Falcony expert saves trapped eagle-owl trapped in Benejuzar (Alicante) water deposit

Falcony expert saves trapped eagle-owl trapped in Benejuzar (Alicante) water deposit

FALCONRY EXPERT: Evaristo Rodriguez uses a scoop net to rescue trapped owl Photo credit: Evaristo Rodriguez

AN alert from Antonio Jesus Gomez, hunting on the Sierra de Benejuzar, saved an eagle-owl from drowning.

The waterlogged bird, later found to be a female, was trapped in a large irrigation pond, exhausted and stressed after futile attempts to climb to safety owing to the deposit’s slippery, plastic-covered sides

The hunter immediately contacted Benejuzar resident Evaristo Rodriguez, who not only knows the area like the back of his hand, but is also the Valencian Hunting Federation’s falconry expert.

Rodriguez, already experienced in rescues like these, said that the owl had probably been struggling all night in the pond.  Using a scoop net, he successfully removed the bird whose only injuries were claws damaged as it attempted to escape.

The owl remained in Rodriguez’s care, in coordination with the Guardia Civil’s Nature Protection service, and was released several days later.

It is increasingly common to line irrigation ponds with heavy-duty plastic to prevent evaporation, the falconry expert explained.  “But they are death-traps because the sloping sides make it extremely difficult for birds, animals and even people to emerge,” he added.

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Written by

Linda Hall

Originally from the UK, Linda is based in Valenca and is a reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering local news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.

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