A barn owl that was found in serious distress and entangled by fishing line in Goleta last month has been released back to its habitat near Stow House after a three-week rehabilitation.
A crowd gathered in the park area Saturday to watch the majestic bird of prey fly out of its box and into a grove of palm trees.
“I was moved to tears,” Susie Clothier, who was instrumental in the owl’s rescue, said after the successful release.
The barn owl rescued on 2/17 dangling from a palm tree on the Stow House took flight this past Sat! The exciting moment was captured by our Mayor Pro Tempore Luz Reyes-Martin, with the Mayor and a few other lucky witnesses were able to see this beautiful creature take off 🦉 pic.twitter.com/EeSdRpQnCy
— City of Goleta (@CityOfGoleta) March 12, 2024
The barn owl had been caught up in fishing line and was seen dangling in a palm tree by a park visitor Feb. 17.
The passerby alerted wildlife photographer Clothier, who had just arrived in the area. Clothier knew what to do, as she is a volunteer for a few rescue organizations including Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network. She called her sister, who was working the helpline. She also ran over to Santa Barbara County Fire Station No. 14 next door and asked for help.
Before long, a small army of volunteers including firefighters, paramedics and animal rescuers gathered and kept watch over the owl, which continued to flail in distress for about 90 minutes before a Goleta Public Works lift arrived to enable a successful removal from the tree.
Once County Fire employees got the owl down, volunteers carefully wrapped her in a towel and SBWCN’s intake lead Dylan Helenberger got to work detangling the fishing line that was bound around her talons.
It took him about 10 minutes to remove the line, and Clothier immediately transported her to the Ojai Raptor Center (ORC).
Representatives from ORC called the rescue “a phenomenal group effort” and noted the owl’s injuries turned out to be more substantial than first thought.
“On intake at ORC, staff veterinarian Dr. Kathryn Rasp determined that aside from the obvious constriction wounds, the owl was also suffering from capture myopathy, which can occur when animals overexert themselves (struggling in a trap for example) so much that physiological imbalances develop and result in severe muscle damage,” according to a post on the Ojai Raptor Center Facebook page.
“Prolonged muscle exertion changes the body’s metabolism from aerobic (uses oxygen) to anaerobic (uses stored energy in the muscles without oxygen). This change in metabolism leads to the production and buildup of lactic acid, which can affect the kidneys and be fatal.”
The rehab team was elated to witness the owl’s recovery and ultimate release back into the wild.
An injured bird may be reported to the Ojai Raptor Center at 805.649.6884. The Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network, which helps with birds, reptiles, amphibians and terrestrial mammals, can be reached at 805.681.1080.
