told me to bring Hoot through to them and he’d have a look at him,” she added.
“He seemed okay, although I was worried he may be injured, so we contacted Friends of Free Wildlife and we took him to a vet. He was scanned and checked and he was declared 100 per cent fit.
“We brought him back to Thaba and managed to get him to eat and drink. He was with us for three days and on Thursday, February 9, we decided to set him free. I phoned Shannen and she came through so she could show me where she’d picked him up, and we drove to Brackendowns to a grassy area close to De Waal Street,” said André.
Hoot came out of his wooden box with a little coaxing and both André and Shannen held him before Shannen set him free. He flew towards a garden and Indian mynah birds seemed to bother him before he found refuge on top of an air-conditioning box, where he sat still was as Shannen said her goodbyes.
ALSO READ: Thaba Eco Hotel welcomes new visitors
“He’ll probably wait here a while to familiarise himself with the area and then he’ll hopefully join his mate,” added André.
“It feels great to have seen him happy and healthy and to set him free again. This has been a wonderful experience and one which I’ll always remember,” Shannen said.
WATCH: Hoot enjoys some water (taken by Shannen Worm)
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