Rehabilitated owl dies after second collision

LIHUE (AP) — A Hawaiian short-eared owl that was struck by a vehicle in late March has died after being hit by another vehicle two months after it was rehabilitated and released back into the wild.

The state’s Department of Land and Natural Resources said two more owls were found dead on Kauai’s roads on the same day.

Andre Raine, of the Kauai Endangered Seabird Recovery Project, originally found the owl on March 22 and took it to the Save Our Shearwaters rehabilitation center, where it recovered with the help of Hawaii Wildlife Center staff members. They nursed the owl back to health and released it in late April, The Garden Island reported Wednesday.

It was found recently six miles from the release location and was in good body condition, which means it had been hunting and feeding successfully, the Department of Land and Natural Resources said.

Tracy Anderson, of the Save Our Shearwaters rehabilitation center, examined the dead owl and confirmed its injuries were consistent with being struck by a vehicle.

In addition to the three Hawaiian owls found dead on Kauai’s roads, another one was discovered on Oahu earlier this year and could not be rehabilitated after it collided with a car.

“The death of the owls serves as a reminder for those who drive on Kauai’s roads to slow down and be aware of owls, nene, fledgling seabirds and other birds that may be feeding or flying alongside or near roads and highways,” Raine said.

The 22,000-square-foot facility at the intersection of Pulehu Road and Hookele Street is scheduled to be completed by the end of next summer. The new site will be more than double the size of the current facility near Costco.