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New animal ambassador introduced at CROW

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A burrowing owl now resides in CROW’s Visitor Education Center gift shop. KENNY HOWELL

An injured burrowing owl that was deemed unreleasable to the wild has a new home at CROW’s Visitor Education Center gift shop as their newest animal ambassador.

CROW Education Coordinator Rachel Rainbolt said the burrowing owl, from Cape Coral, was admitted to CROW’s hospital on June 19 with a broken wing.

“Based upon the injuries present, the proposed diagnosis was that the burrowing owl was struck by a vehicle. CROW’s medical staff performed surgery to repair the damage, but the wing did not heal properly,” she said. “Without full flight capabilities the burrowing owl would not be able to hunt for itself in the wild, thus making it non-releasable.”

After it was determined the burrowing owl could not be released, CROW’s staff began training the bird, so it could be utilized in education programs as an animal ambassador.

“Even though animal ambassadors have been conditioned to be more tolerant of human contact, it’s crucial that audiences are aware that these animals are not pets,” Rainbolt said. “They are wildlife and still maintain all of the same fears and anxieties as if they were in their natural surroundings. Proper safety must be exercised at all times, so ambassadors are under close supervision of CROW’s staff, students and volunteers during programs.”

In an effort to name the new animal ambassador, last Friday, Oct. 21, CROW began a naming contest. The contest will continue through the end of the Owl-O-Ween celebration at CROW, Friday, Oct. 28.

Rainbolt said Facebook viewers and CROW’s Visitor Education Center guests will have the opportunity to vote on five different names for the burrowing owl. The name will be announced Monday, Oct. 31.

The burrowing owl, burrows and their eggs, which are classified as a “species of special concern” by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, are protected from harassment and/or disturbances by state law. She said the owl is also protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

“The burrowing owl is subject to increased mortality resulting from vehicle collisions, predation by domestic animals, and human interference,” Rainbolt said. “In addition, real estate development pressures have reduced favorable habitats. Man-made burrows are becoming common in urban areas that historically have owls.”

The animal ambassador will help educate audience members about the importance of co-habitating with wildlife neighbors.

CROW began including live exhibits of animals in their Visitor and Education Center in February and have been acquiring animals little, by little.

The center includes Sweetie, the invasive cane toad; Lucky and Charm the invasive tokay geckos; Arturo the invasive knight anole and Violet, the eastern indigo snake.