Duncan and Fred
Two Verreaux’s Eagle-Owls were handed in to Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Honorary Warden Duncan Mitchell at Vipingo Ridge on 26/05/2024. Duncan has an infectious passion for raptors and has been instrumental in rescuing many birds of all shapes and sizes from a sad fate across the Kenyan coast. He collaborates closely with Fred Okoko, a raptor fanatic who negotiates with villagers not to kill raptors and travels excellent distances day or night to recover raptors.
Duncan administered first aid upon their arrival, checking the owls’ condition and providing oral fluids to deal with dehydration before they could safely eat. Both birds were severely dehydrated, near starvation, and in total shock from their ordeal. Imagine the stress of going from a quiet, nocturnal life to being tied up and riding on the back of motorbikes in the sun for hours. The owls rested and stabilized sufficiently overnight, so Duncan arranged for Fred to travel to Watamu Raptor Rescue the following morning. There, they received further checks and care from The Kenya Bird of Prey Trust, which provided advice, and A Rocha Kenya, which also supported them.
Indeed, people are afraid of what they don't know
These owls had been trapped and captured by villagers who did not want them around for superstitious reasons and feared they were eating their chicken. They first caught one of the owls and tied it up in an open area near the same trap to attract its mate for later capture. They eventually caught the second owl, and due to rising fear that KWS would intervene, some villagers traveled to Vipingo and handed both owls to Duncan. Although the owls arrived at Duncan’s place in a state of starvation and complete shock, they, fortunately, had no actual injuries, so after treatment for dehydration, they only needed some rest and lots of food to fatten up before release. Photographs received since their arrival suggest that a Spotted Eagle-Owl has unfortunately not been so fortunate, having been killed by a catapult in the same village days later. They fattened up by eating up to 17-day-old chicks between them per night!
Time to fly
We all quickly developed a soft spot for this beautiful pair of owls. They were always together while being surprisingly gentle and well-mannered despite the mistreatment they had suffered at the hands of people before us. Duncan named this pair Mr & Mrs Smith, which seems fitting if you’ve watched the 2005 action movie where Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt pretend to be an average sweet couple by day but are secretly both assassins by night.
On 9 June 2024, Roy Bealey, Eric Kinoti (A Rocha), and Fred Okoko traveled to Tsavo East National Park with the owls. With many thanks to coordination by KWS Warden Salim Makomba, they were joined at Sala Gate by CPL. James Ondieki of KWS was taken to an excellent remote release site with large trees bordering the Galana River. The team successfully released the owls in the late afternoon light. We thank Fred and Duncan for their tireless efforts in saving many raptors along the coast, The Kenya Bird of Prey Trust and A Rocha Kenya for their eager assistance, and KWS for helping facilitate this release into a beautiful and safe area where the owls can now live out their lives in peace without the persecution they faced in their old home.
