Baby owl has outside view of higher education at UTSA 1604 Campus
(Aug. 6, 2003)--A baby owl was discovered early Tuesday morning perched at a fourth-floor window of the John Peace Library Building at the UTSA 1604 Campus.
Pictured at his perch, "Ollie," as he was named by Office of University Communications staff members, calmly observed the routine activities in the office, ruffling his feathers only if someone came near the window. "Step away from the glass!" his reactions seemed to say. After several hours of observation and maintaining his stance on the angled and slippery sill, Ollie slid off and landed near a second-floor library window.
The incident was reported to Facilities Services Work Control at 210-458-4262, and help was sent from Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation in Boerne. A WRR staff member reports that young Ollie was trying to fly and couldn't stay in the air due to undeveloped wings, but now is in good hands and will be fine.
It is believed that Ollie is part of an owl family seen often on Humanities and Social Sciences Building window ledges. The mother owl often perches on the Business Building to take a long-distance view of her offspring, whether they are in the nest or making their first attempts at flight.
For animal and human safety, please report stray or injured animals at the tri-campuses to Facilities Services Work Control, and appropriate staff will be dispatched to pick up the animal. Wild animals caught by Facilities Services grounds staff or other agencies are returned to wooded areas in "Have-a-Heart" cages.
Donations to support Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation are being collected in the UTSA 1604 Campus library until Friday, Aug. 8. The donations will be mailed to WRR on Monday. For more information, contact Marilyn Valentine, library assistant, at 210-458-5502.
---------------------
---------------------
© The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2003