The Suffolk Owl Sanctuary Introduces Templeton and Thelma to the public

The Suffolk Owl Sanctuary and Nature Centre – based at Suffolk’s premier visitor destination Stonham Barns Park at Stonham Aspal – has finished building a new enclosure for its Burrowing Owls Templeton and Thelma and they have now moved in.

The opening of the aviary to the public coincides with the Half Term where families are also being invited to Indoor Flying Display experiences to get closer to wildlife over the holiday period.

The much-loved charitable organisation operates a comprehensive facility for the care and rehabilitation of raptors from the region, and the public promotion of wildlife conservation throughout the UK and beyond.  It is open to the public all year round where it maintains its services with the support of public donations and an adoption scheme. 

Templeton the male owl – who is the smaller of the two Burrowing Owls – is part of the current adoption scheme.

Adopt an animal schemes are available and make popular presents. They range from £5 monthly upwards. Other owls currently up for ‘adoption’ include Cobweb the Barn Owl, Titch the Tawny Owl, Cecil the Spectacled Owl and Tura the Siberian Eagle Owl along with some mammals from the Nature Centre.

Explains Head Trainer Harry Wade: ‘We’re really excited to have built a new enclosure designed specifically for our resident Burrowing Owls. Burrowing Owls in the wild will use burrows created by Ground Squirrels as a safe place to live and nest; we designed the enclosure with this in mind, providing them with plenty of tunnels. 

‘Since we had to move Templeton and Thelma from their old enclosure we took the opportunity to give them a thorough health check.’

‘They are now settling into their new enclosure and seem to be enjoying exploring the new space. We hope lots of people will come to see them over the Half-Term.’

The Suffolk Owl Sanctuary treats and rehabilitates sick and injured native birds of prey and has a huge and varied collection of birds of prey which are regularly featured in flying displays for the public. At the Nature Centre, and on the Woodland Walk there are mammals too including Meerkats – most recently introduced Porcupines and Armadillos – and Red Squirrels.

There are over 80 birds to see including Owls, Falcons and Vultures. There is also an Education Centre, bug hotels, indoor and outdoor children’s play areas and more.

 

Please contact the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary for further information on 03456 680 7897.

 

  • Burrowing Owls primarily hunt at dawn and dusk; they will watch from a low perch waiting for prey to appear. These owls have a variety of hunting techniques: they will fly up to catch an insect mid-air, they will fly down to pounce on prey and they can chase after their prey on foot thanks to their long legs.
  • Burrowing Owls are the only owl species to live underground; they nest, roost and raise chicks in burrows left by other animals like Prairie Dogs and Ground Squirrels. Living in open areas with few trees, these burrows offer safety from predators and protection from the elements.
  • Before laying eggs, Burrowing Owls carpet the entrances to their burrows with animal dung; this attracts dung beetles and other insects that the owls can then catch and eat.
  • Burrowing Owls will also often store extra food to ensure they have an adequate supply during incubation and brooding. One cache observed in Canada in 1997 contained more than 200 rodents.
  • Whilst most owls tend to be solitary creatures, the Burrowing Owl is quite social. They live among others of their own species in loose groups of up to several hundred individuals.