Rare owl spotted in wild after zoo escape

A large owl that is rarely seen in the UK has been spotted in a Wolverhampton tourist spot after escaping from a nearby zoo.

The female Verreaux's eagle owl has been sighted perched in the pine trees of Wightwick Manor and Gardens, in what has been described by a wildlife enthusiast as "basically impossible".

The huge bird of prey, which is native to southern parts of Africa, had escaped while on loan for a breeding programme at Wild Zoological Park - about seven miles (11km) away.

After several unsuccessful rescue attempts, it has been agreed by the National Trust, which runs the site, that she can stay in her new home.

A spokesperson said: "She is unlikely to be a threat to the ecological balance in the area, no more so than any other avian predator, such as falcons or buzzards, or a fox. We will keep an eye on wildlife in the area as part of our routine checks and keep in contact with Wild Zoological Park."

"It's important that members of the public remember she is a wild animal and should be treated as such; with respect and admiration from a distance."

Visitors have taken to social media to share their sightings of the "majestic" bird which caught the eye of local wildlife content creator James Cook.

"It's a very imposing, impressive thing to see. I was in awe," he told the BBC.

The 31-year-old from Leamington Spa added: "I've seen them in South Africa and spoke to a couple of people who said that it's been here for about three years on and off.

"After a quick search, there it was, sitting in the tree looking all majestic and glorious."

The Verreaux's Eagle Owl are among the biggest and heaviest of all of the owls, the Owls Trust has said.

As apex predators, owls sit at the top of the food chain and play a pivotal role in maintaining ecological balance.

They serve as natural regulators of rodent numbers, curbing potential ecological imbalances caused by unchecked populations.

Cook, who travels the UK in search of "weird and wonderful wildlife", often posts his findings across his social media pages under the name Wildlife With Cookie. On Instagram he has more than 166,000 followers.

He said: "They don't get here naturally, so it's basically impossible to spot them in the UK in the wild but, this one would have escaped from somewhere nearby. It's super mega rare. It's the only one I've seen in the UK."

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