The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : European eagle owl The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : European eagle owl
Showing posts with label European eagle owl. Show all posts
Showing posts with label European eagle owl. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

In a Northern Dutch Town, the Residents Are Being Terrorized by an European Eagle Owl


Residents in the northern Dutch town of Purmerend, have been advised to arm themselves with an umbrella when going out at night

There have been a rising number of owl attacks.

An European eagle owl has silently swooped on dozens of residents over the past three weeks, causing many victims to seek medical attention.

The latest attack, two members of a local athletics club were attacked. One person required stitches for six head wounds caused by the nocturnal bird of prey's talons.

The club has cancelled all training until further notice.

Residents and workers at Prinsenstichting home for the handicapped have been left terrified following at least 15 attacks, spokeswoman Liselotte de Bruijn told AFP.

"During the day there's no problem. We only venture outside at night armed with umbrellas, helmets and hats, anything really, to protect ourselves," said De Bruijn.

"The problem is that you don't hear the owl before it strikes. Its claws are razor-sharp," she said.

Purmerend city council said it was trying to find a solution.

"We want to catch the owl as our city's residents are in danger," it said on its website, noting however that the European eagle owl is a protected species that requires special permission to be trapped.

"These procedures can still take some time. Meanwhile, we are advising people to stay away from the owl," the city said, telling night strollers in the area to shield themselves with umbrellas.

Gejo Wassink of the Netherlands' OWN owl foundation said the bird's behavior was unusual.

"Either the owl was reared in captivity and released into the wild and now associates humans with food -- meaning it's not really 'attacking' people."

"Or it may have heightened hormone levels as the breeding season starts, which influences its behavior and makes it defend its territory," Wassink told AFP, saying the bird "appears to be a female".

He pointed to the wider problem of people hand-rearing owls and then releasing them into the wild when they become too big to handle, potentially leading to an increase in attacks.

The European eagle owl is one of the largest owl species, with a wing-span of up to 1.80 metres (almost six feet) and weighing up to three kilos (seven pounds).

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