Eco Solutions’ owlproject.org brought two feathered friends to the Grade 1 learners of a local school.
The ptilopsis granti, also known as the southern white-faced owl, were presented to the newly initiated Grade 1s of HeronBridge College.
Representatives of the owl project Jordan Hardey and Steven Ncube were present to chat with the young learners about the owls and their environment. HeronBridge College staff member Charlotte Biesman-Simons explained to the young learners that ‘these little owls are starting big school just like all of you’, and that the school had been involved with the owl release programme since 2014.
The owls were placed in the newly-built release pen and will be released after 21 days. The owls will be fed daily by the learners.
Hardey spoke on the importance of keeping the environment sustainable and not using rat poison.
“Schools are fantastic to conduct owl releases from. The large fields and open spaces help owls to hone their hunting skills. In addition, it engages children and they learn more about their environment. There is no conservation without education,” he said.
“This [the release pen] allows the owls to adapt to their new surroundings. These birds will prey on insects and will help control the insect population in the area.”
A celebratory white ribbon was placed on the release pen with two learners unravelling the ribbon as a grand opening of the enclosure. Ncube placed the owls safely onto their perches and learners got to get a better look at the juveniles.
Owlproject.org has visited more than 260 000 school learners in the past 20 years through its educational programmes.
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