Preschoolers taught that owls are a hoot
Project coordinator of Owlproject.org, Jordan Hardey, and owl ringer, Hussein Moyo, educate the children of Simply Kidz Academy on the importance of conservation.
With the battle of maintaining a sustainable environment for animals, representatives of Owlproject.org relocated two spotted eagle owls to a safe haven at a preschool based in Morningside.
Staff members and children of Simply Kidz Academy were all amazed during the presentation of the owls on January 24.
The partnership between the two entities began in 2018 when Sara Orchardson, operations manager of EcoSolutions, discussed with children on conservation and the benefits centered on the rehabilitation of abandoned owlets.
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Owlproject.org which falls under the company EcoSolutions mainly focuses on educating learners and communities about wildlife.
Project coordinator, Jordan Hardey, and owl ringer, Hussein Moyo, travelled from their headquarters in Randburg to the establishment, just to inform the little owl enthusiasts about how owls play a big role in the environment.
“The interesting basis of this would be that the kids are learning a foundational level of how important our environment is and also having a foundation for a sustainable future. They can’t be conservation without education,” said Hardey.
The two spotted eagle owls which are known to be six weeks old and are currently stationed in a secured barn at the establishment till they reach a stage where they can hunt for their food.
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In the quest of eradicating the misconception of owls, Moyo touched base on how the presence of the bird species is neither good nor bad omens, but animals that serve a purpose. One of them is pest controller as they mainly consume rodents.
“In 2022 we were chosen to become part of the owl rehabilitation programme. We saw that EcoSolutions and Owlproject.org were a good fit for our already proactive stance in making our little one’s aware of the importance of looking after our environment. We have our own vegetable garden, where the children are actively involved,” said Mdladla.
The children and staff members of the school will act as surrogate parents during the development stages of the owls which takes 21 days.
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