Flight of freedom over Subotica Sands: Rare Ural owl and 19 strictly protected songbirds released

The owl was cared for by the Provincial Institute for Nature Conservation within the Palic Zoo, while the songbirds also spent a short time at the zoo after being confiscated by competent supervisory authorities form persons holding them in captivity illegally

A very rare Ural owl (Strix uralensis) and 19 strictly protected songbirds have been released into the wild in the protected area of ​​the Subotica Sands, the Ministry of Environment  announced today.

After spending time in rehabilitation, the owl - that was found injured in the Banat village of Krajisnik - took flight along with 10 Carduelis carduelis, five Carduelis spinus, three Carduelis cannabina and one Serinus serinus birds.

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The owl was cared for by the Provincial Institute for Nature Conservation within the Palic Zoo, while the songbirds also spent a short time at the zoo after being confiscated by competent supervisory authorities form persons holding them in captivity illegally.

The birds were returned to nature jointly by representatives of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, experts from the Provincial Institute for Nature Conservation, employees of the Palic Zoo and guardians of the Subotica Sands.

The owl is protected as all predator birds by international agreements such as CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) and national regulations of the Republic of Serbia.

Ural owls are is in the category of strictly protected species, whose habitat are preserved beech and beech-and-fir forests in the mountainous areas, and is a very rare species of owl as there are only about 100 breeding pairs in Serbia.

"Rehabilitation and release back into the wild of each specimen of this species is very significant for the wild population of the Ural owl in Serbia," the ministry said.

(Telegraf.rs/ Tanjug)