From South Essex Wildlife Hospital
Someone’s growing up quickly! 🥰
Remember the TINY barn owl chick that arrived in our care at the end of July? Look how grown up he looks now! ♥️
He had only just hatched from the egg when he arrived in our care and it’s taken a LOT of work to raise him into the fluffy ball of white fuzz who now resides in one of our wards. Whilst raising him is one thing, there’s something else that’s MUCH better news…
He hates us.
That may sound like a mad thing to be proud of but, when working with orphaned wildlife (especially raptors), the risk of taming or imprinting is something we really have to avoid. Although it may look ‘cute’ to see young animals interacting with a human, their chances back in the wild depend on their instincts and fear. They need to know that humans often mean bad news and, as a result, we need to make sure they never lose that natural fear of Mankind.
May your disdain towards us only grow, little one! 😂
Wow - go li’l barnie!
They’re doing a great job, hopefully he gets sick of their BS and goes and does what HE wants to do! we’re not the boss of him!
I wish all the wild babies grow up to be the toughest whatever they are in their neck of the woods!