owl_eye_issue4_online

The best part came was when we got to go on the behind-the-scenes tour of the owls that were living outside. These owls were not
so much as educational owls as Fidget, Barney, Indie and even Cugat, but they were there for breeding programmes with WOT as
well as helping to educate their human counterparts with animal husbandry. There are 80 owls there at Rodbaston right now, and 80
more in other temporary locations until the new Owl Centre will be completeed hopefully next year. The Owl Eye plans to visit the
new Owl Center and see all the World Owl Trust’s Owls in their own Owl Wonderland, THE WORLD OWL CENTRE at Himley Hall
& Park, Dudley, West Midlands.
The World Owl Trust’s Efforts to Conserve the Population
of the Philippine Eagle Owl
Or Why You Should Care About the Rain
Forests in the Philippines
In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, the World Owl Trust was starting
to make headway in conservation of the Philippine Eagle Owl and also the
rainforests in the Philippines. The rainforests, although not a forefront in
rainforest conservation, (as opposed to the more common knowledge of
preservation of the Brazilian Rainforests) is one of the most biodiverse areas
on our planet in terms of fauna and flora. There are species there that are
native to the Philippines that are in serious trouble, such as the Philippine
Eagle Owl. Sadly, if nothing is done to stop the destruction of this incredibly
diverse resource, many species will suffer the nonreversible end of extinction.
Tony Warbuton, creator of WOT, as well as the UK and Ireland Taxon
Advisory group have been selected by the Philippine government to
spearhead the Philippine Owl Conservation Programme or POCP. This
programme helps to conserve the owl species of the Philippines as well as
the other flora and fauna of the area. by establishing breeding enviroments for
the owls. Breeding within captivity is usually difficult, but to save a species is
often necessary. Tony, Jenny Thusrton, Dr. James Kirkwood, Wiliam Oliver,
Dr. Roger Wilkinson, Duncan Bolton, John de Hoon, Rinus Vercade, Mrs. Will
Vercade, and Antonie Schneider, all European particiapants from different
specialist backrounds, have travelled to the Philippines and nearby areas to
effectively create better living conditions for owl speices there, including the
Philippine Eagle Owl. Losing our environment in any capacity is always a threat to our survival as well as to the species around us.
Destroying such rich resourceful land and losing animals that are higher up on the food chain will only cause more problems for us.
For more information, please contact the World Owl Trust and laern how you can help. www.owls.org
30
Philippine Eagle Owl taken at Avilon Zoo,
Rodriguez, Rizal, Philippines.
Permission granted by Avilon Zoo