Burrowing Owl fest provides fun, advocacy
The Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife’s Burrowing Owl Festival always brings a hoot to the community.
The 23rd annual event was no exception, bringing a day of fun while providing insight into the city’s official bird and how the public can help keep habitats protected.
Saturday’s event included live animal exhibits, educational programs, food and beverages, silent auctions, access to the butterfly house and bus tours to nearby owl burrows.
Proceeds from the event help support CCFW’s mission to preserve and enhance wildlife and their habitats and educate the community about the wildlife found in Cape Coral.
“I think it’s a great event to bring the community together and raise awareness about owls,” said CCFW volunteer Brendan Kulhawy, who enjoyed the event and the community it brought to the Cape. “Although it’s hot outside, we are helping the community come together and get to experience what the festival has to offer.”
Thanks to volunteers and organizers, attendees were able to learn about some of the ways they can do their part to help the burrowing owls, including:
● Raising awareness about protecting nest sites from construction
● Maintaining artificial burrowing owl nests
● Researching the burrowing owls and sharing this information with friends and family
● Maintaining the environment through healthy habits
● Avoid the usage of pesticides around burrowing owl habitats.
Numerous speakers and related organizations also took part.
Guest speaker Adam Brame, recovery coordinator for the endangered smalltooth sawfish and the threatened oceanic whitetip shark, NOAA Fisheries, U.S. Department of Commerce, spoke about conserving the smalltooth sawfish and other marine species at risk.
Joseph Bonasia, Florida Rights of Nature Network & Operations and communications director, spoke about the decline in local water quality and the critical importance of clean water in safeguarding the local community, wildlife and environment.
Adam’s Animal Encounters attended to teach the guests about reptiles, as well as to provide an opportunity to purchase merchandise.
Information provided ranged from the life span of tortoises to how docile alligators — known for their lightning attacks on the unwary — can be. The community had the opportunity to pet the alligators with Adam Pottruck giving a demonstration and facts about each species.
Tandria Burke, Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge outreach and administration ranger, spoke about her experience at the refuge and how they wanted to inform attendees about the wildlife.
“What we’re doing at the refuge, we manage 27,000 acres of habitats before the panthers, and we just want to get the word out about panthers in general,” Burke said. “Everyone’s always interested in learning more.”
While Burke and the refuge are working in Immokalee, they still wanted to see that growth of awareness in Cape Coral.
“I think that wildlife is super important and super important to get the community out, because there is not a lot of places to learn about wildlife unless you reach out to the people,” Burke said. “It’s very important to engage in community involvement, and just getting involved in the community and letting them learn about things, but also doing it in a fun way that interests someone that’s not necessarily honed in on wildlife.”
Burke said she and her team learned a lot about the owls and their role locally.
“I actually did learn a little bit about the burrowing owl,” Burke said. “I learned that they need more habitat. They need more space to go. So Cape Coral, right now, they’re trying to buy up land to give them places to go.”
Event sponsors included Jason’s Deli, Cape Coral Wildlife Trust, Coastal and Heartland National Estuary Partnership and several others.
The Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife is “Dedicated to Protection, Preservation and Education.”
“Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife is a volunteer organization whose purpose is to preserve and enhance the habitats of protected wildlife species and to educate the community about Cape Coral’s wildlife resources.
“Founded in 2001, we now have approximately 500 members and an engaged group of volunteers, board of directors and committees operating our unique events and programs,” its websites states.
More information about burrowing owls may be found at https://ccfriendsofwildlife.org/. Donations are always welcome.