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Crew Saves Worn-Out Barn Owl 70 Miles Off English Coast
Newser • • world
Key Points:
- A barn owl was found nearly 70 miles out at sea, trailing a British Army offshore racing yacht during a race around Britain and Ireland, an unusual occurrence for this species.
- The exhausted owl repeatedly plunged into the water before collapsing on the yacht's deck, where the crew rescued and kept it warm until lifeboat personnel could transport it ashore.
- Experts believe the owl likely ended up offshore after hitching a ride on a fishing boat, a rare and unexpected situation according to a Barn Owl Trust conservation officer.
- The owl, nicknamed "Little Reg," was taken to the RSPCA's East Winch Wildlife Centre, where it was treated for dehydration and malnourishment and has since begun eating, with hopes for its eventual release back into the wild.
- Lifeboat crew members noted that while rescuing wildlife is not uncommon, the mid-race rescue of the determined owl was a particularly memorable event.
