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Lucky the owl released back to South Cariboo months after Highway 97 collision with car

The female Great Horned Owl flew into a car’s windshield in December but survived

Lucky the Great Horned Owl enjoyed a “fairy-tale ending” in mid-March.

Wildlife photographer and Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society (OWL) volunteer Murray Zelt said the owl, originally injured in December when it hit a car, was eager to take to the skies again. Watching her fly away was emotional but rewarding, Zelt said.

“It was kind of surreal. To survive a thing like that is truly miraculous,” Zelt said. “It was kind of like a fairy-tale ending to see it fly so strong and far. We knew she was definitely in good shape.”

Zelt rescued Lucky in late 2022 after his nephew, Matt Pistell, accidentally hit the owl while driving back from a hockey game near Lac La Hache. Lucky hit Pistell’s window and “scared the bleepers out of him” but miraculously didn’t come through the windshield, surviving the collision.

His nephew contacted Zelt for advice and drove the owl to Zelt’s home in the cab of his truck. Determining the owl was concussed, Zelt kept Lucky in his home overnight and when she survived, sent her down to Delta for rehabilitation.

“She went down to Delta for three months and at first they said she might not survive but she kept on persevering,” Zelt said. “After the shock wore off she was eating three to four mice a day, handfed, and then eventually she had to pass the test of catching live prey and she passed.”

Zelt said they chose to release Lucky on March 16 so, if she has a mate in the area, they’ll be able to reunite and have some chicks. After waiting for the snow to melt, they took Lucky out to some meadows between the 108 Mile Ranch and Lac La Hache.

“I pre-scouted it a month before to find an area that had a little bit of everything. It has rolling meadows, some nice forests with big trees for her to perch in the evening and there was an actual nest in a group of Aspen trees,” Zelt said.

Joining Zelt in the release were Pistell and Pistell’s parents who recorded the release. After taking a few more pictures with her and giving her a farewell speech, Pistell opened the cage and Lucky flew off into the woods.

Zelt said he is hopeful Lucky will be able to find food, but noted Great Horned Owls are the “Tigers of the Sky” and he was sure she would find something to eat.

“When you look at what their food sources are the list is huge, they have even taken on bobcats. These birds are vicious even though holding it (the night of the accident) it seemed so calm but they’re the Apex predator of the owls.”

Lucky has a band on her right leg to identify her and Zelt said he intends to hike the area in the future to see if he can get more photos of her. In the meantime, he intends to rescue any other birds that come across his path.

“Mum raised us five kids in a real loving environment with a lot of empathy. We always had dogs and cats and when a bird would hit the window we would go out and try to resuscitate it,” Zelt said. “I really love nature and animals so it’s bred into me to give them a helping hand.”

READ MORE: Owl named Lucky by rescuers on the mend after colliding with vehicle near 100 Mile House



patrick.davies@100milefreepress.net

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Patrick Davies

About the Author: Patrick Davies

An avid lover of theatre, media, and the arts in all its forms, I've enjoyed building my professional reputation in 100 Mile House.
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