Freedom for Feisty

From Garden Route Birds of Prey Rehab Centre

From the very beginning, she earned the nickname Feisty.

She came to us as a tiny orphan, and her strong personality was clear from day one. As she grew stronger and developed through rehabilitation, it became more and more obvious that she was ready to return to where she belongs. As soon as she was old and strong enough, she was ready to go.

Today, Feisty has been soft released in Wilderness East. She is ringed 8-10509.

A soft release gives a rehabilitated owl time to gradually adjust back to life in the wild. It allows her to become familiar with the area, find safe places to roost, develop confidence hunting independently and settle into her new surroundings while still having some support during that transition.

This is one of those incredibly bittersweet moments.

We are sad to see her go, but there is nothing more rewarding than seeing that wildness still so strong inside her. We are so happy to see the wild in her, and now finally, to see her in the wild.

This is exactly what rehabilitation is about. The goal was never for Feisty to stay with us. The goal was to give her everything she needed so that one day, she would no longer need us at all.

Now we need a little help from the Wilderness East community while she learns her new home.

Please keep an eye out for Feisty and drive slowly, particularly at night when owls are most active. Please keep dogs and cats away from her if she is seen on or near the ground, and give her plenty of space if you find her resting or hunting.

If you spot her, please let us know where and when you saw her. Her ring number is 8-10509. These sightings are extremely valuable because they allow us to follow her movements and learn how she is adapting after release.

Every successful release has many people behind it. From the person who first stopped to help, to everyone involved in her care, rehabilitation, ringing and eventual release, thank you for helping us give Feisty the chance to be exactly what she was always meant to be.

Wild. Free. And exactly where she belongs.

Fly safe, Feisty. ♥️🦉