Potted Plant Owls are back in Johannesburg

[AlisonL]

Donna and Kris, thank you so much for posting those videos.

It was hard to watch the little owlet struggling to get back into the planter. I hope he/she is okay and did not have any kind of wing injury. What a beautiful family of owls.

[Donna]

Little chick has fledged. It's in the stone water feature

Good luck little guy!!!   

[Donna]

PPOwlette chillin with PPO in tree, keeping a watchful eye!

[Dumpsterkitty]

No pictures, but...

Confirmation tonight that our little chick and both parents are alive and well. As the sun set, we watched the three owls on the rooftops nearby. Very happy!

[MAK]

No pictures, but...

Confirmation tonight that our little chick and both parents are alive and well. As the sun set, we watched the three owls on the rooftops nearby. Very happy!

 

[Bobbie Ireland]

No pictures, but...

Confirmation tonight that our little chick and both parents are alive and well. As the sun set, we watched the three owls on the rooftops nearby. Very happy!

Phew! How we love these owls!

[Donna]

I am saddened and horrified by the news below.
For eight years, Allan and I have been campaigning for people to assist FreeMe Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. Under the guidance of Nicky Wright, we personally saw that all birds and animals were well looked after. Nicky was the one who helped catch PPO when we had to take her to the vet. During that time, the birds, animals and owls were treated respectfully. Nicky has left and apparently the new management is disgusting.
OWL LOVERS: Please do NOT pledge funding to FreeMe until such time as the new management sorts itself out. Gautengers: if you have any injured birds, please take them to the Bryanston Vet (Dr Brett Russell) and PLEASE donate some money for their valuable knowledge and assistance, and for any medicine the bird may need.


http://randburgsun.co.za/277108/mismanagement-causes-freeme-shut-down/

OMG!!! 

Mismanagement causes FreeMe shut-down

This is horrible, nothing to do with PPOwlette!

[Kris G.]

From FB..maybe bad news 

I've been putting off writing this post. After eight years, and hundreds of hours of watching, fretting, assisting, talking about and sharing 'our' owls with the world, the tide has turned.
Weeks ago, I walked into my room and saw PPO standing on the balcony railing. She let me get up closer to her as she stood - terribly thin and barely able to draw a breath. I called Allan who came up and saw her and listened to her breathing labour.
PPO flew to the neighbour's roof before we could catch her and we could still hear her struggling to draw a breath. Moments later, she flew off.
We haven't seen her since.
Pappa is in the territory, hooting alone on the rooftops. At night, I see him fly around and keep looking for a second owl. We alerted all our neighbours and have asked them to look out for PPO. Nobody has seen her.
I'm hoping - perhaps against hope - that she has somehow split from Pappa for a while (perhaps with the little chick) and she will return soon enough. If I hadn't heard her, and seen what she looked like, I would definitely be thinking this.
The ugly truth is that the longer she is away, the less likely this scenario is.
I haven't given up hope and I ask that you all don't too.

[Dumpsterkitty]

From FB..maybe bad news 

I've been putting off writing this post. After eight years, and hundreds of hours of watching, fretting, assisting, talking about and sharing 'our' owls with the world, the tide has turned.
Weeks ago, I walked into my room and saw PPO standing on the balcony railing. She let me get up closer to her as she stood - terribly thin and barely able to draw a breath. I called Allan who came up and saw her and listened to her breathing labour.
PPO flew to the neighbour's roof before we could catch her and we could still hear her struggling to draw a breath. Moments later, she flew off.
We haven't seen her since.
Pappa is in the territory, hooting alone on the rooftops. At night, I see him fly around and keep looking for a second owl. We alerted all our neighbours and have asked them to look out for PPO. Nobody has seen her.
I'm hoping - perhaps against hope - that she has somehow split from Pappa for a while (perhaps with the little chick) and she will return soon enough. If I hadn't heard her, and seen what she looked like, I would definitely be thinking this.
The ugly truth is that the longer she is away, the less likely this scenario is.
I haven't given up hope and I ask that you all don't too.

 I'm glad she came back to say goodbye to her people....fly free PPO!

[Kris G.]

From FB..maybe bad news  

I've been putting off writing this post. After eight years, and hundreds of hours of watching, fretting, assisting, talking about and sharing 'our' owls with the world, the tide has turned.
Weeks ago, I walked into my room and saw PPO standing on the balcony railing. She let me get up closer to her as she stood - terribly thin and barely able to draw a breath. I called Allan who came up and saw her and listened to her breathing labour.
PPO flew to the neighbour's roof before we could catch her and we could still hear her struggling to draw a breath. Moments later, she flew off.
We haven't seen her since.
Pappa is in the territory, hooting alone on the rooftops. At night, I see him fly around and keep looking for a second owl. We alerted all our neighbours and have asked them to look out for PPO. Nobody has seen her.
I'm hoping - perhaps against hope - that she has somehow split from Pappa for a while (perhaps with the little chick) and she will return soon enough. If I hadn't heard her, and seen what she looked like, I would definitely be thinking this.
The ugly truth is that the longer she is away, the less likely this scenario is.
I haven't given up hope and I ask that you all don't too.

 I'm glad she came back to say goodbye to her people....fly free PPO!

I don't know what his chances are for finding a new mate there but hope he does.

[Dot_Forrester]

I have been enjoying these owls for many years now and I'm so very sorry to hear this news. Although it must have been terrible, I'm glad PPO came back to you, perhaps to say goodbye. I too will hope for the best. But if she's gone, I wish Pappa the best of luck finding a new mate.

Dot in PA

[Bobbie Ireland]

Such a wonderful bird! Bless her for sharing her life and legacy with all of us.

[Donna]

Read this on FB yesterday and felt sick after. She is a very special Owl as you can see here on this video.
Some is in English.  PPO has a book out and she has won an award.

http://kyknet.dstv.com/2016/01/14/kwela-uile/

I pray she is not suffering out there. 

[Kris G.]

Follow-up posted today on FB

Death of a Legend - We beg the people of SA not to use poisons in their gardens.

For the past 8 years we have enjoyed the privilege of watching a pair of Spotted Eagle Owls breed on a our balcony. PPO (Pot plant Owl) starred in a book, was viewed by thousands across the globe on wedcam, was recently seen on Kwela (Kyknet) and received an International Award for Owl conservation in the USA. Her Facebook page is followed by 4 826 people across the world.

We believe she has succumbed to rat poisoning. We saw her last about 2 weeks ago, sitting on our balcony, thin and struggling to breath. A horrible 'cough' racked her body. The male and immature chick have visited us, but not PPO and we fear the worst.

Since then we have seen dead rats in our complex. Despite pleas to units in the complex not to use rat poison, it has clearly been used. After posting our concern on her Facebook page, we have received tearful responses from across the globe.

https://www.facebook.com/Pot-Plant-Owl-148721154229/


 

[Dot_Forrester]

How awful this is.  In Johannesburg and NYC's Central Park and in all too many other locations, people seem not to understand the far-reaching consequences of poisoning rats. My best wishes to to Pappa and the juvenile. This is a most horrible ending to a truly wonderful saga.

Dot in PA