An eagle owl has been flying around in Hulst in Zeeland for several days. The owl presumably escaped in the Belgian town of Sint Niklaas. The Animal Protection Agency asks people in Hulst to leave the eagle-owl alone.
Yesterday the eagle owl migrated in Hulst a lot of attention after the animal landed in a schoolyard. The bird sat on a fence through which toddlers and preschoolers have to enter and remained there undisturbed for some time.
Employees of the animal ambulance tried to catch the eagle owl with a large net, but that was not easy. The eagle owl flew up and sat on the roof of a house. The volunteers of the animal ambulance could not access that.
‘Don’t try to catch yourself’
A spokesman for the Animal Protection says against Zeeland broadcaster that people who see the eagle owl are always allowed to report this to the control room of the Animal Protection. Depending on where the animal has been spotted, the ambulance will make another attempt to catch the eagle owl. “It’s not an emergency, like a run-down animal.”
According to the spokesperson, it is unwise for people to try to catch the eagle owl themselves. “The animal is too big for that. Leave that to our employees.” Taking a selfie is also not recommended because, according to the spokesman, it remains a wild animal with sharp claws. “Be in awe and enjoy it.”
Cuddle
Tommy Breyaert from Sint Niklaas thinks it is his eagle owl that escaped a few weeks ago. “We have already tried everything to catch him”, he tells Omroep Zeeland. “Put food down, catch him with a net, but we can’t get him.”
According to Breyaert, captive birds are used to coming to people for food. “But I haven’t been able to train with this bird yet,” he says. “He is still young, he was born last October.”
He is worried and afraid that someone will harm the bird. “I hope we get to him as soon as possible.” According to Breyaert, the eagle owl means nothing wrong. “That eagle owl is absolutely not dangerous. He just wants to cuddle.”
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