Rescued burrowing owls reintroduced into the wild

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Three young burrowing owls are back in the wild after they were found malnourished, dehydrated and with parasites last year.

The baby burrowing owls were found last year without their parents by San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA) researchers at two separate nests.

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Researchers said they were not expected to survive on their own and were treated for malnourishment, dehydration and parasites by San Diego Humane Society’s Project Wildlife.

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After months of treatment, the owls were brought to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park where they continued to be rehabilitated until they were ready to be on their own.

Burrowing owls are one of the smallest owls in North America at just 10 inches tall, weighing 7 ounces.

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The owls were placed into temporary aviaries in a protected habitat to get used to their surroundings before being reintroduced fully into the wild.

The western burrowing owl population in San Diego County is at risk of becoming extinct locally mainly due to human development, according to SDZWA.

Burrowing owl families at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park are helping to prevent local extinction through a burrowing owl conservation breeding and release program, SDZWA continued.

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The public can watch the San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s burrowing owl couple on the live cams online at sdzsafaripark.org/cams/burrowing-owl-cams.

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